The NKyTribune is featuring each of the 21 high school football teams in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties leading up to the first games of the 2019 season on Aug. 23. We will then provide focused coverage of our local teams throughout the regular season and into the playoffs.
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The players who finished on top in nearly every statistic category for the Brossart football team last season have graduated. They were members of a senior class that accounted for nearly half of the names on the 2018 roster.
But coach Paul Wiggins Jr. expects the Mustangs to be a contender for a Class 1A district title again this season, and he would like to see this team get past the opening round of the state playoffs for the first time ever.
Brossart senior Grant Haubner, No. 17, is switching from defensive end to inside linebacker this season. (Photo by Tim Cooper/bmustangs.com)
“While we took a hit numbers-wise, but we actually have guys with significant experience coming back,” Wiggins said. “We’ve got guys who can play ball. We’re just asking some to take on different roles and a few to take on another role.”
Grant Haubner is one of the seniors being asked to do both. He’s moving from defensive end to inside linebacker on defense and he’ll be seeing more action on offense at wide receiver.
Last year, Haubner had 61 tackles and three quarterback sacks at defensive end. He’s moving to inside linebacker to help offset the graduation of Nathan Bezold, who got credit for more 300 tackles over the last three seasons.
“I’m not going to lie, I’m a little nervous about it,” Haubner said of his new defensive position. “But I’ve been working hard and putting in the time to get better at linebacker. I think it should be a good change for my senior year.”
Haubner, the starting catcher on Brossart’s baseball team, was voted one of four captains by his football teammates. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound senior said he was “honored” to be designated a team leader for the upcoming season.
“He’s a lanky kid, but he’s a football player through and through,” Wiggins said. “He came up through the Red Devils (youth program) and he’s got that football mentality. You look at this kid and feel like, ‘I can break him like a twig,’ but he’s a very aggressive hard-nosed player.”
Grant Haubner
The coach said Haubner is one of six starters returning from a defensive unit that allowed 236 yards per game last season with most of it coming on the ground, according to statistics posted on the khsaa.org website.
“The six guys we have back have been together on defense for a long time, so we know what we’re doing,” Haubner said. “I think with senior leadership and six returning guys we’ll be pretty strong on the defensive side of the ball.”
The Mustangs have five returning starters on offense, but the starting quarterback, leading rusher and leading pass receiver on last year’s team that averaged 235 yards per game were among the seniors who graduated.
The new quarterback will be junior Trevor Schadler, who had 205 yards in pass receptions and 153 yards rushing last season. The coach said Schadler has the athletic skills to operate a run-pass offense and three returning offensive linemen will help him make the transition to a new position.
Haubner saw limited time at wide receiver last year, but he did score two touchdowns on pass receptions. He’s looking forward to seeing more time on offense this season, especially when the team starts playing home games at the new Mustang Athletic Complex sometime on September.
“Soccer teams might play games on the field first, but Friday nights is for football,” coach Wiggins said. “We know what kind of show we’ll have on Friday nights and we get good turnouts.”
BROSSART MUSTANGS
2018 SEASON: 6-5 record, lost in first round of Class 1A playoffs.
DISTRICT: Class 1A, District 5 with Bracken County, Nicholas County, Paris.
HEAD COACH: Paul Wiggins Jr. (29-24 in five seasons at Brossart).
2019 SCHEDULE
Aug. 23 – DAYTON, 7 p.m.
Aug. 30 – at Newport, 7 p.m.
Sept. 6 – at Bellevue, 7 p.m.
Sept. 20 – LUDLOW, 7 p.m.
Sept. 27 – HOLY CROSS, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 – NICHOLAS COUNTY, 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 – at Bracken County, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 18 – at Paris, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 25 – LEXINGTON SAYRE, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 1 – at Pendleton County, 7:30 p.m.
Other NKyTribune prep football previews:
HOLY CROSS INDIANS
SCOTT EAGLES
BOONE COUNTY REBELS
RYLE RAIDERS
HOLMES BULLDOGS
BELLEVUE TIGERS
DIXIE HEIGHTS COLONELS
NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC THOROUGHBREDS
HIGHLANDS BLUEBIRDS
WALTON-VERONA BEARCATS
DAYTON GREENDEVILS
COOPER JAGUARS
LLOYD JUGGERNAUTS
LUDLOW PANTHERS
BEECHWOOD TIGERS
NEWPORT WILDCATS
