Season Preview: 2016 CMS Stags Football

The 2016 season for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps football team officially begins on Sept. 10 with the team's season and home-opener against Lewis & Clark (Ore.). Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. at Zinda Field. The Stags went 7-2 overall last season and finished in second place in the SCIAC with a 6-1 record. One of the seven wins in 2015, came vs. Lewis & Clark. In the conference's preseason poll, the 2016 Stags were picked by the SCIAC coaches to finish at the top of the standings. Below you will find a positional preview of this year's team.

DEFENSIVE PREVIEW

Defensive Line
2015 SCIAC Defensive Player of the Year, Paul Slaats (HMC: Sr., Malvern, Pa.) returns for his senior season and fourth year as a starter. Next to him, Henry Wei (CMC: Sr., Saratoga, Calif.), a three-year starter and fellow team captain, will play the tackle spot. In 2015, Wei led the team in sacks and was second in tackles for loss. Wei also earned D3football.com Team of the Week honors for leading all players with 10 tackles, two sacks and five tackles for loss in a 33-30 two-overtime win vs. defending 2014 SCIAC champion Chapman. Gator Adams (CMC: Sr., Houston, Texas), a three-year starter at outside linebacker, will join the D-Line for his senior season. Pass rush specialist Jake Glasser (CMC: Sr., San Diego, Calif.) should also compete for a starting job after finishing second on the team in sacks for 2015. The Stag line also welcomes in six incoming freshmen. 

Linebackers
 The Stags return one starter at linebacker, first team All-SCIAC inside linebacker, Brendan MacDonald (CMC: Jr., Davis, Calif.) who led the team and the SCIAC in tackles. Team Defensive Newcomer of the Year Mitchell Allan (CMC: So., Danville Calif.), Jared Schattenkerk (CMC: Sr., Fall City, Wash.) and Christian Tchamitchian (CMC: So., Lake Bluff, Ill.) also look to compete for starting jobs at inside backer.  Ryan Haughton (CMC: Jr., Irvine, Calif.), Will Edwards (CMC: So. Birmingham, Ala.), Elijah Jackson (CMC: So., Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Robby Weissenfels (CMC: Jr., Coronado, Calif.) will also compete for significant playing time and starting roles as will several incoming freshmen linebackers. The linebackers look to build upon the success of the defense that lead the SCIAC in fewest yards and points allowed per game in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

Defensive Backs
The "Back Row" returns three of four starters and seven of their top-eight from 2015. Headlining the group is D3football.com Pre-Season All-American Victor Bunce (CMC: Jr., El Dorado Hills, Calif.) who led DIII in interceptions and all of NCAA in passes defended in the 2015 season. Other returning starters include 2014 All-SCIAC safety Griffin Lazarus (CMC: Sr. Dallas, Texas), who missed 2015 with injury, Tiger Brown (CMC: Sr., Atlanta, Ga.), and Geno Quaid (CMC: Jr., Lake Forest, Ill.). Eamon Gallagher (CMC: So., Portland, Ore.) and Mackenzie Cooney (CMC: So., Lyle, Ill.) also saw playing time on defense and special teams last season.

Special Teams
Kicker, Matthew Aven (CMC: Sr. Houston, TX) returns for his senior season. In 2013, Aven tied the NCAA record with a 62-yard field goal against Cal Lutheran. He also broke or tied school records in most made PATs in a game (7) most field goals made in a game (3) and most field goals made in a season (11).

OFFENSIVE PREVIEW

Quarterbacks
Trey Reynolds (CMC: Sr. Renton, Wash.) returns for his senior year and fourth year as the starting QB for the Stags. Reynolds, a 2015 team captain, was also the leading rusher in 2013.  Reynolds enters the season needing 246 passing yards to break the all-time CMS record of 4,701. Sam Healy (CMC: Jr., New York, N.Y.), and Brenden Brown (HMC: So., Castro Valley, CA) will also look to compete for playing time.

Offensive Line
The offensive line returns five players who earned a significant number of starts in 2015 including senior captain, Sean Pyne (CMC: Sr., Mercer Island, Wash.), Garrett Myers (CMC: Jr. Austin, Texas), Jackson Tate (CMC: So., Auburn, Calif.), Malcolm Stolarski (CMC: So., River Forest, Ill.), and Brian Wahl (CMC: So., San Diego, Calif.). Alex Ohlendorf (CMC: Jr. Chula Vista, Calif.), a starter in all games in 2014 as a true freshman will also compete for a starting job after missing 2015 due to injury. Several outstanding freshmen will immediately compete for starting roles along with juniors Mickey McFall (CMC: Jr., White Oak, Texas), Owen Morrison (HMC: Jr., Encinitas, Calif.) and sophomore Jim Keneally (CMC: So., New Canaan, Conn.).

Running Backs
Nick Gott (HMC: Sr., San Marino, Calif.) who led CMS in rushing in 2014 but missed the 2015 season due to injury, will return for his senior season. Andrew Segre (CMC: Jr., Burlingame, Calif.), who appeared in eight games, starting in three, also returns and should have a significant role in the rushing attack. Three freshmen running backs will compete for time as well.

Tight Ends
6'6" tight end, Chris Cziesla (CMC: Jr., Wheaton, Ill.) finished fourth on the team in receiving yards and should start next to two-year team captain Patrick Dixon (CMC: Sr., El Cajon, Calif.). The versatile Matthew Orehek (CMC: Sr., Mercer Island, Wash.) should also be heavily involved in the rushing and passing game. Orehek had his breakout game vs. Whittier on Nov. 7 in which he had three touchdowns, two receiving and one rushing. Tristan Svenson (CMC: So., Bellevue, Wash.) moved from linebacker to tight end mid-season in 2015.

Wide Receivers
In the wide receiver corps, Trey Smith (CMC: Jr., Colleyville, Texas) looks to lead the group after leading the team in 2015 in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Senior returners, Andrew Scott (HMC: Sr., Santa Clara, Calif.), Connor Stastny (CMC: Sr., San Carlos, Calif.), Juan Perez (CMC: Sr., Houston, Texas) and Lucas Owan (CMC: Sr., Folsom, Calif.) also look to get significant playing time along with sophomore Jackson Zeledon (CMC: So., Colleyville, Texas). Transfer wideout, Nick Wheeler (CMC: Jr., Eagle, Idaho) should also make an immediate impact after making ten starts for Davidson College (FCS) in 2015.

Incoming Stags
CMS brings in 25 talented freshmen from across the country. The states represented include Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Texas and Washington. The group consists of six freshmen from Harvey Mudd, 18 freshmen from Claremont McKenna and one CMC transfer.

By Justin Luthey
CMS Football Assistant Coach

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