Jefferson’s addition to the Chagrin Valley Conference beginning with the 2023-2024 school year has restored some traditional rivalries the Falcons used to enjoy.
After leaving the Northeast 8 Athletic Conference behind, the Falcons are eager to compete in the CVC.
“We’re excited to play more locally,” said Jefferson football coach Brandon Hanna. “Hopefully, we can increase the fanbase and get the kids a little more excited to play some familiar faces.”
Coming off of his second season as the head coach–one which saw the Falcons finish 11-4 and with an appearance in the state Final Four–Hanna hopes to continue building the program in the right direction.
“Last year, I was a second year into establishing the culture and building the foundation,” Hanna said. “Headed into year three, hopefully, we can keep that belief system throughout our locker room.”
Hanna explained that last year’s team consisted of 26 players, 13 of which graduated in the spring. Of the returning players, he expects kicker Jensen Yarosh to be a big factor.
“(Yarosh) is a silent weapon we will look to utilize a little more this year,” Hanna said. “He had some big moments last season, especially for his first year playing football. He’s an all-state kid.”
Hanna also had high praises for Kaige Boczar. Boczar was able to make an impact as a sophomore last year, and Hanna expects his role on the team to grow this season.
“(Boczar) is a dual-threat kid,” Hanna said. “We’ll move him around this year–a little quarterback, wide receiver, and in the secondary as well.”
Another key piece that will be returning to the team this fall is Luke Funtash. Hanna spoke glowingly of Funtash’s team-first attitude going into his third season as the team’s starting running back.
“(Funtash) is a great leader and is probably the most unselfish, hardest working kid in our program,” Hanna said. “Most running backs just want the ball handed to them, but that kid will run to the sideline begging to lead block for our quarterbacks.”
As far as new names to watch out for this year, Hanna said he expects Dylan Jacobs, Jose Rivera, Matthew Webster, and Alex Van Gieson to make meaningful contributions.
On offense, CVC teams can expect the Falcons to line up in the spread. However, teams should be on their toes, as Hanna says they will look to mix things up.
On the defensive side, Hanna said they will look to run a 3-3-5 base. He feels that this defense will help them utilize their strength in speed.
As for the first season in the CVC, Hanna placed emphasis on one word–compete. He hopes the team can build off the success of last season and compete for the title as well as a chance at the postseason.
“The goal for the conference is to win the conference,” Hanna said. “Those first five games, we have some big bangers right off the bat and we will find out who we are. But, we are just looking to be competitive, have fun, and grow as a unit and hopefully jump back in the playoffs and get back where we left off.”
Jefferson will compete in the CVC Lake Division with Conneaut, Edgewood, Geneva, Lakeside, and Madison.
