CHEROKEE CHIEFS

Coach: BRYCE SCHANBACHER

4-6

OFFENSE

Physicality and confidence are two key factors to having a successful football team. And those are two attributes that veteran Cherokee head coach Bryce Schanbacher will be looking for when the Chiefs hit the field for the 2023 football campaign. “We have a solid core group returning with varied degrees of experience. We’ll have good speed in the backfield and solid kids up front,” said Schanbacher. “We need to be more physical this season on both sides of the ball and play with a lot of confidence.” Under center for the Chiefs at quarterback will be Kai McHenry (6-2, 190, Sr.), a VYPE Top 100 nominee. “Kai is an extremely gifted, multi-sport athlete,” said Schanbacher. “He is a great role model for the younger players and works extremely hard at everything he does.” McHenry has great speed and has spent some time at running back as well. Those duties this year will fall to Zack Hellar (5-11, 175, Sr.) and Clayton Roach (5-10, 180, So.) out of the single back set with multiple formations. “Clayton has spent a lot of time in the weight room this off-season and I’m anxious to see how he performs this year,” said Schanbacher. At wide receiver it will be Tony Macias (5-9, 145, So.) and at center it’s Alberto “Bert” Alvirez.

DEFENSE

The Chiefs will run a 3-2 defense, gap control defense with most of the same faces that fans will see on offense. McHenry will be at a safety spot and Hellar will line up at a corner and in the line it will be Joel Parker (5-11, 160, So.) at an end spot and Alvirez at nose guard. “Bert is one of those guys that gives it all up for his teammates every day and he’s a blast to be around,” said Schanbacher.

SCHEDULE

8-25 – vs. Beaver

9-1 – at Dewar

9-8 – at Shattuck

9-22 – at Seiling

9-29 – vs. Balko-Forgan

10-6 – at Oklahoma Bible Academy

10-12 – vs. Garber

10-20 – at Kremlin-Hillsdale

10-27 – vs. Pond Creek-Hunter

11-3 – vs. Ringwood