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2024 GROVE CITY EAGLES PREVIEW

GROVE CITY – Sam Mowrey begins his second decade as Grove City High School’s head football coach and the 11th-year mentor will be leading one of the younger Eagle squads in recent memories. Numerous underclassmen are expected to fill key roles for Grove City, which finished 7-4 last year.

“It’s been enjoyable watching this group come together and watching our seniors blossom into their new leadership roles,” Mowrey said. “Obviously, the new faces are one of the things that keeps it exciting.

“Every team has its own identity. It’s not a comparison to what we have done before,” he continued. “For us, year by year, our vision and values stay constant and those are the things that we try to preach and teach every year.”

While Grove City’s vision and values remain constant, the Eagles no longer have their three-year constant at quarterback as Hunter Hohman, the program’s all-time leading passer, graduated last spring.

Senior Lucas McCreadie has earned the starting quarterback spot after playing in all 11 games last year at wide receiver and defensive back. McCreadie served as the backup quarterback in 2023. “Lucas is a great kid and a great leader,” Mowrey said. “He has a lot of enthusiasm and he’s worked very hard.”

Running backs accounted for only 626 rushing yards last year, slightly more than one-third of the Eagles’ 1,778 rushing yards. The Eagles will look for greater production in the ground game this year, with juniors Jonah Stucchio and Jaxyn Wilson both battling for the starting spot at running back. Sophomore Keith Vandergrift will also compete for time in the offensive backfield.

Stucchio and Wilson are also contenders to see time at slot receiver in the Eagles’ spread scheme.

On the outside, senior Nathan Greer returns for his fourth year as a starter after leading the Eagles with 863 receiving yards and nine touchdown catches last year. He hauled in 56 passes after leading Mercer County with 61 receptions in 2022.

Classmate Ta’rel Richardson-Healey aims to start at the opposite wide receiver spot. He saw reserve duty on offense in 2023 while playing extensively at cornerback. Sophomores Ben Moore and Levi Toth are also in the mix at wide receiver.

Senior Clayton Martin, an All-Region selection in 2023, returns at tight end. Martin caught 18 passes for 361 yards and three touchdowns as a junior. He led Grove City in yards per catch, averaging 20.1. “Clayton has great hands and as we saw last year, he is a real weapon down the field,” Mowrey said.

Grove City returns its starting guards in senior Jack Wolfe and junior Delathian Boanes. Boanes earned First Team All-Region in 2023 while Wolfe netted Second Team honors from the league’s coaches. However, a preseason arm injury will have Wolfe sidelined for at least a few weeks, according to Mowrey.

Junior letterman Logan Dice is expected to start at center, while junior Karson Heckathorn is expected to start at left tackle. Sophomore Patrick Faler, freshman Jordan Gamble and versatile senior Ian McCreary are also expected to see time up front.

“What an example of sacrifice and being a great team player,” Mowrey said of McCreary. “He’s a senior who could play receiver or tight end for us, but he’s probably going to start at right tackle.”

Defensively, Grove City expects to use more three-man lines in 2024. Boanes and Wolfe return up front. Faler, Heckathorn and McCreary are also candidates for spots on the defensive line.

Martin returns at inside linebacker and Dice is expected to start next to him. Several men are candidates to start at linebacker, including McCreary.

Greer, McCreadie, Stucchio, Vandergrift and Wilson are expected to comprise Grove City’s five-man defensive backfield this year. Greer earned All-Region in the secondary last year.

Stucchio, the reigning District 10 Class AAA champion in the triple jump (45-5), will handle kicking duties. Greer will punt. Martin and Dice can both snap.

Grove City will compete in Region 4 against fellow Class 3A teams Conneaut, Hickory, Sharon, Slippery Rock and Titusville. The Eagles also face District 10 playoff qualifiers North East, Fairview, Fort LeBoeuf and Oil City in non-conference action.

“We are focusing on getting these guys where they need to be,” Mowrey said. “We are not worrying about who we are playing or what’s going to happen. We have to work on getting better each day.”