I/EC Gridders open their season Friday at home

The Ipswich/Edmunds Central football team finished 4-6 last year, including a 9A first-round playoff opportunity which they lost to Britton-Hecla. They will have a nine-game regular-season slate again this year, leading up to the first-round playoffs scheduled for October 22.

Despite having some key senior graduates, the Tigers hope to build on last year's foundation. "Yes, our goal this year is to make it back to the play-offs and compete as a conference championship," says head coach Brian Hogie.

They open their campaign with a non-conference home game against Potter County in Ipswich this Friday.

And there are still 26 total Tiger gridders on this year's roster, led by six seniors, including Matthew Hettich, Josh McQuarie, Austin Russell, Kaden Hix, Eric Severson and Tyler Tran. The classes are fairly well distributed from top to bottom.

The juniors lending additional upper-class leadership are Ty Kadlec, Matthew Jaenisch, Carson Gohl, Trevor Beyers, Jordan Nierman, Luke Peterson and Zach Geditz. Sophomores feature Tyler Hettich, Grant Weisser, Darrell Yost, Ian Beyers, Carter Geditz, Cody Hansen, Gavin Wollman, Cody Russell and Lucas Rowland. Freshman newcomers include Trevor Heinz, Chet Peterson, Adam Kanable and Kayden Weisser.

Hogie is assisted by Tyler Severson and Austin Manzey.