2023 COVINGTON BUCCANEERS

The 2023 season is another opportunity for the Covington Buccaneers to progress in a culture that is proven to lead to success.

2023 COVINGTON BUCCS: Front Row (L-R) - Jack Blumenstock, Kian French, Mason Epperson, AJ Reyes, Derrick Meyer, Garrett Hobbs, Day’Lynn Garrett, Garrett Leistner, Kaden Thompson, Christian Clark. Second Row (L-R) - Jonathan Miller, Lucas Lester, Sam Wolfe, Liam Geeding, Filip McMaken, Brock Lyons, James Kuether, Sam Helman. Top Row (L-R) - Tyler Palsgrove, Trenton Havenar, Eli Brooks, Aiden Cavey, Landin Cassel, Parker Hoying, Jordan Miller, Parker Schaffer, Caiden Walters.

SEASON PREVIEW
The Covington Buccaneers are entering the third season of the Austin Morgan Era where the culture (WORK – TOUGH – HUMBLE – UNSELFISH – LOYAL) has improved dramatically due to the commitment of the players who have bought in the past couple of years and those who are currently on the roster.

The hard work and dedication the kids have put into the offseason and throughout the summer has been extremely impressive.

“From top to bottom, this is the hardest working group we’ve had so far,” said third-year coach Austin Morgan. “The attitude and effort these kids give is what makes it so much fun to coach.”

It starts with the leadership and three-year returning letterman Derrick Meyer, who is the most experienced Buccaneer on the roster. Despite suffering a serious injury during his sophomore season, Meyer has displayed the mental toughness and loyalty to the program by working extremely hard to get himself back to full strength.

Along with Meyer, the Buccaneers have ten returning lettermen; senior Garrett Hobbs, juniors Garrett Leistner, Jack Blumenstock, Kaden Thompson and Kian French, along with sophomores AJ Reyes, Day’Lynn Garrett, Mason Epperson and Christian Clark.

“I’m so pleased with the players we have returning,” Morgan said. “They showed a lot of toughness last year in tough situations and they are continuing to grind. This is a good group of leaders.”

The Buccaneers will field a young team once again with 17 of the 27 kids on the roster being freshmen.

But this freshman group has the work ethic needed to maximize their potential over the course of their high school careers.

“Most of the freshmen have been in the weight room since seventh grade,” said Morgan. “They work very hard and when you look at most of them they don’t look like freshmen. I’m so excited seeing their development.”

Over the last two seasons Covington compiled a 3-15 record, but former players like Connor Sindelir, Cam Kicker, Ricky Stephan, Jensen Wagoner, Jake Dilley, Brian Morrison, DeAnthony Bennett and others have been very beneficial in building the winning culture Austin Morgan and his coaching staff has been trying to establish.

The results are now showing in the weight room and on the practice fields.

And if the Buccaneers continue to follow the current path they are taking, the results will eventually show on the scoreboard.