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.
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Shawnee Heights' football team is coming off solid back-to-back 5-5 seasons in 2021 and 2022, but with a big nucleus of returning players to build around, T-Bird coach Jason Swift said its time to take another step this fall.
This fall, Jason Swift's Shawnee Heights football team will be looking to improve on the 5-5 record the T-Birds have posted the past two seasons. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"We need to build off of it,'' said Swift, whos is starting his 21st season as Heights' head coach. "The majority of our nucleus from last year is back. I thought we started out the season strong last year. We had some big wins and and that was a credit to our kids, just working hard and being prepared for the moment.''
Swift said the key to making strides in '23 is a stronger second half of the season.
"We kind of slid off at the end,'' Swift said of the '22 season. "I don't know if it was complacency, wear and tear, depth or whatever, but we definitely started better than I thought we could have finished. And I think the kids agree with that, too, if you take the last two years.
"Our senior class would probably say their sophomore year we probably finished stronger than their junior year. The good news is we've got the majority back.''
Shawnee Heights also has a large group of multi-sport athletes, which Swift said is an advantage.
"They play three sports or two sports and they're on the mat, they're on the court, they're on the diamond, they're on the track and they perform at a varsity level,'' Swift said. "We've got a big senior class and they're very talented and athletic, but in the (United Kansas Conference) or in high school (Class) 5A football you have to be ready every single Friday night and that comes through preparation and discipline. If we do that we've got a chance.''
Shawnee Heights' returning cast includes 33 lettermen, including eight starters on offense and seven on defense.
Offensively the T-Birds return star senior running back Allen Baughman, three-year senior starting offensive lineman Rykan Carver, three-year starting senior wide receivers Jacob Malcom, Jayden Moore and Jayden Holly, senior offensive lineman Alex McHardie, senior wide receiver Jordan Armbruster and junior offensive lineman Bradyn Humphries.
Defensively Heights returns three-year starting senior linebacker Alex Dittman, three-year starting senior defensive lineman Christian Gonzales, senior linebacker Jon Scott, senior defensive end Alex Dawkins, senior defensive back Taylen LeClere, senior defensive end Jaki Lee and safety Moore.
Baughman, a first-team TopSports.news All-Shawnee County pick, rushed for 1,496 yards and 20 touchdowns on 225 carries while Moore caught 19 passes for 188 yards, Malcom had 18 receptions for 173 yards and Armbruster had 13 catches for 106 yards.
Dittman was in on 70 tackles last season while Scott was in on 59 tackles and Gonzales had 53 stops.
Baughman, Moore and Gonzales all earned All-United Kansas Conference first-team honors last season.
Shawnee Heights will have a new starting quarterback this fall, with seniors Ryeki Tuley and Brayden Wheatley and sophomore Aiden Scott all in the battle for the No. 1 spot.
"To me we've got three quarterbacks that can play on Friday nights,'' Swift said. "It is the best quarterback room that we've had. The good news is we've got great competition and any of those three can thrive for us on Friday nights on the football field and do a great job. The bad news is there's only one football and one quarterback position, so they're going to battle, they're going to compete.
"They've made each other better through the offseason because of the competition. They're getting better and they all should be ready to play ''
Shawnee Heights will open its season at home Sept. 1 against United Kansas Conference Piper.
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS
2023 football schedule
September -- 1 Piper, 8 at Lansing, 15 Seaman, 22 at Basehor-Linwood, 29 at De Soto.
October -- 6 Wamego, 13 Topeka West, 20 at Leavenworth, 27 Playoffs.
Next up: Silver Lake.
