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Pastor David Raley guided Hernando Christian Academy to a school-record 6-2 won-lost slate in 2007.

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By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: September 4, 2008

Updated: 09/04/2008 08:31 am

In 2007, Hernando Christian Academy had some funny things happen to them on the way to a school-best 6-2 record.
They brought in a new head football coach in David Raley, had two home games canceled and had probably the best football team ever in the school's brief history.
But in a busy offseason, the Lions lost their legitimate Division I prospect when Clay Kessler transferred to Hernando High.
Raley still has maybe the best throwing quarterback in the county in David Rotteveel and enough help in the offensive and defensive lines to improve on last year's record.
"We did much better than I thought we would last year," said second-year Raley. "There was only one game last year that we were blown out, every other one we were close. But it's another rebuilding year this season."
With the loss of Kessler, Thomas Bronson (another transfer to Hernando) and Sean Byrne (whose family relocated to Tennessee), the Lions lose their top two or three rushers, receivers, scorers and tacklers from last year.

Sudden impact

The loss of Kessler alone hurts the Lions. Last Year Kessler led the Lions in rushing (722 yards), receiving (32 catches for 343 yards and three touchdowns), scoring (102 points) and tackles (68).
"Clay was part of everything we did and we built everything around his skills," Raley said. "On defense is where we're really going to miss him."
But they still have Rotteveel and he will counted on even more this year for the bulk of the Lions offense.
Last season, Rotteveel completed 47 percent of his passes for 899 yards and 11 touchdowns across eight games.
However, Raley thinks he will have to throw the football more this year.
"With one returning running back (Jeremy Knight) and two good wide receivers (Sam Kautsky and Ian Townsend), we'll throw the ball more this year than we did," indicated Raley.

O-line stance

The offensive line for HCA returns with Josh Romeo, Ethan Whitten, Kevin Wilcher and Ben Clark along with tight end Garrett Mikkola. Besides Knight, the HCA running backs this year will include Jake Foster.
According to Raley, his team is still trying to put together a defense.
But the second-year HCA coach admits most of those players will have to come from the offense.
"When you've only got 28 people, you end up having to play a lot of people both ways," lamented Raley.
Along the defensive line, Raley plans on using Nick Adams and Josh Westfall as the ends while Mikkola and Romeo will man the defensive tackle spots.
The four linebackers for the Lions this year will be Knight and Daniel Keys on the outside while Foster and Nate Kautsky will be inside.
In the defensive backfield, Raley says he will start Townsend and Sam Kautsky as cornerbacks with Kenny Lehman at safety.
This year, the Lions will play football as an independent, joining the Florida Sunshine State Conference. The league is made up of nine small schools who decided not to play this year in the Class 1A Florida High School Athletic Association.
Instead, HCA has joined the conference and will play in the same division as Bishop McLaughlin, Canterbury and Tampa-Carrollwood Day School.
"It's going to change the way we look at games now," said Raley. "When you have the possibility of playing games in the postseason, it changes everything. I think it will make each game that much more important to us."

2008 HCA Lions Varsity Football Schedule
Date Opponent Site Time
09-05 Bishop McLaughlin Home 7 p.m.
09-12 Central Fla. Christian Away 7 p.m.
09-19 Mount Dora Bible Away 7 p.m.
09-26 Carrollwood Day Home 7 p.m.
10-03 St. Stephens Away 4:30 p.m.
10-10 Leesburg-First Academy^ Home 7 p.m.
10-17 St. John Lutheran Away 7 p.m.
10-24 Foundation Academy Away 7 p.m.
11-01 S. Petersburg-Canterbury Home 7 p.m.
11-07 Bye
11-14 Conference Playoffs Away TBA
NOTE: All home games at Brooksville's Ernie Wever Youth Park.
^ Denotes Homecoming Game.

2008 HERNANDO CHRISTIAN ACADEMY LIONS VARSITY FOOTBALL ROSTER

NO. NAME HGT WGT POSITIONS YR
03 Connor Yann 5'11" 140 QB 09
20 David Rotteveel 6'0" 175 QB/DB 12
21 Jeremy Knight 6'0" 185 RB/SS 11
22 Nathan Kautsky 6'2" 225 OL/MLB 10
23 Jake Foster 6'2" 190 DE 11
25 Kenny Lehman 5'9" 145 WR/SF/PK 11
32 Nick Adams 5'11" 180 TE/DE 12
33 Daniel Keyes 5'9" 200 TE/DE 12
34 Windsor Sinnews 6'0" 180 RB 09
50 Sean Flannery 5'10" 170 OL 10
51 Robert Hill Bronson 5'6" 133 TE/LB 08
55 Joshua Westfall 6'0" 190 OG/DT 12
56 Ben Dzugen 6'0" 145 DB 10
57 Ben Clark 6'3" 245 TE 12
63 Josh Romeo 5'11" 265 OT/LS/DT 12
70 Jordan Schmitt 5'10" 150 OL 08
72 Dylan Burke 5'9" 220 DL 11
75 Ethan Whitten 5'10" 215 CT 12
78 Joshua Webber 6'3" 290 OT 10
79 Kevin Wilcher 6'2 255 OT 11
80 Trey Hotchkiss 6'0" 145 TE/SF 10
82 Wyatt Stephens 5'7" 115 WR 09
84 Garrett Mikkola 5'11" 240 RB/FS 11
85 Ian Townsend 6'1" 160 WR/DB 10
86 Dennis Wainscott 5'6" 132 WR 09
87 Zane Blackburn 5'8" 190 OL 09
88 Will Harper 5'9" 150 WR 10
89 Sam Kautsky 5'11" 140 WR 11

Head Coach: David Raley (2nd Year: 6-2)
Assistant Coaches: Scott Boer, Joe Decker,
Scott Knight, Tom Sandusky, Todd Turner.
 

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