James Buchanan

By Lizi Arbogast

larbogast@GameTimePA.com

@liziarbogast on Twitter

MERCERSBURG >> Last year is last year.

That’s James Buchanan’s mentality for the 2014 football season.

The Rockets made waves when they broke a 20-game losing skid, had their best season in 18 years and seemed to change the culture of football in Mercersburg.

But again, last year is last year. JB is looking for more now.

“The first two years (I was here), we were 1-9 then 0-10, and that was heartbreaking,” Rocket senior Casey Glunt said. “Last year, we were ready to tear some people. We wanted .500, but 4-6 is how it ended for us. We want better this year.”

The staple of JB’s wing-T is the fullback, and the Rockets have a fine plan to replace leading rusher Brady Hornbaker — junior Seth Carbaugh (5-foot-11, 184 pounds).

“My expectations for Seth are the same as they were for Brady: be the player that you are,” JB coach Andy Stoner said. “Seth got some time last year when Brady got dinged up, and Seth proved he can play at the varsity level and break some tackles.”

Carbaugh said, “I’m just going to pretty much run the way I have the past couple of years. I feel like I’ll be able to do just as good as he did. If our line holds up, I feel like I can run as hard as he can.”

But there Carbaugh brings up the biggest question for James Buchanan. How will the line hold up?

The Rockets graduated Sloane Bendell, Brady Glass and Nick Leturgy, all of whom started on both the offensive and defensive lines last season. That’s a lot of holes to fill, and during the first week of preseason, Stoner was still unsure of how things would shake out.

“I’ve seen some guys step up at Lebanon Valley College camp and in our drills,” Stoner said. “But until you get out here under the lights, you just don’t know who those guys are going to be.”

Some competitors for starting positions on the line include Hayden Glunt (5-9, 232), Doug Peterson (5-10, 186) and Judson Iverson (5-8, 233).

The offensive line will also have a lot to do with how junior quarterback Dillon Sanders (5-11, 187) does this year.

Sanders started every game under center as a sophomore, but there was one game in which he did not pass at all and another with only three pass attempts. The Rockets are expecting that to change in a big way, though.

“If we come into a game where a team is going to try to stop our run, we should be comfortable enough to throw the ball,” Stoner said. “But if the defense isn’t giving us the pass and we have to run the ball all game to win, that’s what we’ll do.”

During his first season as a starter, Sanders finished with a 49.5 completion percentage (46-for-93) for 791 yards and eight touchdown passes.

“Dillon is throwing a lot better this year, so hopefully we can pass a little more,” Carbaugh said.

Stoner said, “Dillon has worked tremendously hard. He’s so far beyond where he was when he came in as a sophomore. He’s much more comfortable with his arm. His mechanics are better and his footwork is better.”

Sanders also has a slew of targets to work with. Peter Hughey (6-2, 185) led JB’s receivers with 300 yards on a mere 10 catches last season — six of those receptions ended up in the end zone. Jacob Smith (6-1, 167) will be the tight end, and Stoner has high expectations for him.

Shamar Pates (5-6, 156) will also be a force to be reckoned with in a myriad of ways. Last year, the halfback had 115 yards on 13 catches, 186 rushing yards on 50 carries and brought down an area-leading five interceptions. He scored eight touchdowns, including three rushes, two passes and a trio of kick returns.

“Each and every year, Shamar has gotten better,” Stoner said. “His speed has gotten better, and he knows the game. He could probably be my offensive coordinator. He knows our system so, so well, and he studies the cornerback position to better himself.”

Pates may also see more time in the red zone defense, despite his size.

Stoner said, “When we get into the red zone, I feel like we needed to take him out because they can throw the fade over top of him. But how do you do that, when he’s such a force and makes guys make the difficult catch?”

Pates isn’t the only returning defender who should make waves. The Rockets return at least seven starting defenders, including all of their secondary. Jonathan Brison (6-0, 176) and Dustin Walker (5-8, 215) are the only returners on the defensive line at end and tackle, respectively. Casey Glunt (5-9, 200), Brandon Hann (5-10, 154) and Bayley Heckman (5-11, 195) will make up the linebacking crew, while Blake Egolf (6-2, 163) and Hughey return as free safety and defensive back, respectively.

“The whole defense is pretty solid,” Glunt said. “We have a lot of returning defensive starters, and the people we have filling in are doing well, too. We’re very well-rounded defensively.”

Stoner said, “We gang tackled, we flew to the ball and got some interceptions to score some key points last year. But we need to be able to get better at techniques; that way, we can get teams three and out. Our defense was on the field for way too long. Our defense needs to get off the field, so our offense can get back on, and we don’t have that constant pressure.”

James Buchanan is already going to have a ton of pressure with how strong the Mid Penn Colonial Division is shaping up.

“This whole division, top to bottom, is as tough as I’ve ever seen it,” Stoner said. “Week in, week out, it’s going to be a battle. I’m just hoping we can go out and compete.”

The Rockets definitely don’t want to be known as the “easy game” anymore, and they must build upon last year to make that statement.