2009 Football Preview: FAVC Cardinal

Catch me if you can has been the motto for Turpin and Kings. The dominant teams in the FAVC Cardinal will be tested more than ever by the league's upstarts in 2009.

Little Miami, Wilmington and Walnut Hills want something that they haven't seen in a long time - a conference championship.

The coolest thing about the Cardinal Division is that most of its top stars return to cap off wonderful careers or make themselves household names.

Here is a complete overview of the FAVC Cardinal:

KINGS KNIGHTS (8-4, 5-0 FAVC Cardinal)

HEAD COACH: Andy Olds

HOW THEY FINISHED: Kings rolled through conference play, posting a perfect 5-0 record. They beat FAVC Cardinal foe Turpin for a second time on the season in the opening round of the playoffs before bowing out against Winton Woods in Round Two.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Jonny Brewster started the last eight games of the season at quarterback, completing 58 percent of his passes. Little Miami transfer Jamire Westbrook is a huge edition to the backfield. The Knights will look to Trey Knecht, Mike Perry and Andy Race to provide leadership on defense.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We replace 21 starters, a kicker, a punter and a long snapper and our bus driver. Other than that, I like our chances!" - Head coach Andy Olds

FINAL TAKE: Olds doesn't rebuild, he reloads. Despite the high turnover the Knights are going to be a playoff caliber team once again this season. They start the year ranked second in the QueenCityHigh.com Ohio Division II-III Rankings.

TURPIN SPARTANS (9-2, 4-1)

HEAD COACH: Rob Stoll

HOW THEY FINISHED: A young Turpin offense grinded out nine wins last season. The Spartans only obstacle was Kings, which beat them at home twice, including the season-ending defeat in the playoffs.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Junior Eric Martin returns for his second year as the starting quarterback. The elusive Wayne Dunham has rushed for 2,918 yards and 28 scores during his career. Fullback Jeff Groene is a force to be reckoned with for opposing defenses. Linebacker Matt Kelly and defensive lineman Ken Mason are both top-notch players at their positions.

LEAGUE DOMINANCE: Either Tuprin or Kings has won or had a share of the FAVC Cardinal Division title for seven straight years. Both teams appear to be ready to push that streak to eight.

FINAL TAKE: The Spartans have a ton of talent coming back and should once again stifle opponents with their shutdown defense and the grind-it-out running game.

LITTLE MIAMI PANTHERS (7-3, 3-2)

HEAD COACH: Mike Shafer

HOW THEY FINISHED: The Panthers just missed out on the playoffs last season after suffering two late-season losses to Turpin and Kings. The team only allowed 19.9 points per game and only gave up more than 27 once.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Quarterback Kyle Cook threw for 2,303 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior. His favorite target is Lance Fanthorp, who might just be the best-kept secret in Cincinnati. Keep your eyes Doug Schubert to make a run at the running back job. Junior Zach Fitzgerald could have a breakout season on defense.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "When you look at the FAVC Cardinal there is never an easy game, but I see us finishing in the top half of our league." - Quarterback Kyle Cook

FINAL TAKE: Head coach Mike Shafer looks to take his program to the next level. That means they must now beat a Kings, Turpin, and/or Winton Woods to prove they are post-season worthy. All tall orders, but Little Miami has the talent to make a run at those schools.

WILMINGTON HURRICANE (4-6, 2-3)

HEAD COACH: Robin Vida

HOW THEY FINISHED: Eight times the Hurricane and their opponents combined for at least 49 points in 2008. More often than not that was not a good sign for Wilmington.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Quarterback Brandon Arehart threw for 1,938 yards and 22 touchdowns last year. In the backfield, three-year letter winners Quinten Rollins and Dalton Morrel return. Wideouts Kyle Blakeman and Nyles Williams combined for 105 receptions, 1,484 yards and 18 touchdown catches.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We always expect to field a competitive team. How solid our ball club becomes will depend on how our leadership develops." - Head coach Robin Vida

FINAL TAKE: Wilmington is underrated by most. They clearly have the firepower to hang around with most teams. The defense was the disaster last season though, ceding 33.5 points per game. How they play on that side of the ball this year will determine whether they are worthy of being labeled as a contender.

AMELIA BARONS (4-6, 1-4)

HEAD COACH: Randy Hospelhorn

HOW THEY FINISHED: The Barons started the year off on the right track, winning their first three contests. However, they only mustered one win over the season's last seven weeks.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Junior Tanner Owens takes over at quarterback. Scotty Weaver and Brandon Cafferky will be the featured backs. Receiver Zac Hultz had some shining moments last year as a sophomore. The defensive core will be headlined by Ricky Ennis and Brandon Hall.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD: The curtain goes up on a new era and falls on another one. New coach Randy Hospelhorn takes. The Barons leave the FAVC after this campaign and heads to the SBC, which seems to be a more natural fit for the school.

FINAL TAKE: Amelia has a group of juniors that can compete with anybody in the league, they are all athletic, dedicated and have a desire to turn this program around.

WALNUT HILLS EAGLES (2-8, 1-4)

HEAD COACH: George Kontsis

HOW THEY FINISHED: The school snapped a 36-game losing streak and finished the year with two wins. Still, they finished the season by starting a new, seven-game losing streak.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Dez Stewart will move from the slot to quarterback. Sophomore speedster Kenny Davis looks to explode onto the scene in the secondary. Linebackers Mike Brown and Ricky Foster anchor the defense. J.R. Roley and Miles Crawley combined to catch 47 balls for 556 yards and four scores in '08.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Our guys are serious about this season and getting the program to being successful...things matter." - Head coach George Kontsis

FINAL TAKE: Kontsis has the Walnut Hills' program on the upswing. While they are still a bit away from being a contender in the division, they are making huge strides and will be much more competitive in the road ahead.