Frank DiRennaThisWeek
Inside the Irish
•Coach: Karl Johnson, 23rd season
•Top players: Bryson Arthur (QB/LB), Drew Baughman (WR/DB/LS), Landon Harris (QB/DB), Jerijah Moore (WR/DB), Dayo Olobatuyi (RB/LB) and Ed Worthen (RB/LB)
•Key losses: Lesley Andoh, Tysen Boze, Troy Hall Jr., Amare Jenkins, Maxwell Martin-Lee and Mason Salvator
Despite losing several players from one of the most potent offenses in program history, the goals remain the same for Dublin Scioto.
The Irish hope to contend for the OCC-Capital Division title and advance to the Division II, Region 7 playoffs.
Last season, Scioto finished 8-4 overall and 5-2 in the league to place third behind champion Big Walnut. The Golden Eagles, who went 7-0 in the league, visit the Irish on Oct. 14.
Scioto opens Aug. 19 against visiting Grove City and begins league play Sept. 9 at home against Westerville South.
Coach Karl Johnson, who is in his 23rd season, believes his team has the potential to reach its objectives.
“We have a good group,” he said. “I feel really good about our incoming class. These guys are doing a really good job. We had a good summer. The season is starting off well.”
A key loss is quarterback Amare Jenkins, who established program records for touchdown passes for a career (48), season (32) and game (6). The single-game record came in a 71-0 win over Franklin Heights last year.
He is second (2,515) behind 2013 graduate Evan DeMars (2,666 in 2012) for passing yards in a season.
Senior Bryson Arthur won the job during the preseason to replace Jenkins, who was first-team all-state, all-district and all-league.
Another key loss is receiver Tysen Boze, who set a program record for touchdown receptions in a season (17) and is second (1,019) behind 2001 graduate Brian Pickard (1,048 in 2000) for receiving yards in a season. Boze also was first-team all-state, all-district and all-league.
Receiver Lesley Andoh had 68 catches for 889 yards and 13 touchdowns and was first-team all-district and second-team all-state and all-league.
“We lost some explosive players,” Johnson said. “You don’t have three all-state players very often.”
Mason Salvator, another 2022 graduate, led the team in rushing with 626 yards and six touchdowns on 110 carries and was honorable mention all-league.
“It’s a challenge every year,” Johnson said. “You have guys who have some experience with Friday nights. How fast can they transition to owning their job and how well do they come together as a group?”
Irish offense counting on newcomers to step up
Joining Arthur in the backfield will be a pair of returnees at running back, seniors Dayo Olobatuyi and Ed Worthen.
After the loss of Boze and Andoh to graduation, the Irish will look to senior Jerijah Moore at receiver after he was named honorable mention all-district a year ago.
“We have a lot of potential,” Moore said. “I believe we’re better than last year. Our team chemistry is great. We have some great young stars who are going to do great this season and I’m excited.”
Seniors Drew Baughman and Mark Gaston will join Moore at receiver, and senior Ashton Wilson should contribute at tight end.
Seniors Miles Bryant and Dylan Taynor and junior Caniko Saygan are expected to play key roles on the offensive line, which also was hurt by graduation.
“Obviously, we lost a lot of talent, but that doesn’t mean we can’t come out here and win some games,” Bryant said. “We still have some very young guys who can still develop and become very key members of the team.”
Olobatuyi expected to lead Scioto defense at linebacker
Olobatuyi, a linebacker, led the Irish with 84.5 tackles last season and was second-team all-league and honorable mention all-district.
Baughman, Moore and senior Aaron Weeks will provide leadership and experience in the secondary, and the line should be led by Bryant and Wilson at end and Taynor and senior Tanner Kish at tackle.
“I’m really excited for this year,” Wilson said. “We have a really good chance of going a lot of places this year and definitely go far in the playoffs. We have a really young team, but we have a lot of potential and the ability to shock the world. I love the adversity.”
Dublin Scioto Lineup
Offense
Quarterbacks: *Bryson Arthur (sr., 6-1, 195), Landon Harris (sr., 6-0, 150)
Running backs: Nakoda Densel (jr., 5-9, 165), Dayo Olobatuyi (sr., 6-1, 195), Ed Worthen (sr., 5-9, 225)
Receivers: Drew Baughman (jr., 5-8, 150), Mark Gaston (sr., 5-10, 175), Jerijah Moore (sr., 6-1, 180), Aaron Weeks (sr., 5-8, 155)
Tight end: Ashton Wilson (sr., 6-4. 215)
Lineman: *Miles Bryant (sr., 6-0, 242), *Caniko Saygan (jr., 5-9, 205), *Dylan Taynor (sr., 6-4, 240), Tristan Arndt (jr., 6-4, 315), Chaun Erfurt (jr., 5-11, 230), A.J. Sanders (so., 6-0, 230), Gabe Shaw (jr., 5-9, 210)
Defense
Linemen: *Bryant, Israel Gomez-Hernandez (jr., 5-9, 230), Tanner Kish (sr., 6-0, 220), Kian O’Ryan (jr., 5-11, 176), Saygan, Wilson
Linebackers: *Olobatuyi, Elliott Bennett (sr., 5-8, 160), Anthony Mazurenko (sr., 5-10, 158), Jack O’Rourke (so., 5-11, 150), Anthony Pusateri (so., 6-0. 160), Jackson Waldrum (jr., 6-0. 230)
Secondary: *Baughman, *Harris, *Moore, *Weeks, Jahvez Thompson (jr., 5-10, 150)
Special teams
Kicker: *Ethan Shipps (sr., 5-11, 175)
Punter: *Shipps
Returners: Gaston, Moore, Thompson
Long snapper: Baughman
(*Denotes projected starter)
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@ThisWeekFrank
2022 SCHEDULE
Aug. 19 vs. Grove City
Aug. 26 vs. Watterson at Ohio Dominican
Sept. 2 vs. Olentangy Berlin
*Sept. 9 vs. Westerville South
*Sept. 16 at Worthington Kilbourne
*Sept. 23 at Canal Winchester
*Sept. 30 vs. Franklin Heights
*Oct. 7 at Delaware
*Oct. 14 vs. Big Walnut
*Oct. 21 at Westerville North
2021 RESULTS
(8-4 overall, 5-2 in OCC-Capital)
Grove City W, 29-27
Watkins Memorial W, 35-27
Olentangy Berlin L, 17-7
*Westerville South L, 41-22
*Worthington Kilbourne W, 36-7
*Canal Winchester W, 21-0
*Franklin Heights W, 71-0
*Delaware W, 38-0
*Big Walnut L, 28-20
*Westerville North W, 34-26
PLAYOFFS
Licking Heights W, 24-7
Wooster L, 20-10
*League contest
