Photo by Samantha Davis The 2024 TMB football team consists of (front row, left to right) manager Taylor Squires, manager Owen Mcguire, Xavier Trierweiler, Taylor Swenhaugen, Dalton Timmerman, Trevor Smith, Noah Knakmuhs, manager Maddie Elsen, manager Tovin Kainz, (second row) Adam Hippe, Lawton Verlinde, Sy Sanders, David Schuh, Griffin Zick, Connor Lanoue, (third row) Eli Lembke, Talon Brinkley, Trenton Johnson, Aiden Sanow, Brody Hauger, Jack Willhite, Ty Yackley, Sawyer Grogan, Nolan Verlinde, Emery Xiong, (fourth row) Yoda Trierweiler, Christian Gasga, Sam Lightfoot, Braeden Connor, Braden Morgan, Carson Lanoue, Ryker Freeburg, Tyson Peterson, (back row) coaches Jason Kainz, Derek Ashbaugh, Ryan Kruse and Alex Greenway.  

TRACY — After graduating 10 seniors and ranking second in the Class A section last season, the Tracy-Milroy-Balaton Panthers are hoping to get their young roster up to varsity speed and make another postseason tournament run this year.

Entering his ninth season as head coach for the Panthers, Jason Kainz detailed the main priority for the start of the year is getting his underclassmen prepared to heavily step up for the varsity team. Despite only having a 30-man roster with just four seniors compared to an average of 35 to 37 total players over the last few years according to Kainz, the program will have a new look, but not a lack of determination.

“We anticipate to compete every week. Like I said, our offensive linemen are going to have to step up, our whole defense up front is new, and our linebackers all graduated,” Kainz said. “So, we’ve got a lot of work on defense to put in and get them ready, but we’ve been doing a good job of that … We expect to be right at the top, but there’s some really good football teams in our section. We’d like to think that we’re going to be right there at the end, competing for it.”

Senior quarterback Trevor Smith is returning and will run the offense once more, after being a three year starter. Last season, he threw 2,229 yards, 25 touchdowns, was the second leading rusher gaining 540 yards, behind graduated Alex Schuh with 951 yards gained. Smith also punted for 593 yards.

“We’re expecting big things [for Smith],” Kainz said. “The game has really slowed down for him as a senior.”

Over the spring, Smith was involved in a car accident in which he was involved in a T-bone collision. However, he has recovered and has been participating in practices and looking healthy.

“He’s coming back from that, but seems to be good. He got back for baseball even, so he did pitch last spring for the baseball team,” Kainz said. “So, he’s still coming back from that, but he doesn’t show any effects from that. So, he’s back 100% and he’s looking really good.”

TMB finished last year 8-2 overall, only dropping the second and last games of their season. They fell to No. 3 Springfield in the Section 3A semi-finals, who went on to become section champions and were the state runners-up.

The four seniors consist of Smith, Taylor Swenhaugen, Noah Knakmuhs and Dalton Timmerman, who also are captains. The rest of the team is heavy on sophomores, freshmen and a few juniors.

“We’re filling in. We got some sophomores that are going to see some time, which we haven’t had for a while. We got at least three, four sophomores that are going to rotate through our starting positions on offense and defense,” Kainz said. “We’ve been senior and junior dominated, so that’s changed for us, but they’re stepping up. They look good in practice, so we’re excited to see how they do.”

Jeret Ankrum has now graduated and was TMB’s main receiver. He hauled in 56 passes for 1,094 yards, averaging 19.32 per catch. His ability to make plays after the catch was also a key factor, running another season total of 680 yards after the catch.

Knakmuhs and junior Griffin Zick will be stepping into the role, who were also the second and third leading receivers behind Ankrum last season.

Knakmuhs received 21 catches for 335 yards gained, and Zick secured 22 catches for 334 yards.

“Last year we had a really good receiver, and I would say we had some good compliments to that, and those compliments have stepped up now and have to take that spot,” Klainz said. “We had two other guys [Zick, Knakmuhs] step up. So, we’re sitting pretty decent at the skill spots for those. We’re replacing some depth there, and some depth in the backfields.”

In regard to the defensive line, the top three team leaders in tackles last season also are all gone, for another area of the game that underclassmen will need to step up in. Smith had the fourth most with 25 tackles and Swenhaugen had 24.

“We’ve got some rookie lineman, and that’s going to show early on,” Kainz said. “But, I think they’re coming along in practice … It may take a little while, but we’ll be alright.”

Kainz said the team has done a handful of team bonding activities outside the field to grow their relationships and trust throughout the summer.

The Panthers will debut on the field Thursday at Dawson-Boyd at 7 p.m. The last time the two met to open up last season, the Panthers got away with a 51-40 victory.