St. Michael the Archangel Team Preview & Players to Know

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">St. Michael the Archangel posted its first non-losing season last fall, going 5-5, in a season where one game got called off due to COVID-19 issues.</span> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Now, second-year coach Andrew Pitts is looking for the Lee's Summit school to take the next step forward and get a winning record on the resume. He has talented returning players back that could make that job a little bit easier.</span> "A record is not the only thing we base success on, but it was great for the program," said Pitts, who has been an assistant at St. Thomas and Northwest Missouri State at the collegiate level. "The first time without a losing record. A lot of seniors went out there and had a great experience. A lot of younger guys had fun growing and learning. Overall, it was super positive." The Guardians will have 64 players out this fall, 14 more than last year and of that number, 22 of them are returning lettermen. Pitts, who teaches ninth grade, helped boost the sophomore class from 11 to 18 this fall. There are eight starters back on offense, including the starting quarterback, running back and a hybrid tight end/wide receiver. Dillon Zaun transferred from Class 6 Lee's Summit West and became a starter for the Guardians. He threw for more than 1,600 yards and 18 touchdowns. He picked up the offense so quickly that Pitts gave him the ability to audible at the line if he sees a look he didn't like. Edwards ran for 1,048 yards and 18 touchdowns, while Michael Haggerty enters his senior season with one Division I FCS offer. The 6-foot-4 target should see more offers come his way after hauling in 31 catches for 529 yards and five scores last fall. The offensive line returns three starters, including junior Zach Berry, who didn't yield a sack all year from his tackle spot. The defense line will have good size too with the front three all weighing 225 pounds or more. Edwards hauled in five interceptions from his secondary spot and is drawing attention from colleges for both positions. Here is a quick look at some of the St. Michael players to watch this fall… Class of 2022 Michael Haggerty, 6-4, 210, WR/TE Enters the fall season with an offer from FCS school Drake and attended camps throughout the summer, including going to one at future Division I school St. Thomas and Division II Central Missouri. Averaged more than 17 yards per catch last year and had 2 TDs and 180 yards against Kansas small school powerhouse St. Mary's-Colgan. Ellis Edwards, 5-10, 170, RB/DB Pitts noted a bevy of MIAA schools have shown interest in Edwards, including usual national-champion contender Northwest Missouri State. He has a visit to go to Maryville later this fall. He is a 1,000-yard rusher on offense and a ballhawk on defense with a team-high five interceptions. Dillon Zaun, 5-10, 170, QB Made a seamless transition into a new school and passed for more than 1,600 yards and ran for almost 400 yards more. He got camp invites from Division II Central Missouri and NAIA power Grand View (Iowa) this summer. "His biggest stride was the mental part," Pitts said. "Any quarterback has to have that and as the season went on, he would help me with the game plan saying 'Coach, I like these plays' and that opened things up to check (plays) when he saw things from the defense." Class of 2023 Zach Berry, 6-1, 230, OT Didn't yield a sack from his tackle spot last year and helped pave the way for an offense that churned out more than 2,000 yards on the ground. He is also an accomplished wrestler for the school and has used the hand-fighting skills used on the mat and uses them on the gridiron. Ayden Alawait, 6-2, 314, OL Only played JV last year after MSHSAA denied his transfer request. However, the 300-pound lineman will likely see time on the offensive line this year and Pitts said he could be a 'wild card' at Class 2. Max Ellis, 6-2, 180, K Got invited to the elite Kohl's Kicking Camp this summer and is currently ranked No. 24 in the country. Pitts knows he can turn on Ellis at any moment this year and have confidence they could get 3 points on the board. "I'm excited for Max Ellis," Pitts said. "He has a great leg. He will really help us win the field position battle and be able to convert crucial field goals late, from as deep as 50 yards." &nbsp;