Having experience back for a high school football team is good.
Having experience on the offensive line may be even better.
Conneaut returns four players from last season’s team in arguably the most important positions on offense.
“It’s a good group,” coach Rocco Dobran said. “We have good experience, size and speed.”
Seniors Wyatt Distel and Ben Griswold are scheduled to play right tackle and right guard, respectively. They’ve played since they were sophomores
Senior Mason Pryately is experienced at left tackle, and junior Dysin Jerina is a veteran at center. Pryately saw time as a sophomore, while Jerina started as a freshman.
“We’ve had our ups and downs, but we’re starting to mesh and come together,” Griswold said. “We’ve done a lot outside practice, like fishing, going to Erie and just hanging out.”
Griswold and Distel are teammates in another sport.
“I think we have bonded from hanging out and doing stuff in the offseason,” Distel said. “Me and Ben wrestle together in the offseason.
“And me and Mason try to hang out as much as possible in the offseason.”
Distel said that camaraderie with his fellow athletes is important.
“I try to bond with my teammates and when they are down, I try to lift them up,” he said. “I feel when we bring each other up, instead of bringing each other down, then we have opportunities to win more games than we ever had in the past.”
Individual progression is also important.
Mason Pryately participated in multiple college football camps over the summer.
“It taught me skills to help me contribute, and what the college feel would be like,” he said. “I had a good time going to see different college programs.”
Juniors Nick Brecht and Ayden Tantari and sophomores Payton Pryately and Cason Powell provide depth along the line.
“The more they work together, the communication will be up,” Dobran said.
The group will block for experience at running back in senior Isaiah Boles, who rushed for 1,149 yards and scored 12 touchdowns last season in earning second-team Northeast Lakes All-District honors.
“I feel as the season goes on, he gets confidence,” Dobran said of Boles. “He sets high goals for himself. These kids want to break records.”
Mason Pryately said the offensive line takes pride in playing a role for the skilled personnel to succeed.
“It makes us feel good to help him get an achievement,” he said.
Junior Deondre Weatherspoon and sophomore Steven Kessler are also working in the backfield.
The receiver spot has a slew of experience in seniors Davonte Harris and Alden Goudge, Luis Cedeno and Brady Vera and juniors Nick Vendetti and Jacob Thompson.
Goudge recorded 24 catches for 380 yards in the 2025 campaign.
Harris posted 20 catches and Boles added 12.
Dobran said Vera and Thompson can play tight end and split out. Senior Josh Sabo could also be utilized in a wing-tight end position.
The one spot Conneaut will have a varsity newcomer is quarterback.
Junior Wyant Dobran, a JV starter last season, is the scheduled starter.
“He knows the system well,” coach Dobran said. “His job is to distribute the ball. We have three seniors who had playing time as sophomores and Dysin [a junior in his third year starting] played as a freshman. For a quarterback to have a center who can snap the ball well is huge.”
Freshman Blake French is scheduled to back up Wyant Dobran.
Coach Dobran said the Spartans will attempt to balance between passing and running.
“We’re always a little more run-heavy, but we’re trying to get a good mix,” he said.