The Aurora Greenmen football team’s success has always been fueled by their senior classes. After graduating 16 seniors from last year’s Suburban League American Conference championship team, the Greenmen’s fate will be in the hands of their 24 returning lettermen this season as they attempt to repeat as conference champions.
“We are pretty excited,” Coach Bob Mihalik told The Weekly Villager on Aug. 15. “Obviously whenever you have a special season like last year, there is some carryover to the new season. In our offseason weightlifting and conditioning program, our numbers were great but at the same time we told them, that season is over. It is a whole new season and a lot of what you did last year did not really matter.”
Since the 2005 season, Aurora has not recorded a losing campaign and has missed the playoffs just once in the last 19 years. Last year marked one of most successful seasons in school history as the Greenmen captured their first conference championship since the 2019 season and also tallied multiple playoff victories, advancing to the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division Region 9 semifinal.
“To get back with a title after a four-year lapse meant a lot and to do it in week 10, we were definitely the underdogs against Highland going into that game and able to get the win at their home field was pretty special,” noted the 24-year coach.
After a banner season, Aurora returns with plenty of experience on both sides of the ball, returning six starters on offense and six on defense.
On offense, senior Ryan Dwyer will return as the Greenmen’s quarterback, having taken the starting job late last season after the first-string quarterback Brandon Liepins was sidelined with injury.
Dwyer played in three games, completing nine passes out of 15 attempts for 99 yards and four touchdowns.
“Ryan is an interesting story,” Mihalik said of the 6-foot-3 senior. “He played all of last year with a torn labrum in his right shoulder and he was our back-up for most of the year and he waited until the season was over to have the surgery. He is not a full-time returning starter but he certainly started three games for us. He has had a great summer.
According to Mihalik, the plan will be to keep Dwyer in the pocket for most of the game but believes his football I.Q. will give him an advantage when processing the defensive looks.
The Greenmen’s rushing attack will be fueled by a stable of tailbacks, including senior Lucas Manderbach, who served as the back-up last year to Enzo Catania and recorded 306 rushing yards on 57 carries while scoring three touchdowns. Joining the 6-foot-3 Manderbach will be senior Tommy Tartabini, who tallied 73 rushing yards on 20 hand-offs and senior Cole Walton and junior Xavier Board.
“Those four guys are all going to be running the football for us,” Mihalik said. “The three seniors Lucas, Tommy and Cole are all more physical straight ahead type runners who can also block real well where Xavier is going to be more of a change-up back who is more of a quick low-to-the ground zone type running back, so we think we have a good mix between those four.”
The Greenmen return three starting offensive linemen in senior center Reed Acomb, left guard Ewan Dacres and left tackle Matthew Copley. Senior Brody Markle will be penciled in to take over at right tackle, a position he was originally going to play last year but missed most of the season due to injury, and seniors Rob Thrash and Tyler Hanus will battle for the right guard job.
Senior Ben Lukasik will return as the team’s leading receiver after hauling in 30 receptions for 418 yards and two touchdowns last year and will be flanked by senior Zach Pannetti, who recorded 10 catches for 48 yards and one touchdown.
On defense, Manderbach returns at defensive end after setting the school record last season with 11 sacks and 37 tackles. The 5-foot-11 Tartabini will plug the middle, returning as the team’s leading tackler by posting 44 tackles.
The 5-foot-11 Lukasik will anchor the secondary by returning as a safety, along with Pannetti making the move from cornerback to safety and senior Dan Shanholtzer will resume his duties as a starting cornerback.
“We think we have some defensive backs that might be able to play man-to-man this year better than we have had in the past so if you are able to lock down with guys on the outside man-to-man that allows you to be able to commit to more people to the box,” Mihalik said.
Aurora’s season begins when it travels to face crosstown rival Twinsburg at Tiger Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m.
