Blue Demons hungry to add Ches-Mont American title to recent successes

KENNETT SQUARE >> In each of the previous two full seasons of football, Kennett is averaging 9.5 wins per campaign. It is a level of success never before seen by the Blue Demons program. But one thing is missing: a Ches-Mont American title.
“We want to get to that point,” said Kennett head coach Lance Frazier. “That is the next step.
“It’s definitely in the back of our minds. The kids really want it – they want a banner. We’ve been at a certain level for a few years now, and how do we get to the next level?”
Coming off an 8-4 season, Kennett isn’t shying away from lofty goals for ’22. And with a beefed up interior line, a couple elite-level runners, and a well-earned reputation for fielding sound defensive units, who’s to say this isn’t the year?

“We’d like to win the league, win districts and go to states,” said massive two-way lineman Connor Tuk. “We want to go further than any Kennett team has ever gone.
“We are more rounded this season. We have a bunch of veteran guys returning and the new guys are ready to play.”
There are some challenges however. Depth is a constant worry at Kennett, and that means that most of Frazier’s starters will be playing on both sides of the ball. And then there is the issue of trying to replace the head coach’s son, Kalen, who was one of the most versatile athletes ever to come out of the school.
“We are always rebuilding just because we are at about 40-50 players,” Frazier said. “Unionville is just five minutes up the road, and they don’t have the number issues we have. It’s just something we have to overcome.
“Our off-season conditioning is more important than anything. This group has been good with the details, and the older guys have done a nice job of policing the locker room – setting expectations.”

Kalen Frazier is now playing at Indiana (Pa.) and his absence created a large void on the field. He played several positions on offense and was one of the area’s best defensive backs.
“To replace production for (Kalen), on both sides of the ball, is going to be hard to do,” Frazier said. “But we’ve been here before. We had the same conversations with guys like Sam Forte and Garrett Cox.”
While breaking in a new quarterback, much of the early load will likely fall on senior runner Julian Sparacino, who burst on the scene last fall to gain more than 1,000 rushing yards. He took over the role as featured running back when David Lillis suffered a mid-season knee injury.

“Julian’s put in the work. He ran track in the offseason to work on his speed and explosiveness,” Frazier said.
“It wasn’t given to me – I had to work for it,” Sparacino added. “I started as a blocking back last season, and when David Lillis went down it gave me a chance to shine – and I did.”
Now a junior, the speedy Lillis is also back, potentially giving the Demons a scary 1-2 punch. But it may take some time for him to completely recover from the injury.
“He’s been cleared and he is definitely going to be a weapon for us,” Frazier said.
“It’s going to be like thunder and lightning. It’s a great two-man tandem to have in the backfield. When he is ready, we look for him to take a leap.”

Whoever is carrying the football is going to have a veteran group of blockers in front of them. The anchor is the 6-foot-5, 290-pound Tuk, a tackle who had a great offseason. Scrappy senior center Ryan King is also returning, and junior guard John Pardo is also a wrestling standout.
“(Pardo) is athletic enough to carry the football and maybe catch it too,” Frazier said.
The rest of the unit includes sophomores Kaden Kise and Jacob Thompson, who are projected as future stars.
“It’s the most veteran group that we have, and the largest in both size and numbers,” Frazier said. “We are deepest upfront, and it’s our most committed group. And this is where football starts and ends.”
It is all good news for projected senior quarterback Brett Kauffman. He transferred from Malvern Prep a year ago, but was injured for a good portion of the 2021 season.

“He is trying to grasp what we are doing, and he’s shown some promise in camp,” Frazier said. “He’s a leader, a vocal guy, and he wants to be at the helm. His teammates love him.”
The team’s biggest question mark is with the receiving corps. Legacy players like wideout Jackie Good (Jr.) and tight end Colin Jung (Sr.) are in the mix, and so is senior Josh Barlow in the slot.
The defense features many of the same names, and once again, the strength is up front. With Tuk and Pardo inside, Jung and senior Luke Finfrock on the edge, Kennett’s defensive line is formidable.
“This is a solid group,” Frazier said. “I feel good about them. They will be the strength of our team.”
King, Sparacino and Barlow headline the linebackers, and the secondary will include new corners in Good and sophomore Xavier McGreal (So.), with senior Ty McMillan at safety.

“We are going to move around on defense and come at you,” Frazier said. “These guys are confident in what we do.”
Another team strength is on special teams. Senior kicker Ryan Barker has already committed to Penn State and is also going to handle the punting duties.
“Historically, Kennett hasn’t been great on special teams,” Frazier acknowledged. “We’ve spent a lot of time on it, and our guys take pride in it.
“(Barker) is going to be a game-changer for us, both in flipping field position and also putting points on the board. We expect a lot of touchbacks on kickoffs, and a lot of field-changing punts in addition to field goals.”

This will be year five under Frazier, who has transformed the program from a perennial loser to upper echelon contender.
“This was the first offseason where guys were doing even more in lifting and conditioning than was assigned by the coaches,” Tuk pointed out.
“Opponents are actually taking us more seriously now. Instead of scheduling us for Homecoming, they better be preparing for us.”

Kennett Schedule
Fri., Aug. 26 — at Upper Dublin, 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 2 — vs. Oxford, 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 9 — at West Chester Henderson, 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 16 — vs. West Chester Rustin, 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 23 — at Downingtown East, 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 30 — at Interboro, 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 7 — vs. Unionville, 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 14 — at West Chester East, 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 21 — vs. Sun Valley, 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 28 — vs. Great Valley, 7 p.m.