Hartford Indian Football 2011

Martin (0-0) @ Hartford (0-0)

Game Time: 7:00 PM; Friday, August 26, 2011

Game Location: Indian Stadium

Head-to-Head: Series Tied 3-3

By Web Staff
August 26, 2011

Well, fans, it's that time again!
This Friday, the Indians begin their drive for the Southwestern Athletic Conference South Division title, a run for the playoffs and a second straight winning season against a Martin Clippers team, who has not had a win since the 2007 season.

TEAMS AT A GLANCE

Record:	0-0	0-0
Win %:	.000	.000
Scored:	--	--
Allowed:	--	--
Streak:	Lost 28	Lost 1

Hartford has the solid foundation in place to compete for a conference title. Coach Dave Janicki is back for a sixth campaign as the head football coach in Hartford, where has won 37-of-50 games he has coached here, including a overall conference and two divisional conference titles.
And many of the same key pieces of the 2010 roster that finished 8-2 return this season. Although the Indians lost their quarterback and top rusher to graduation, three young men will step in, in the form of sophomore Luke Traver at quarterback and junior Gareth MacMillan, who scored nearly 1,000 yards last season will be joined by junior Tony

Kucharski in the backfield. Key receivers returning will include Jimmy Mullins, a junior moving from tight end to receiver, along with returning senior Ethan Koshar and Junior Varsity product Sergio Perez. The line will have previous faces Adan Barajas, Noey Lopez and Jared Meachum leading the charge.
   The defense is again led by Tony Kucharski, who lead the team in tackles last season, while he will be joined by seniors John Scherer and Jared Meachum, who could combine to be one of the areas best line backing tandems. Much of the line returns as well and the defense could be the strong point of the Indians this season, as the front four is in great shape. Kicker Juan Perez, the only four-year senior returning, is coming off a season in which he missed two field goals and just one extra point.
   The Indians face a Martin club, who is 0-28 in their last four seasons. The Clippers have not won a game since October 26, 2007, when they beat Eau Claire, 46-0, in a playoff game.
   Coach Keith Snyder's club has 11 starters returning, which is their highest number to start a season since the losing steak began. Three of the bigger team leaders include new quarterback and safety Logan Curry, who transitions from running back, Colton Petrie, a fullback and linebacker and Ben Schipper, a wide receiver and corner back. Three seniors and two juniors will man the line, led by McKinnon Elkins and Cody Schmidt, while Brandon Buell and Garrett Schwab, both freshman receivers, will be key new targets for Curry.
   Snyder says he is expecting his team to be "competitive and play as hard as they possibly can every single game", he was quoted as saying in the Kalamazoo Gazette. If you want to be competitive, Martin, Friday night is a stern first test.
   It's time, Hartford. Two words sum up Friday night: be there!

NOTES: Martin does not have a Junior Varsity squad. The Indian Junior Varsity team has a game one, however, on Thursday night at Gobles against the Tigers. The Indians lost the meeting with the Tigers, 30-20, last season. The game will be played Thursday night at 6:00 PM in Gobles. The Indians lost the first three games they played against Martin, but have won the last three by a combined 161-to-8 margin. Keith Snyder is a former college player, having played for Defiance for four years prior to graduating in 2008. Weather conditions look fantastic, with temperatures in the mid 60's at game time and falling into the low 60's by the end. There is a less than 20 percent chance of some light rain showers with light winds around 5 miles per hour expected.