Serving Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood Counties
With Drew Luidhardt heading off to play at Heidelberg University, junior Brayden Luidhardt will take over for his brother at quarterback this fall as the Eastwood football program looks to reclaim conference supremacy.
Though he’s new to the full-time starting job, the younger Luidhardt started the first five games at the position last year while his brother was recovering from injury. The Eagles were 4-1 in those games.
“Though he's moving in, you can say he's new, but he spent half the year at quarterback last year,” fourth-year head coach Sam Cotterman said. “We only lost to (eventual state champion) Liberty Center with him, and he did well against them. We're excited for Brayden to get a whole camp under his belt to see what he can do.”
Last year, Luidhardt started at receiver, where he was a First Team All-NBC performer while his brother was under center, and he was a First Team All-Ohio safety on defense. This year, Cotterman said he will still see time on defense in addition to quarterback duties.
“I know I'm a little insane, but when you’re first team all-state in the defensive backfield, if I didn't have him back there (that wouldn’t be good). Now will he be running down and trying to tackle against Liberty Center? I don't know about that. But against a passing team, he's definitely going to be on the field.
“The thing about him is he's a competitor. Drew had a full year in his junior year doing the offense, so starting off his senior year, he was a little quicker on his reads and progressed through them faster. Brayden isn't there yet, but he only did it for half a year a year ago, and then he had to go back to receiver. He's definitely improving.”
Luidhardt isn’t the only guy back as the Eagles return a slew of All-NBC players such as second team running back Brayden Brown, second team wide receiver Cam Schumaker, honorable mention tight end Brady Ramlow and second team linebacker Edmund Opfer.
Opfer started last year, and when Schumaker was injured in the Kenton game, also missing the Liberty Center game, he scored twice against the eventual state champs.
Eastwood is searching for another wide receiver, though, with Luidhardt at quarterback.
“We expect Landon Weemes, who saw time last year as a backup, to possibly step in at that other receiver spot, but also another senior, Erich Hepler, has been doing a good job catching the ball,” Cotterman said. “Levi Strayer, who started for us half the season last year at safety when we were kind of trying to take it easy on Brayden when he was our quarterback, is also getting reps there at receiver. We have a couple of younger guys that are getting reps, but I would say those guys are kind of the ones really eyeing right now.”
Cotterman is high on Strayer, who is a sophomore and will be back at safety, as well.
“He has all the chances in the world,” he said. “He's a tall kid. He runs well. He jumps well. I’m banking on him. He's a workhorse so we're looking for some things out of him. Hopefully he can help take some of the pressure off Edmund and Cam, which would open up more things for him and (Brayden Brown).”
Other seniors include First Team All-NBC linebacker Landen Simon, Second Team All-NBC center Grady Greulich and Honorable Mention All-NBC defensive end Logan Miesmer. Bryce Coger, Mason Chaffee, Braylon Collins and Brayden Barnhardt are also among the group.
With a large group of seniors, twice as many as last year, Cotterman said it provides added leadership.
“They're doing a great job,” he said. “They're definitely a tight-knit group. They are fed up with being in second place. They've had three years of it now. They make sure everybody else is held accountable. They’re showing them what it's going to take and leading them in the right direction. I'm really excited with what they've done.”
Logan Brown, the younger brother of Brayden, is also a player to potentially look out for. He was the backup running back last year while also moving around the field.
“He's had a tremendous summer,” Cotterman said. “He is so much faster on the field and just working his tail off. He's kind of been at that H-back spot or when we go double tights or some other formations, he may get in there. He's done a tremendous job on both sides of the ball this summer.”
Max Chaffee, Brady Mullholand and Logan Kiefer are three in the sophomore class to keep an eye on at both offensive and defensive line.
Vincent Opfer, Edmund’s younger brother, is getting varsity reps as a freshman. He’s a running back, but he catches the ball well and will also see reps at slot receiver.
“He’s still a 14-year-old kid, but he broke the school record in the 100 and 200 in the eighth grade. He placed at state, so he's got speed and is actually really strong in the weight room as well. He’s not the tallest kid in the world but obviously he's going to grow throughout his freshman year.”
The Eagles, which have won six NBC titles all-time, won the crown last in 2022. Last year, they went 8-3 overall and 6-1 in league play before falling to Oak Harbor in the opening round of the playoffs. It was the third consecutive season they finished second in the conference.
