By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
FAUCETT - Mid-Buchanan football has shown the innate ability to reload and have success year-after-year.
The Dragons have had four nine-plus win seasons in a row, including three district titles and a state runner-up finish in 2020.
Entering 2022, they have another talented senior class to replace from last season.
Mid-Buchanan coach Aaron Fritz says the last couple weeks have been important for the under classmen to show their strengths.
"We kind of have the same thing with this group," Fritz said. "A bunch of these guys played, but they didn't play the amount of reps the older guys did. So, we'll have guys step in, step up and see what they can do, too."
Mid-Buchanan lost its starting quarterback, two of their top three rushers and receivers, and two of their top four tacklers from 2021.
But, this is nothing new. The Dragons lost about 7-8 starters from a team that was state runners-up in 2020, and they stepped up to the challenge in 2021 and went 10-1, winning their first 10 games before falling to eventual state champion East Buchanan in district semifinals.
The Dragons lost about six total starters from last year, and are looking to plug those gaps again.
Lead returning rusher and senior Xavier Arumbula gives credit to the coaching staff for getting the Dragons ready to be successful each year.
"Yeah we have really great coaching," he said. "People just step up and play the position they need to play for us to win. Everyone keeps stepping up and they're going to keep doing it even after we leave."
Arumbula is the lead candidate to replace the graduated Rawlins Brant quarterback. He piled up 654 yards rushing while averaging 7.8 yards per carry and eight touchdowns last season.
While there were still many positives from last year, Fritz says his team is always trying to be better.
"They know that they need to be better if they want to make that big time play and big time game," he said. "We didn't get to that point last year. It's been awhile, and they don't want to let that happen again."
One leader back on the defensive side is senior linebacker Wade Stanton - a two-time state champion in wrestling and the team leader in tackles for loss last season with 21 total.
He says playing for Coach Fritz the last several years has been a rewarding experience, and he hopes to end his high school football career the right way.
"It's just been great," Stanton said. "It's been an amazing program and it's been great to have him as a coach and to have him as a part of this family."
Ben Pugh, Zach Kelly, Clancey Woodward and Jackson Wahlgren are other key returners on defense. Woodward contributed on offense and special teams as well, including 102 kick return yards - second most on the team in 2021.
Mid-Buchanan opens their season on the road this Friday at Princeton. They come home to host Holden the following week.
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