SANDUSKY, Ohio — Perkins overview:
2023 Record: 12-1 (Division IV Regional Finalist)
Head Coach: Jalen Santoro (5th year)
Top Returning Players:
Haiden Bollini, Senior OL (1st Team All-Ohio)
Braylon Collier, Senior WR (2nd Team All-Ohio; committed to Michigan State)
Reagan Kaufman, Senior DL (3rd Team All-Ohio)
Weston Sturzinger, Senior DB (3rd Team All-Ohio)
Isaac Bunts, Senior RB (Honorable Mention All-Ohio)
Mike Young, Senior LB (Honorable Mention All-Ohio; committed to Harvard)
2024 Schedule:
WEEK 1 8/23 vs. Clear Fork
WEEK 2 8/30 @ Padua Franciscan
WEEK 3 9/6 @ Rocky River
WEEK 4 9/13 vs. Harvest Prep
WEEK 5 9/20 @ Bellevue
WEEK 6 9/27 vs. Clyde*
WEEK 7 10/4 @ Edison
WEEK 8 10/11 @ Norwalk*
WEEK 9 10/18 vs. Sandusky*
WEEK 10 10/25 vs. Columbian*
*Denotes Sandusky Bay Conference Lake Division game
The quest toward state begins this week for the Perkins Pirates. The program is coming off its most successful season since 1999 (school's only OHSAA state championship), tallying 12 wins and appearing in the regional final.
A mark most teams would be satisfied with, but Jalen Santoro's group is looking to use that experience as motivation to go even further.
"Basically, just staying hungry. At the end of the day, you're putting your best foot forward every session," the Perkins head coach said. "Especially with these seniors knowing it's their last go-round with it all."
Heading into the postseason last year, Perkins was ranked third in the State among Division IV schools. They would lose 36-26 to the two-time defending state champions in Glenville which marked the only loss of the season.
Although it ended a magical run, most of that talent returns with a bigger drive to succeed this Fall.
"It's the same as always, we're always hungry and ready to get after it," senior Haiden Bollini said. "Last year, we came up short and this year we don't plan on doing that. We plan on going all the way and we have the guys to do it."
Leading the way for the Pirates are a pair of All-Ohio and Division One commits. Wide receiver Braylon Collier is heading to Michigan State following graduation while classmate Mikey Young plans to take his talents to Harvard.
Now, they're not the only athletes on this team who will be playing at the next level but the position to keep an eye on is quarterback. Logan Lesch started the past three seasons and capped his career with a first team All-Ohio honors.
Sam Schweinfurth and Tim Boals battled in the offseason to take the reins. Heading into week one, Perkins will turn to the junior Schweinfurth as the new signal caller with Boals serving as backup.
But even with a new quarterback, expectations remain high for this group.
"We had a good run last year, but looking at this season we can't be complacent. We can't think we deserve anything and have to work even harder," senior Brady Legando said. "The thing that's going to take us there is holding each other accountable. We've been playing together for so long that we know what we got to do to get here and just push each other even harder."