By MICHELLE GARMON
RGarmon@cherryroad.com
FRANKTON — The numbers are down in 2024, but the Frankton Eagles have enough key pieces to have a successful season.
Frankton coach Mark Luzadder believes the Eagles have enough talent to continue to build off the past three seasons and have their most successful season to date. After back-to-back 3-7 seasons, the Eagles finished 4-6 last year and look to climb above .500 this season. They will start that mission at Eastern Hancock on Friday night, Aug. 23.
Even though the numbers are down, Frankton should still have around 40 players on the roster.
The Eagles lost offensive lineman/linebacker Nate Warren, center Jarrett Cole, tight end/defensive end Landon Johnson, offensive lineman/defensive lineman Garek Ellis, wide receiver/defensive back Austin Nunley and linebacker Crew Farrell to graduation. Farrell led the Eagles with 113 tackles last season and also saw some action at running back.
Back for Frankton this season are running back Nate Luzadder, who rushed for a team-leading 1,458 yards last season, quarterback Ethan Stansberry, wide receiver/defensive back Noah Melvin, offensive/defensive lineman Ty Everson and offensive/defensive lineman Ian Nottingham. Melvin recorded 48 tackles and intercepted two passes last season. The Eagles also return leading receiver Brady Carmack, who also is a returning starter in Frankton’s defensive backfield.
Other players coach Luzadder believes will play key roles and contribute this season are freshman Cooper Luzadder (WR/DB), senior Jonah Ellis (OL/DL), senior Joe Hendrick (OL/LB), and senior Riley Inglis (WR/DB).
Frankton has nine freshmen on the roster to start the season. The senior class, however, is smaller as it numbers just six. In addition to Ellis, Hendrick and Inglis, Nate Hendrick, Carmack and Everson are also seniors.
“We look for them to lead the team in effort and attitude, as well as tough play on the field,” coach Luzadder said of his senior group.
The Eagles enter the season healthy and are coming off a good off-season.
“Offensively, we averaged 23.5 points a game,” the Eagles coach said. “We are playing faster and with more confidence this summer and look to see an increase in that number this year.
“Our team strengths are our unity, coachability, and competitive attitudes.”
Following Friday’s season opener at Class A No. 5-ranked Eastern Hancock, the Eagles will host arch-rival Lapel on Friday, Aug. 30. Frankton starts Central Indiana Conference play at Eastbrook on Friday, Sept. 6 and will host defending conference champion Mississinewa on Friday, Sept. 13. The Eagles will end the regular season hosting Elwood.
“Our schedule is as tough as it has ever been with starting the season with No. 5 Eastern Hancock and then our (school) corporation rival Lapel before getting into our CIC schedule,” coach Luzadder said. “
And as far as the conference is concerned, the Eagles coach added: “I think the CIC is wide open this year. I look for Elwood and Blackford to be improved and Alex, Eastbrook, Madison Grant, Mississinewa, and Oak Hill to continue to be tough.”
The challenging schedule should help prepare the Eagles for the postseason. Frankton jumped up from Class 2A to 3A this year and is a member of Sectional 27 that includes Benton Central, Maconaquah, Northwestern, Peru, Twin Lakes, West Lafayette and Western. Benton Central, Twin Lakes, West Lafayette and Western are members of the Hoosier Conference, while Maconaquah, Northwestern and Peru belong to the Three Rivers Conference. West Lafayette also has won its sectional the past two years and begins the season ranked eighth.
“I personally like our sectional. I like getting away from all of our CIC teams and Lapel, Luzadder said. “My first 3 years we faced Lapel and Eastbrook twice. It will be nice to game plan against a team that we know we won’t see during the regular season. The travel could be lengthy if we would draw a team like Benton Central on the road, but we will cross that bridge when we get there.”
Of the seven other teams in the sectional, Benton Central would be the farthest trip as it is northwest of Lafayette. But while the Frankton coaches will keep track of how the sectional teams fare during the regular season, they will be focused on the regular season and trying to win a CIC championship.
