Red Hill, Cumberland, Madison, AM head into season
Salukis, Pirates try to continue playoff success; Trojans, Explorers look to rebuild
08/30/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - For Red Hill the path to the playoffs a year ago was thorny for an independent team with a wild, mostly Saturday afternoon, schedule of contests.

Coach Billy Gray got his club playoff eligible late in the season, winning their final three regular season contests to get into the 1A tournament.

Victories at Madison, home against Massac County and a finale at home versus Carlyle pushed the Salukis into a first round contest at Camp Point Central.

The trip didn't go well as the Panthers won the contest, 54-0.

CPC went on to win the 1A championship and the Salukis ended up 5-5 on the season.

Red Hill had several seniors leave in the spring, including do-everything running back Hayden Arbuckle and running back Samuel Stimler.

Arbuckle (seven) and Stimler (eight) represented 15 of the Red Hill rushing touchdowns last fall.

Two other missing ingredients are graduated seniors Lance Moore and Reece Ralston, who combined to lead the Salukis in receiving with nearly 600-yards and seven scores.

The returning players have varying degrees of experience.

Avery Arbuckle, a junior quarterback, returns after playing the second half of the season under center.

Another key player is Holden Jacobson, a junior with a lot of varsity minutes played coming into the season.

Jacobson was second on the team with 590-yards rushing and seven TD's.

Three seniors on the squad return with Karson Tully, Dylan Camden and Dylan Aten.

There are 13-juniors on the team with Jeremiah Stremme being one of the Baker's Dozen.

The 6-2, 200 is one that Coach Gray will turn to in the beginning of the season as they open with 1A playoff contender Casey-Westfield in the season opener.

Coach Gray is high on 6-0, 145 sophomore Keegan Liston.
It's another season for the Cumberland Pirates with hopes for yet another postseason appearance for head coach Lucas Watkins.

This mentor led his club to a 6-3 regular season and a first round game against Casey-Westfield, which resulted in a 49-7 loss and a 6-4 ending.

The program has 14 playoff appearances and Coach W has seven of those, including the last three campaigns.

Heading into 2024-25 the Pirates are missing their top ground gainer from last season as senior running back Blake McMechan has left along with 1,394-yards rushing and 20 touchdowns with him.

Starting quarterback Brayden Olmstead is also missing after he threw for nearly 800-yards and six TD's.

But Coach Watkins played a bunch of kids last season who return, including most of the team's defense.

Hudson McElravy will step in to play quarterback this season for the Pirates.

Kelby Bierman, the top receiver on the team last season (301-yards, 21-catches) returns for his final season.

Grant Keyser, is a senior running back, who was second on the squad last year.

Juniors Logan Gerhardt and Kade McMechan played a bunch as sophomores.

According to Watkins four starters return from the offensive line.

Seniors Brett Wolke and Matthew Redfern, junior Owen McGinnis and sophomore Isaac Venatta all should be ready to go when the season begins.

Zach Harmon is a junior tight end who also started for Cumberland last fall and Cameron Brown, another senior, returns as a fullback after playing tight end last year.

The defense also looks strong with returning starters.

The leading tackler from last season, linebacker McGinnis was all-conference last season in the Lincoln Prairie while senior linebacker Grant Keyser was honorable mention in the league and second in stops.
Senior linebacker Cameron Brown and McMechan, who plays in the defensive backfield, along with lineman Harmon, and safety Bierman are two-players as well.

Senior lineman Matther Redfern, senior lineman Brett Wolke and lineman Venatta are also returning starters on defense.

“We return many starters that got valuable experience last year on a 6-3 team. We do lose a bunch of production in Blake McMechan and Braydon Olmstead, but I'm excited to see who's willing to step up and fill those shoes. We have a handful of kids that can help us replace the production lost,” said Watkins, who is 59-28 in nine seasons at Cumberland.

With six victories this season Coach Watkins will pass Todd Butler as the all-time winningest coach in program history.

The Madison Trojans are a true independent with no conference affiliation so scheduling is difficult each season.

Finding opponents near its own size if tough to do.

Two seasons ago the Trojans made it into the playoffs with a 5-3 record but lost in the first round.

The program lost a bunch of kids to graduation and transfer which resulted in a small roster and an 1-8 mark in 2023-24.

“Madison was expecting a big season in 2023, then we were hit by the transfers. We lost five of our top six returning players from a playoff team. We were very young last season, but we hope that experience pays off,” said head coach Tavares Young.

Three-year starter 6-4, 290 senior Kyron Trammel is one of three returning offensive line starters for Madison.

Five-nine, 140 junior Dallas Gardner is the first returning starter Coach Young has had and it bodes well for the offense for Madison this fall.

Darius Williams, a 5-10, 155 senior, is a wide receiver and strong safety for the Trojans' defense.

Terion “TJ” Wilbourn is a 5-11, 155 junior who plays wide receiver, safety and will return kicks for the Trojans.

Running back Jalen Belford, a 5-10, 180 senior, has big play ability when he touches the ball according to Coach Young.

Six-five, 330 senior Jre Johnson has molded into a top defender and senior Javon Howard, a 5-11, 280 senior is another of the quick linemen for Madison.

“We had the best summer program since Madison returned it's program in 2017,” said Coach Young.

The good news for Alton Marquette is that they return a bunch of talent from last seasons team that broke a long losing streak in picking up their first win after losing 22-consecutive varsity contests.

The bad news is that the place that they used to practice on suffered a massive sink hole that made national news.

There is more good news for the program as the numbers are up for the Explorers as they head into the 2024-25 season.

They return junior quarterback Jack Rea and senior running back Alex McCloud.

Alton Marquette returns offensive linemen seniors 6-1, 205 Niko Koeller and Eddie Hamberg and a pair of juniors 6-0, 225 Jack Beaber and 5-9, 185 CJ Steib.

Luke Curry, a 6-1, 190 is a defensive lineman and as is 5-11, 255 Sammy Wylie.

Simon Waters, a 5-11, 175 sophomore, 5-11, 215 junior Luke Brown, 6-2, 270 Luke Brown Dylan Kates, a 6-0, 225 sophomore and 6-2, 170 sophomore Brody McCormack are part of the Explorers' defensive crew.

All are two-way players who want to get off to a good start when they open their season at Civic Memorial.

The Madison Trojans are a true independent with no conference affiliation so scheduling is difficult each season.

Finding opponents near its own size if tough to do.

Two seasons ago the Trojans made it into the playoffs with a 5-3 record but lost in the first round.

The program lost a bunch of kids to graduation and transfer which resulted in a small roster and an 1-8 mark in 2023-24.

“Madison was expecting a big season in 2023, then we were hit by the transfers. We lost five of our top six returning players from a playoff team. We were very young last season, but we hope that experience pays off,” said head coach Tavares Young.

Three-year starter 6-4, 290 senior Kyron Trammel is one of three returning offensive line starters for Madison.

Five-nine, 140 junior Dallas Gardner is the first returning starter Coach Young has had and it bodes well for the offense for Madison this fall.

Darius Williams, a 5-10, 155 senior, is a wide receiver and strong safety for the Trojans' defense.

Terion “TJ” Wilbourn is a 5-11, 155 junior who plays wide receiver, safety and will return kicks for the Trojans.

Running back Jalen Belford, a 5-10, 180 senior, has big play ability when he touches the ball according to Coach Young.

Six-five, 330 senior Jre Johnson has molded into a top defender and senior Javon Howard, a 5-11, 280 senior is another of the quick linemen for Madison.

“We had the best summer program since Madison returned it's program in 2017,” said Coach Young.