Crusaders using summer to develop youth

The summer portion of the schedule for the Saxony Lutheran Crusaders has been heavily focused on how they will make up for losing seniors Aaron Zoellner, Max Richey and Landon Ochs.

The Crusaders will return starters John Hartmann and Luke Eggemeyer, who will see an increase in responsibility in 2023-24.

“They’re going to have to step up there’s no doubt,” Crusaders coach Justin Callahan said. “This summer they’ve shown they’re both up for that role. We’re not going to have a lot of depth. We’ve had eight players playing this summer with the varsity.”

Not only will Hartmann and Eggemeyer see an increase in responsibility, the summer scrimmages have also allowed Callahan and his staff to see the leap the juniors have made since their sophomore year.

“It’s a big jump,” Callahan said. “The players are quicker, bigger, stronger and faster. I think we’ve done a good job. I’m really pleased at this point. It’s not about wins and losses, we rotate everyone through and everyone plays equally. We’re just trying to get experience to get ready for next year.”

For Callahan, he’s avoided drawing up plays all summer and has just been seeing how his team is progressing in the mental aspect of the game.

“I’m watching to see if they’re getting better at understanding (the game),” Callahan said. “In the words of Bobby Knight, I’m not teaching them plays, I’m teaching them how to play.”

Callahan feels like his team has the potential to recreate the success they had in 2022-23. The Crusaders finished 19-9 and at one point won 14 games in a row.

“I think this group could do the same thing,” Callahan said. “You can see them all getting better.”

According to Callahan, the most important part of the entire equation is how the players keep working on their craft after the summer scrimmages end.

“It depends on what they all do in the next four months after we stop for the summer,” Callahan said. “If they’re getting in the weight room and working on their skills and they all do that then I think potentially we could be every bit as good as we had been.”

2023-24 will be about trying to get over the hump for the Crusaders as the last three seasons have seen them fall in the district championship game.

The quest to win a district title begins on November 27 when the Crusaders open play in the Rolle “Duke” Herbert Tournament.