Hanover-Horton Football to Rely on Speed, Soper

Key participants for the Hanover-Horton High School 2024 football team are, from left, Coach David Messer, Braden Cogan, Jaxon Johnson, Luke Soper, Jack Wooster, and Bryant Hamisfar.

Jeff Steers | JTV Sports

Tuesday August 20th

(8-20-2024, 12:00PM): Hanover-Horton High School head football Coach David Messer believes the Comets are in the “best situation” heading into the 2024 football season.

The Comets are looking to improve on a 2-7 season in 2023 and produce a winning record for the first time since 2014.

“We are very excited about the season … we have nine quality seniors on the team,” Messer said. “This is the best situation I have seen at Hanover-Horton.”

Luke Soper will be the cog for the Comets offensively starting his third season as the varsity quarterback. The 4.0 students says he “likes the receiving core this season” as they have better size and more depth.”

Soper will have a familiar player hiking the ball to him as Bryant Hamisfar has been his center since third grade.

Junior Lukas NaDell is the fastest player on the Comets and is expected to start at running back and defensive back.

Reed Matthews is the strongest player on the team and will help anchor the offensive and defensive lines for Hanover-Horton. He was a Cascades Conference honorable-mention player for the Comets in 2023.

Other returning starters who expect to make a difference for Hanover-Horton are seniors Jaxson Johnson (WR/DB) and Jack Wooster (LB) and juniors A.J. Fielder (RB/DB) and Adam Ley (TE/LB).

Players expected to make an impact are freshman Austyn Hocter (RB/DB), sophomore J.J. Russ (WR/LB), and seniors Braden Cogan (OL/DL) and Gavin Berkeypile.

Russ is a sophomore playing varsity football after a couple of years off.

The Comets expect to still run the Wing-T offense with less pistol and more under center looks.

“He expect to get our backs to the holes quicker with multiple formations,” Messer said.

The Comets will play a 4-2-5 defense with first-year defensive coordinator Jeff Dick who moves up from the Comets’ junior varsity.

Hanover-Horton expects to have nearly 45 players in its high school football program.

Hanover-Horton Football Schedule 2024:

Aug. 30 Hanover-Horton at Monroe-Jefferson 7 p.m.

Sept. 6 Hanover-Horton at Michigan Center 7 p.m.

Sept. 13 Grass Lake at Hanover-Horton 7 p.m.

Sept. 20 Hanover-Horton at Jonesville 7 p.m.

Sept. 27 Homer at Hanover-Horton 7 p.m.

Oct. 4 Vandercook Lake at Hanover-Horton 7 p.m.