2023 Program Preview: Marist Catholic

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are getting closer to the start of the high school football season in Oregon, which means it is time to look at the football programs around the state. Oregon high school football is in a fantastic place, and I could not be more excited to help educate our readers on the programs they will be watching on Friday nights. The team next up is Marist Catholic High School, home of the Spartans.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Marsit Catholic is led by first-time head coach Charlie Landgraf, who is replacing long-time head coach Frank Geske, who is now the head coach at Springfield High School. Coach Landgraf has coached at UNLV (Assistant Offensive Line Coach) in 2020 and Central Catholic in 2021 and 2022 (Offensive Line Coach). Coach Landgraf is taking over an impressive program as the Spartans finished the regular season with an 8-1 record and secured the 3rd seed in the 4A State Playoffs. Unfortunately, the Spartans were upset in the first round by 14th-seed Gladstone. Coach Landgraf and the Spartans will look to make a deeper playoff run this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coach Landgraf has been pleased with the Spartan's offseason thus far, saying, "(I am) super proud of the growth that has taken place so far this summer. I really like the group we have. Overall it is a young team that graduated a lot of production, but I am pleased with the group's mentality and how they have attacked summer training. It is a small senior class regarding numbers but a very talented group. I can't say enough about their leadership during our summer training."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When asked about his goals and expectations this season, Coach Landgraf said, "As a program, the expectation will always be to<br>compete for championships. The guys are doing a great job attacking the process and doing the things that need to be done in order to be playing late into November." It sounds like Coach Landgraf expects his team to contend for a spot in the championship game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a list of All-State players that have departed the program:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>OL &amp; DL [player_tooltip player_id='291229' first='Sam' last='Keen'] (1st Team/2nd Team) Transferred to Springfield High School</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>WR &amp; DB AJ Sargent (1st Team for both)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>K Sebastian Nogales (2nd Team)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>LB Kaden Starr (Honorable Mention)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the hope of making a deep playoff run, I asked Coach Landgraf for some of his guys who he expects to have big seasons. Here are the guys Coach Landgraf named as his top players:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["209673"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"When discussing Marist football, Aiden should be the player to come to mind. Here is what Coach Landgraf had to say about his star player, u0022Excited for Aiden to build on a great junior season. Returning DPOYrnof the year in the conference and 1st team all-state selection at LB, Aiden is a physical LB that has the athleticism to play all over the field. Aiden played on Team Columbia in the Les Schwab Bowl this summer and excelled against the top guys in the state.u0022 Expect Aiden to be one of the best players in 4A.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["754597"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"The next player Coach Landgraf mentioned is his best lineman. Coach Landgraf said, u0022(I am) looking for Dawson to be the anchor up front on both sides of the ball. He's a talented football player with a high football IQ. Dawson has great feet and plays with the physicality that we are looking for.u0022 With the departure of [player_tooltip player_id='291229' first='Sam' last='Keen'], Dawson will have to step up.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1322050' first='Nick' last='Hudson']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2409","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Marist","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"The last player Coach Landgraf felt he needed to mention is his junior quarterback. Coach Landgraf had this to say about Nick, u0022(I am) really fired up about Nick taking over at QB this year. He's a young kidrnthat is mature beyond his years. He has a very strong arm, is a great athlete, but more importantly, is just a great teammate.u0022 I am excited to watch Nick play this season as he has good size and could be a solid prospect for the Spartans.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":3,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64deac12c9ff7"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Spartans fans should be excited for this season and the future of their football program. Letting go of a successful coach is always a questionable decision, but Coach Landgraf is more than qualified to lead this impressive program. Expect the Spartans to make a deep playoff run this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->