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Riverview Gabriel Richard is one of the many teams in the Downhill region entering the 2021 season with a new head coach.
At the helm of the Pioneers now is Bill Miller, who had recently been an assistant in Trenton under the direction of longtime chef Bob Czarnecki. Miller has college experience as he was a graduate assistant at Bowling Green State University and was on staff at Tiffin University.
Earlier this year, Miller was running for head coach at Trenton when Czarnecki announced his retirement. Controversy ensued when he and veteran Trenton assistant Aaron Segedi were ignored for a candidate with no varsity coaching experience.
Fast forward a bit and Miller is now a finished town and wears pioneer Burgundy and White Richard. Segedi, who acts as defensive coordinator, joins him in the squad.
At Richard, Miller replaced Tom Michalsen, who had been the head coach since 2012.
Last season, the Pioneers went 6-2 and went undefeated in the CHSL Intersectional 1. The team dominated Springport in the first round of the playoffs, then fell to a rising team from Jackson Lumen Christi in the second turn.
Overall, Richard has only had one losing season since 2013 and he’s won a playoff berth five times in the streak, not counting last year.
As the 2021 game roster approaches, the Pioneers have some talented players back in the mix.
Senior Nick Szczechowski, who will start as a safe and secure running back, is one of the best athletes in the region. He ran over 500 yards last year and had 10 rushing touchdowns. He stepped in as a quarterback for one game and pitched for two touchdowns. On special teams, he had 487 return yards and scored six times. In defense, he had 30 tackles and four interceptions, two of which returned for six points.
Starting quarterback this fall for Richard is junior Nick Wisniewski.
The time at the back will be senior Ethan Mehall and junior Aramis Lackey.
Seniors Gabe Ross and Nathan Schwein and junior Ashton Nowak will serve as wide receivers and senior Luke Gordon will line up in the lunge.
To start the year, the offensive line will feature senior Walter Cruz and junior Matthew Mann in guard positions, as well as junior Lenny Fritz and second student Andrew Fust on tackles and junior Ben Carey in center. Senior Nic Disanto (6-5, 300 lbs.) Is expected to play tackle upon his return from injury.
Brendan Hills will line up at the tight end.
On the other side of the ball, Cruz and Fust will play on the defensive line, just like Disanto when he is healthy.
Mann and Wisniewski will line up at the defensive end.
The linebacker will play Lackey, Hills, Mehall and freshman Joey Calhoun.
In high school, goalies will be Szczechowski and rookie Nick Sobush and in the corners will be Gordon and Ross.
To launch the 2021 campaign, the Pioneers will host a non-league enemy Grosse-Île for a match on their burgundy field on Friday August 27 at 7 p.m. battle with Clinton.
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