By Nicholas Huenefeld
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
MILLBURY — Coach Lane Bishop is entering his second year in charge of the Lake football program, and he’s excited about the team’s potential on offense at the skill positions.
“We learned a lot last year,” Bishop said. “We had a lot of injuries, which isn’t a good thing, but it allowed us to play a lot of young guys and get them experience. It was also a year for me to get my feet wet, introduce the kids to our system and expectations, and set the culture up.”
One of those young guys was then-sophomore quarterback Carter Behlmer, who passed his way to Honorable Mention All-Northern Buckeye Conference recognition with 2,347 yards and 21 touchdowns. His passing yard total ranks fifth-most in a single season in NBC history, just behind Elmwood’s Hayden Wickard, who had 2,452 in 2022.
Behlmer, who also notched top-five all-time NBC seasons in completions (198) and completion percentage (.671), has a trio of key wide receivers back in Jay Blazevich, Gavin Kohlhofer and Xavier Scott.
Blazevich, who was named Second Team All-NBC, produced team-bests in receptions (50), yards (633) and touchdowns (7) as a junior last year, while Kohlhofer added 39 receptions, 495 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore. Scott chipped in 13 receptions and 200 yards.
“Across the board, we feel like all of our skill guys can play,” Bishop said. “We have some really good athletes.”
Bishop said that one of the better players on the whole team is running back Iyzck Whalen, who averaged nearly seven yards per carry last year despite suffering a season-ending broken collarbone in the second half of the team’s game against Eastwood.
Whalen had nearly 180 all-purpose yards with a touchdown against the Eagles before the injury, and he also missed all of the previous year with a similar injury.
“We know what we have with him, so just trying to keep him healthy going into week one,” Bishop said.
As a team, Lake finished 2-8 one season ago with wins over Northwood and Rossford. They also narrowly lost to Fostoria (34-32), Delta (38-28) and Leipsic (25-19).
One season into the new system, expectations are much higher this year as Bishop points to the team’s intensity and sense of urgency at practice as positive signs.
“We were kind of in a feel it out period all offseason last year, just in terms of what we were going to be and what to expect,” he said. “This year the kids know our expectations. They believe in themselves. They know we can win. Our practices have been more physical, a little more fast-paced, and I would say more efficient this year.”
In terms of physicality, Lake returns several key young players in the trenches, including two-way sophomores Matthew Nietz, Mekhi Gilbert and Logan Studneski.
“We are young across the front, but we feel really good about the guys we have,” Bishop said.
The Flyers graduated a pair of Honorable Mention All-NBC selections in David Parsons and Jason Ahumada II. Connor Eck, who had a team-high two interceptions along with 50 tackles, and Gerritt Kisltler, who finished third on the squad with 56 tackles, have also departed.
Lake does return senior left tackle Cole Fisher, who has received interest from colleges, as well as last year’s defensive leader at linebacker, Brett Bomyea, who had a team-best 109 tackles. Blazevich (80) and Kohlhofer (53) also combined for 133 tackles.
“We have kind of changed our thought process defensively,” Bishop said. “This year we’re bringing a little more pressure. We’re still a three-front, but we’re kind of bringing guys from all over the place and trying to cause a little bit of chaos for the offense. Our philosophy is we want to make it look like we’re playing with 12 guys on defense.”
Lake opens its season Aug. 23 at Leipsic before hosting the Battle of Lemoyne Road against Northwood a week later.
“We have much higher goals,” Bishop said. “We have the ability to win more games. I think that one of the things for us is last year we really struggled with physicality. This year a big thing for us is trying to be a little more physical both offensively and defensively.
“The simple thing for us is to run the ball and stop the run. Those are two things we couldn’t do last year, and I don’t know a lot of teams that win when they can’t do that.”
LAKE SCHEDULE
Aug. 23 @ Leipsic
Aug. 30 NORTHWOOD
Sept. 6 @ Delta
Sept. 13 EASTWOOD
Sept. 20 @ Genoa
Sept. 27 MAUMEE
Oct. 4 @ Rossford
Oct. 11 FOSTORIA
Oct. 18 @ Otsego
Oct. 25 OAK HARBOR
