Perryville preview: Pirates plan to spread the work around this year

The pressure could be squarely on Travis Brown's shoulders.

He is the leading returning rusher for the Perryville football team, one of just two returning players who scored a touchdown last year and one of the four captains for this year's team. He also is the leading returning tackler.

"He will be a mainstay for us," Perryville coach Rick Chastain said. "He had a good sophomore year for us, and he's a good leader."

But Chastain prefers to spread the responsibilities left by last year's seniors among many.

The void left by Matt Unterreiner and his fellow graduates is large.

Unterreiner rushed for 1,494 yards and earned all-state honors for a second straight season after scoring 17 touchdowns for the Pirates, who finished 5-6 and won a Class 3 district championship.

Perryville High School senior Blake Dannenmueller, right, took a handoff from coach Mike Wortmann during football camp in July. Dannenmueller will be among those expected to get carries this season.

Also gone are quarterback Cory Buerck; receivers Phillip Buerck, Kirk Luckey Clinton Rice and Greg Wibbenmeyer; and linemen Matt Schamburg, David Ochs and John Lohmann.

"You don't replace a guy like Matt Unterreiner," Chastain said. "You try to fill the holes with three, four, five guys that can do the job."

So Brown, a 6-foot, 195-pound junior who rushed for 94 yards last season while averaging 3.24 yards per carry, is not expected to be the workhorse in the backfield. Others, including sophomore Kris Cottner (5-9, 155), sophomore Waylon Sparkman (5-8, 208), senior transfer Tony Guillen (5-11, 153) and senior Blake Dannenmueller (5-11, 156), should see time in the backfield.

"We have a number of kids vying for running back," Chastain said. "When you replace someone like Matt, you try to do it with a number of people."

Brown, who spent a lot of time on the field last year in the split-back and I-back sets, helping to block for Unterreiner, doesn't mind. His best stretch last year was 77 yards on 20 carries in a three-game midseason run as Perryville headed into district play. (Unterreiner rushed for 687 yards in that stretch.)

"I'll probably get to carry the ball a little more," Brown said, "but I think we'll have more people play in the backfield this year. There will probably be five of us worked in. We also have a lot of receivers who can make up for what we lost in the running game."

Chastain and Brown both say the returning players have done a lot of work to improve from last season. Perryville has about 60 players from grades 10 through 12.

"Everyone wants to be part of something decent," Chastain said, referring to last year's district title, the school's first since 1998. "Our strength is the numbers, and we hope to be able to find some players to step up.

"Probably the thing I'm happiest about is the work they did in the weight room as a team."

Said Brown: "Since the end of last season, everyone has been in the weight room. Everyone has been working."

Brown said he has improved his muscle mass and reduced some body fat. He has dropped his 40-yard dash time from 4.7 seconds last year to 4.65 this year. And one of the biggest improvements, he said, is his hands.

"I'm catching the ball a lot better," Brown said, "just by going through the reps and working with the quarterback."

The quarterback may be senior Jacob Hayden, who completed the only pass he threw last season. Sophomore Ryan Lorenz and junior Ryan Schilling are other quarterback candidates, with Chastain hoping to get a better feel after the jamboree, which was played this past Friday in Dexter.

"We'll know a whole lot more after that," Chastain said Aug. 23 on the team's picture day.

While the quarterback position is unproven, senior Ryan Regelsperger, junior Joe Kreitler and senior tight end Marcus Walton combined for nine receptions last year. Walton (5-10, 172) is the leading returning player with four catches for 64 yards. Perryville used several receivers last year, so Schilling, Josh Hayden, Colt Buehler, Ricky Dunn and Adam Westmoreland also may have opportunities to catch passes.

The line will be anchored by returning starters Tyler Bauwens (6-1, 234, junior) and Duane Ruch (6-4, 261, junior). Others bidding for time are senior Chris Beinlein (5-11, 171), senior David Hayden (6-0, 210), senior Bobby Lands (5-9, 225), junior Andrew Telle (5-7, 216) and senior Derek Fuhrmann (6-0, 215).

"Line is probably where we lost the most," Chastain said, though Brown has confidence that this year's group will be able to open the holes.

The defense will have quite a few of the same names.

"I believe you've got to have your best people out there," Chastain said.

Brown was in on 59 tackles last year from the defensive tackle position. The leading returning tackler, Brown said he should see some time at middle linebacker this year.

Bauwens had 38 tackles along the defensive line, Regelsperer made 39 from his spot in the secondary and Blake Dannenmueller, who will play either defensive end or linebacker, had 38.

Perryville has no returning players for kicking, punting or return duties. Jacob Hayden, Josh Hayden, Gabe Layton and Waylon Sparkman are among the kicking candidates. Chastain said Brown is a possibility for returns, where Unterreiner excelled, although Dannenmueller and Cottner also may do some return work.

"They may try to get me a break there," Brown said.

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Perryville Info

• Coach: Rick Chastain, third season in second stint (8-13)
• Last year: The Pirates won their final four regular-season games to close at 5-5, clinching a district title with a 47-41, three-overtime win against Dexter. They lost 20-7 to Ste. Genevieve in the sectional.
• Key departures: Matt Unterreiner, RB; Cory Buerck, QB; Kirk Luckey, WR/LB; Phillip Buerck, WR; Clinton Rice, WR; Matt Schamburg, OG/LB; David Ochs, OT/LB.

2004 results

Windsor W 27-13

Fort Zumwalt North L 29-27

Herculaneum L 21-7

at Ste. Genevieve L 28-14

Park Hills Central L 20-0

at Potosi L 28-27

at Fredericktown W 22-7

at New Madrid CC W 49-30

at Kennett W 41-0

Dexter W 47-41

Class 3 state playoffs

at Ste. Genevieve L 20-7

2005 schedule

Sept. 2 at Windsor 7

Sept. 9 at Ft. Zumwalt N. 7

Sept. 16 at Herculaneum 7

Sept. 23 Ste. Genevieve 7

Sept. 30 at Park Hills Central 7

Oct. 8 Potosi 1

Oct. 14 Fredericktown 7

Oct. 21 New Madrid CC 7

Oct. 28 Kennett 7

Nov. 4 at Dexter 7

Offense

• With the leading rusher (all-state selection Unterreiner), quarterback (C. Buerck), three top receivers and three starting linemen gone, Perryville will be hard-pressed to match the 137 points scored in three district games. "We feel like we can throw the ball as well as run the ball," Chastain said. "We'll do what we have to do to move the ball and take what the other team gives us."

Returning starters

RB Travis Brown 6-0 195 Jr.

WR R. Regelsperger 5-11 128 Sr.

TE Marcus Walton 5-10 172 Sr.

OL Tyler Bauwens 6-1 234 Jr.

OL Duane Ruch 6-4 261 Jr.

Defense

• Losses include leading tacklers Schamburg, Ochs and Luckey but a few players return at spots throughout the defense.

Returning starters:

DE Tyler Bauwens 6-1 234 Jr.

DL Duane Ruch 6-4 261 Jr.

LB Seth Ezell 5-10 155 Sr.

LB Travis Brown 6-0 195 Jr.

LB B. Dannenmueller 5-11 156 Sr.

DB Josh Hayden 6-1 155 Sr.

DB R. Regelsperger 5-11 128 Sr.

Special teams

• No returning starters in the special teams with return specialist Unterreiner, who also kicked, departed along with Greg Wibbenmeyer, who had 20 extra points last year.

Outlook

• Chastain used the words "young and inexperienced" to describe his team, which benefits from a large turnout. Another slow start may be in the works with conference foes Herky and Ste. Gen back to back.