The Carmel football tradition added another triumphant chapter last season, as the Greyhounds finished off an 11-3 season by winning their ninth state championship.
Carmel has its sights set on making another big post-season run. The ‘Hounds will have help from four returning starters each on offense and defense, in addition to one of the more accurate kickers in the state.
“Following a great run to our ninth state title in 2019, the 2020 team must be prepared to face the toughest schedule in Indiana,” said Carmel coach John Hebert, who will begin his sixth season as the Greyhounds’ head coach Friday night at Plainfield. “We must be prepared to learn lessons as a team, growing closer during setbacks, so that we can be playing our best football by Week 10 of the season.”
The most experienced offensive player returning will be senior running back Zach White. The two-year starter rushed for 456 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Carmel has two returning wide receivers back as well, both of them seniors: Colton Parker had 30 catches, including seven TDs, while Baron Smith had 14 catches, two of them for touchdowns.
Another returning starter is senior Justin Pickett, a 6-foot-7, 320-pound guard who was named to the Junior All-State team last year. Junior Zach Osborne is the projected quarterback for the ‘Hounds; he completed 32 of 66 passes for 389 yards last season.
On defense, junior linebacker Dominic Padjen is a two-year starter; he was named to the IFCA Top 50 player list last year. Senior Owen Schafer, another two-year starter, will bring experience to the secondary, as will senior Tamarris Springfield, a returning starter. Senior Andrew Turvy is another returner at linebacker.
Senior Spencer Hanna, yet another two-year starter, returns as the Carmel kicker. Last season he was perfect when it came to extra points, making all 43 of his attempts, and hit 10 of his 15 field goal tries as well. Other special teams players coming back are senior returner Colton Parker, who averaged 19.5 yards in 10 kickoff returns last season. Junior Hayden Cate is back as long snapper.
Carmel picked up its Friday game with Plainfield after the Quakers’ original opponent opted out of the game. The Greyhounds will host Cathedral next Friday in their home opener, then begin Metropolitan Conference play on Sept. 4 at Center Grove.
