By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Editor's note: TopSports.news has finished its tour of preseason football practices at all 10 Shawnee County high schools and will post preview stories over the coming days leading into the opening games of the 2023 season Sept. 1.
-----------------------------------------
Although 4-4 Seaman ended the 2022 football season with three straight losses, the mood in the Viking camp is decidedly upbeat entering the '23 campaign.
Seaman football coach Jared Swafford is expecting big things out of his Vikings in his third year at the school. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"We didn't have the consistency down the stretch that we had hoped we would see,'' Seaman coach Jared Swafford said. "Some of that was some youth in some places and the deficiencies fall on me, but our guys have had a great offseason and I think we've got those things where we felt like maybe we fell off a little bit corrected now and we're excited about where we're at.''
Swafford feels like the Vikings' work this summer has set the foundation for what could be a breakout year this fall.
"We regularly had around the 100 mark (for participation numbers), which I think is great,'' Swafford said. "That's the best that we've had in the three years that I've been here and I thought the years before were great. Our guys continue to surprise me.
"We've got more interested (in football). We've got more freshmen out than we've ever had. We've got more buy-in. We just continue to take steps and steps and steps, which we owe part of that gratitude to the guys that came before and the dedication they showed to what needs to be done.''
Adding to Seaman's optimistism is the fact that the Vikings have experience at most every position.
Callen Barta, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound senior wide receiver/defensive back, earned All-Shawnee County Second 22 and All-United Kansas Conference second-team recognition last fall.
Barta caught 41 passes for 406 yards and three touchowns and was in on 26 tackles with two interceptions. Barta has made an oral commitment to Nebraska.
Jack Bloom, a 6-0, 185-pound senior running back/defensive back, was also an All-Shawnee County Second 22 selection last season and earned All-United Kansas Conference second-team honors.
Bloom carried the ball 81 times for 483 yards and seven touchdowns and caught 10 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown. On defense Bloom was in on 20 tackles with an interception.
Max Huston, the Vikings' junior quarterback, received TSN All-Shawnee County honorable mention last season after completing 106 of 176 pass attempts for 1,248 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushing for 418 yards and seven touchdowns on 85 attempts.
Swafford said it also should help that most every player in the Seaman program is now familiar with him and his staff and what they expect.
"I think Year 3 is a big year,'' Swafford said. "Where we are now, we're getting close to where we want to be and that's exciting. .
The Vikings open the season at home against city rival Topeka West on Sept. 1.
SEAMAN
2023 football schedule
September -- 1 Topeka West, 8 KC-Turner, 15 at Shawnee Heights, 22 at Lansing, 29 at Blair Oaks (Mo.).
October -- 6 Leavenworth, 13 at Basehor-Linwood, 20 Piper, 27 Playoffs.
Next up: Shawnee Heights.
