Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Football season is right around the corner.

Opening night of the high school football season is just a little more than a week away with area teams kicking off the 2023 season on August 25.

As fall camps opened earlier this month Your Prep Sports offered a look at 40 of the top returning players in the area for this season with the eight-part YPS Top 40 series.

With season openers fast approaching Your Prep Sports takes a look at some of the area players ready to take a step forward into that group of standout players this fall.

Here are 11 players in the Your Prep Sports area ready for breakthrough seasons in 2022.

Jack Clark

Senior, Regina  

Clark was good last season as a junior.

Actually, Clark was better than good a year ago, ranking second on the team in tackles from his defensive end spot and leading the Regals in tackles for loss and sacks.

This season Clark should be even better.

The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Clark is bigger and stronger and has a pair of productive seasons of varsity football under his belt that have resulted in 10.5 career tackles for loss and five sacks.

Expect a big season from Clark who is one of several talented and experienced players up front for Regina.

Nash Kotar

Senior, Solon

The breakthrough was supposed to come last season for Kotar but a season-ending injury derailed a promising junior season.

Now healthy, the 6-foot, 185-pound Kotar figures to be an impact piece for Solon on both sides of the football this fall.

Kotar caught a team-high four passes for 26 yards in a season-opening win over West Liberty last season and finished the year with five receptions for 32 yards.

An excellent athlete, Kotar will be a key piece of the Spartan secondary this season and could be a major factor in the return game.

Last season Kotar averaged 22.8 yards on four punt returns including a 63-yarder for a touchdown in the opener and also averaged 23 yards on a pair of kick off returns.

Michael Montgomery

Sophomore, West Branch

West Branch has a long history of excellent line play and Montgomery looks like he could be the next standout for the Bears up front.

Montgomery got his feet wet at the varsity level last season as a freshman starting at left guard.

At 6-foot-4, 225-pounds Montgomery moves well and has improved his strength from last season.

A big season is coming for Montgomery who is just scratching the surface of his potential.

Connor Cross

Junior, City High

With four of its top five pass catchers from last season lost to graduation City High will be looking for playmakers at wide receiver.

It appears they have a good one in Cross.

The 6-foot-1, 155-pound Cross had eight receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown in a crowded receiver groupo last season.

With a year of varsity experience under his belt the sure-handed Cross will look to emerge as a leader in the new-look Little Hawk receiver room.

Cross has the speed and shiftiness to be effective in the open field and should see his numbers skyrocket this season in an explosive City High offense led by senior quarterback Drew Larson.

Cale Berry

Junior, Clear Creek Amana

Berry made his varsity debut last season at quarterback but with the addition of senior City High transfer Quinton Tran this fall will have a new position this fall.

Make no mistake, Berry will find his way onto the field and will likely find the ball often, the 6-foot-2, 160-pound junior is too good of an athlete to not be in the middle of the action.

Last season as a sophomore Berry completed 20-of-31 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown.

Berry could be a factor on both sides of the ball this season as a pass catcher and as a defensive back.

Todd Rent

Senior, West High

After starring on the West High sprint relays during track season last spring Rent will look to carry that success over to the football field this fall.

A home run threat any time he touches the ball, Rent is among the fastest players around.

The 5-foot-8, 160-pounder showed an impressive burst last season averaging 8 yards per carry while rushing for 169 yards and a touchdown and catching two passes for 85 yards.

Rent should be much more involved in the offense this season and has the ability to break a big play at any time on a run, reception or even in the return game.

Dallas Miller

Junior, Liberty High

Everything points towards a breakthrough for Miller in his second varsity season.

The 5-foot-8, 150-pounder showed potential a year ago, hauling in four passes for 82 yards as a varsity rookie.

With the top five pass catchers from last season that accounted for 89 percent of the receiving production all gone to graduation the opportunity is there for Miller to see plenty of volume.

Toss in the fact that Liberty High returns an elite quarterback in returning all-stater Graham Beckman and Miller is definitely one to watch this season.

Jesus Marungo-Murillo

Senior, West High

Marungo-Murillo flashed his potential as a two-way weapon for the Trojans last season making an impact on both sides of the ball.

After a solid junior season Marungo-Murillo will look to take a big step forward this fall as West High attempts to improve on its 4-5 mark from last season.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Marungo-Murillo caught nine passes for 90 yards last season as a tight end and was even more effective on defense.

Marungo-Murillo ranked fifth on the team with 31.5 tackles from his defensive end spot including 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack.

Look for Marungo-Murillo to be more involved on both sides of the ball this fall.

Cole Buffington

Senior, Solon

Solon graduated its top three pass catchers from a year ago, a trio that combined for 60 percent of the Spartans’ catches, 64 percent of the receiving yards and eight of nine touchdown grabs last season.

Buffington, along with the return of Kotar, should significantly soften the blow of that lost production.

The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Buffington is the top returning receiver for the Spartans after making 10 receptions for 170 yards last fall.

Buffington showed good hands and solid speed last season and will be a reliable option in the pass game for a first-year starter at quarterback for the Spartans.

Gavin Benton

Senior, Liberty High

In the short history of the Liberty High program the Lightning have already developed a tradition of strong linebacker play.

Benton looks like he could be another in a growing list of productive Lightning linebackers.

The 5-foot-11, 181-pound Benton showed a knack for getting to the football last season ranking seventh on the team in tackles and fifth in tackles for loss.

With four of the top six tacklers from last season gone, including linebacker and leading tackler Christian Barney, Benton will be expected to be even more of a playmaker this season.

Look for Benton to improve on the 29.5 tackles, six tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks from last season.

Dax Judge

Senior, City High

The statistics for Judge last season weren’t eye-popping.

Judge had 6.5 tackles with 4.5 for loss in his first varsity season at City High.

That production should climb rather quickly his fall.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Judge is bigger and stronger this fall and will look to be a key piece of an always-attacking Little Hawk front seven.

A Wayne State recruit, Judge is versatile and moves well and should have a major impact in his final prep season.

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