VINCENT - Even though it's summertime, it's far from down time for the Warren Warriors football program.
July's schedule is fairly full with Warren football camp and 7-on-7 competitions filling up many of the days before the first official day of a coached practice on Aug. 1.
"Things are going very good so far this summer, and, yes, it is going fast," said Warren second-year head coach Andy Schob. "We used our first three camps days (last) week, and we have good numbers, 75.
"The kids are getting much more comfortable with what we are doing and expecting."
This past weekend, the Warriors visited Dublin Coffman, which is located just northwest of Columbus, for a 7-on-7 event. There, the royal blue and white gridders faced Urbana, Defiance, and host Dublin Coffman in round robin play. In tournament action, Kenton, Wayne, Sandusky and Jonathan Alder were the opponents.
On July 19, Warren is scheduled to compete in the Capital University Tournament.
Then, from July 25 to July 27, the Warriors will take their "Cincinnati trip" and mix business with pleasure when they play, on the first day, Brian Spicer-coached Hillsboro in a 7-on-7 competition at 11 a.m. and then head for the King's Island amusement park at 5 p.m.
"We use this like a camp, except it is cheaper and we control what we do," said Schob, whose team will be visiting King's Island for the second straight year. "And, of course it is great for bonding. We take everyone."
The following day, July 26, Warren will be in another 7-on-7 event at Milford High School (an Ohio Division I school) along with Wyoming and Boyd (Ky.).
Capping the 7-on-7 competition on July 27, the Warriors are scheduled to be at the University of Cincinnati, which will host a 16-team field.
"We try to not only get good competition, but also help our players get exposure to colleges and coaches for their future," Schob said.
Warren should have another solid, balanced offensive game, especially with the return of starting quarterback Dylan Leffingwell and wide receiver Jeremy Fivecoait.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Leffingwell was the premier QB in the Mid-Ohio Valley last season as a sophomore, completing 140 of 269 passes for 1,966 yards and 19 touchdowns. In one game against Morgan, he completed 15-of-17 throws for 355 yards and two scores.
Now a junior, Leffingwell can only get better, and he's working hard at it, too.
"He's been to several feature camps this summer, and is going to attend TOP Gun camp in Williamsburg, Va., this month," Schob said.
And, Leffingwell's not the only Warrior polishing his game.
Fivecoait, one of Leffingwell's two primary receivers last season, has been invited to National Underclassmen Combine Top 100 this summer. As a junior a year ago, the 6-3, 205-pound pass catcher had 44 receptions for 635 yards (14.4 average) and seven TDs. Only graduate Grant Venham, now on the Ohio University Bobcats' roster as a punter, had more with 44 catches for 821 yards (18.7 average) and nine scores.
Warren's overall offensive scheme, passing and running, could be very explosive, with skills' people like Dustin Harlow, Jeremy Hastie, Josh Mays, Andrew Vincent, Josh Windland, Tyler Ward and Chas Miller all back.
"We return every wide receiver, except Venham, and running back on the top two depth chart from last season," Schob said.
Plus, Warren may have added another weapon with Jace Knost, one of the school's better athletes, going out for the football team for the first time.
The 6-2, 210-pound senior-to-be has been timed at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash.
Then, there is 6-3, 280-pound lineman Joey Lane, who was honored as the strongest player at the National Underclassmen Combine in Columbus. He's also been invited to the top 100 camp, Schob said.
More important to the Warren boss, though, Lane "is healthy this year."
Lane will be joined on the offensive line by returnees' Tanner Barrows, Jimmie Buck, and "newcomer" Austin Henthorn.
Actually, Henthorn, now a senior, is a veteran varsity football player, who, last year, was a fullback on offense and a standout linebacker on defense.
"To strenthen the offensive line, we're moving Austin Henthorn to guard," Schob said.
By the way, in 2010, Henthorn was special mention All-Ohio as a linebacker, and after last season, he became the sixth leading tackler in school history.
Not too surprisingly, Henthorn won't be the only Warrior playing on both sides of the football. Defensively, the Warriors have seven experienced starters back, and they like to hit - hard.
Last year, Warren broke even with a 5-5 overall record. Not bad, but the Warriors want to do better than that this season.
