Spring season preview: Ritenour Huskies
First-year Ritenour High School football coach Kyle Wagner has yet to coach his first game with the Huskies, but he’s already racking up some significant victories. Wagner, a Kirkwood football alum who spent the previous five years as an assistant…
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Continue ReadingFirst-year Ritenour High School football coach Kyle Wagner has yet to coach his first game with the Huskies, but he’s already racking up some significant victories.
Wagner, a Kirkwood football alum who spent the previous five years as an assistant at powerhouse programs Lutheran North and CBC, was named the head coach at Ritenour last March — right before schools shut down because of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
So when the Huskies finally take the field in a few weeks for the start of their abbreviated spring season, it will have been more than a year since Wagner got the job. Instead of lamenting about a lost fall season, the new coach worked to make an impact with his new players.
“The wait itself has been crazy, but in a way I feel like it was a blessing that I got the job when I did,” Wagner said. “There have been a lot of kids that I was able to connect with and motivate to do some of their best academic work and some of their best growth as people during this time.”
“For the most part,” Wagner added, “I’ve been able to just narrow down the kids that are invested in the program and believe in being high-caliber guys. Because for you to stick around through all of this, you have to be pretty dedicated to what we’re trying to do.”
Wagner said his players are hungry and have already exceeded his expectations, in terms of their mentality and doing things the right way. The coach proudly pointed to 33 of his players making the Honor Roll in the first semester despite the unique challenge of taking all of their classes online and not in person in school.
“It’s been a blessing to be in this position to help some of these kids,” Wagner said.
Next up for Wagner and the Huskies is returning to the football field for the first time since concluding a 1-9 season back on November 1, 2019. And the new coach is quick to move past the previous struggles of the program.
“My goal, always, is to win,” Wagner said. “I make that evident to my coaching staff, the kids, the administration. My goal is to go 5-0 (this spring). I tell them I don’t care what’s happened here or what it was — I wasn’t here. We have our core values that we stand for. As long as we’re doing those things, the wins will become a byproduct of what we do.”
Here is a quick look at some of the players to watch this spring…
Class of 2021
Tre Moore, WR, 5-9, 165
Wagner called Moore, who has committed to Illinois Wesleyan, an “explosive kid.” Moore was the Huskies leading receiver in the 2019 season when he caught 27 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 41 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Marcellus Griffin, QB, 5-9, 170
When the Huskies last took the field, Griffin was the team’s leading rusher as a running back — rushing for 899 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns. Now he’ll get to show what he can do leading the offense at quarterback and Wagner is confident that Griffin will impress with his arm as well as his legs.
Corey Cooper, WR-OLB, 6-1, 185
Cooper was the second-leading receiver in 2019, as a junior, when he caught eight passes for 181 yards and a touchdown. A player who has a chance to make an impact on both sides of the ball, Cooper also recorded 14 tackles and an interception.
Tyler Duerbeck, OL, 6-8, 285
Wagner had high praise for his starting right tackle, who he said was slated to go to Missouri Southern before the coaching change there and will still likely end up at a D-II or NAIA school.
“He was a kid that hadn’t gotten to play that position very much,” Wagner said, “so he still has room to grow and get better.”
Class of 2022
Joey Mayberry, DE-OL, 6-4, 265
Wagner has high hopes for Mayberry, who he said is so athletic that he has lined up at linebacker in the past. That athleticism and versatility should serve him well as a defensive end and offensive lineman.
Jostin Adrian Mayorquin, K
Wagner put the word out that he needed a kicker and Mayorquin answered the call … reluctantly.
“He’s never played football before,” the coach said. “He’s a transfer kid from Honduras. He’s been at school looking for something to do. He almost backed out.”
Wagner called Mayorquin, who played soccer growing up in Honduras, “a stud” after he knocked down 35 of 35 field goal attempts from the 30-yard line in his first try at football.
Class of 2023
Elijah Smith-Fry, RB-OLB, 6-1, 185
A transfer from Lutheran North, Smith-Fry could start at running back and outside linebacker this spring. Wagner called him a “can’t-miss guy” who he projects will be a Division I prospect.
“He’s just a monster,” Wagner said. “He was our best player in that freshman class at Lutheran North. He’s also a 3.86 honors student. His size, at 6-1, 185, he’s a bigger-looking back. He runs hard. He’s physical. He has decent speed and is really quick.”
Isaac Biyayi, WR, 6-2, 170
Wagner said Biyayi has a chance to start at one of the outside receiver spots.
Class of 2024
Derrick Smith, WR-RB, 5-7, 160
Wagner said Smith is “just a really quick, fast kid in space” and is really strong.
Billy Hall, S-WR-RB, 5-11, 180
“He’s a big, strong kid,” Wagner said. “He’s fast. He has soft hands. He’s good in space.”