FORTVILLE — Things are looking a lot different this year at Mt. Vernon.
In sheer numbers, the football team has almost doubled in size, boasting a roster of 76, a huge boost over the end of the 2017 season where it hovered in the low 40s.
The atmosphere is different, too, something that can be largely attributed to first-year Marauders coach Mike Kirschner.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
“It’s definitely been a new culture,” senior receiver Braxton Trittipo said. “We are enjoying the new atmosphere and I think we are hungrier than what we were last year. The way practices have been going, it’s been really smooth. We’re excited for the season.”
Kirschner joined the Marauders after leading Class 6A Ben Davis to a perfect season and a state championship last year. Now, he takes the reins of a Mt. Vernon team that finished 2017 with a 4-7 record, 2-5 Hoosier Heritage Conference mark and is coming off a 50-6 sectional loss to Greenwood.
The new coach has worked hard to get his message out across the community, trying to get people excited for a new era in Mt. Vernon football.
“I’m just trying to establish a culture of pride in the community, pride in the program, and get the community excited,” Kirschner said. “Football’s a unique sport and it can bring everybody together. I’ve been doing a lot of public speaking, kind of bouncing around, just trying to get people excited that we’re going to try to put a good product on the field. But if we don’t win, it’s OK. These kids are working hard, we’ve got beautiful facilities and a great administration. Get everybody behind it and let’s have some fun with it.”
The Marauders have a lot of pieces back from 2017, including all-county players on both sides of the ball in Trittipo and Max Burhenn, a defensive end and tight end. Senior quarterback Tyson Harley returns, as does almost the entire offensive line.
Center Jake Skotnicki is back. Also returning on the line are junior Charlie Moore, junior Jacob Vestal, senior Connor Price and senior James Corbin, who was a starter last year before getting injured.
The line will be counted on to help the Marauders make a big improvement in a key area from last year. Mt. Vernon struggled running the ball in 2017, rushing for less than 50 yards per game and averaging right around 2 yards per carry.
Kirschner is running the same offense at Mt. Vernon as he did last year, where the state-champion Giants averaged 264.8 rushing yards per game.
He knows that struggling to run again this year won’t be conducive to winning.
“We’re going to have to be able to run,” Kirschner said. “You can’t win consistently in this league, or any league in my opinion, if you can’t run the ball, can’t establish the line of scrimmage. Running will be a priority for us. There’s not even a question.”
The Marauders look to employ a running back by committee approach, with several names carrying the ball. Senior Dylan Cole, senior Kenny Dobbins and sophomore Rylan Cole all figure to play a role.
On the defensive side of the ball, Mt. Vernon brings back a lot of pieces from a team that had 21 sacks and 14 interceptions last year.
Burhenn (6-5, 200 pounds) leads the way up front. He’ll be joined by defensive end PJ Sterrett (6-0, 185 pounds) and nose tackle Price (6-1, 235 pounds), who Kirschner said is the strongest player in the football program. All three are seniors.
Dylan Cole is back in an outside linebacker spot, where he led the Marauders with six sacks last year. Austin and Ashton Lewis, both juniors, return at cornerback. And safeties Rylan Cole and Seth Gillen, a senior, also return.
That’s a lot of experience and a lot of leadership back for the Marauders, who look to make large strides from their four-win season from a year ago.
“We have a big, stronger senior group,” Gillen said. “I think the leadership is there that we need. From the workouts in the summer, I think we did bond as a team a lot better. Coach brought this new mentality that we didn’t have last year. Everybody is fighting for a spot. We’re just trying to get there and get the job done, no matter what it takes.”
Mt. Vernon has 19 seniors on the roster, all of whom Kirschner said should contribute in some way.
The challenge for the defense this year is an entirely new scheme. That, Kirschner said, is where his team’s big learning curve lies.
The new coach said it’s too early to tell what he has in the Marauders, but his team is working hard and has had some solid practices lately and started fixing some holes he identified.
“We might be OK, and I don’t know that we’re OK,” Kirschner said. “We might be bad, and I don’t know that we’re bad. It’s a process, but we’re doing what we’re supposed to do.”
He’s getting buy-in from his players, who are putting in the time and work to turn things around from a disappointing 2017 campaign.
The boost in overall numbers certainly helps with what Kirschner said are some depth issues. But his presence is also having a bigger effect on his team.
“It’s also a boost of excitement as well as a boost of focus,” Trittipo said. “We’re very focused. We’re more prepared. We’re more confident. We have a chip on our shoulder. We’re going to come in there and get the job done.”
“I think we could achieve a conference championship and a sectional championship, if not go to regionals,” Gillen added. “I think that’s very possible this year.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Schedule” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Date;Opponent;Time
Aug. 17;at Hamilton Heights;7 p.m.
Aug. 24;Marion;7 p.m.
Aug. 31;Greenfield-Central;7:30 p.m.
Sept. 7;New Palestine;7:30 p.m.
Sept. 14;at Delta;7:30 p.m.
Sept. 21;at Pendleton Heights;7:30 p.m.
Sept. 28;New Castle;7:30 p.m.
Oct. 5;Shelbyville;7:30 p.m.
Oct. 12;at Yorktown;7:30 p.m.
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Scouting the Marauders” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Coach: Mike Kirschner (first year)
Last season: 4-7, 2-5 HHC; lost 50-6 to Greenwood in Class 4A sectional semifinal
Key returnees: DE/TE Max Burhenn, DE/TE PJ Sterrett, DT/T Connor Price, WR Braxton Trittipo, SS Seth Gillen, QB Tyson Harley, OLB/RB Dylan Cole; C Jake Skotnicki, seniors; OL Charlie Moore, G/NG Jacob Vestal, juniors; FS/RB Rylan Cole, sophomore
Top newcomers: MLB James Corbin, LB Cole Schneider, seniors; OLB Matt Foor, sophomore
Outlook: Mt. Vernon figures to be the county’s most improved team in 2018. With key pieces back on both sides of the ball and a new coach coming off a perfect season in Class 6A, the atmosphere around the Marauders is changing. Tyson Harley is poised for a big year at quarterback, and if Mt. Vernon can run the ball better than 2017, getting above .500 and contending for a conference or sectional title won’t be a surprise.
Notable: Mt. Vernon’s first game against Hamilton Heights will pit father Mike Kirschner against son Jon Kirschner. It’s Mike’s first game as Mt. Vernon coach and Jon’s first game ever as a head coach.
[sc:pullout-text-end]