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There were times last season when Coach Jeff Grubich felt he had too much company with him on the Kenston football team’s sideline
“I dunno,” Grubich said, thinking back to that Oct. 24 night at Memorial Stadium. “I tried not to count.”
A year ago, injuries ripped through the Kenston roster like a tornado through a cornfield. Still, the Bombers finished 6-4 in the regular season and notched a Division III, Region 9 playoff win over Madison before sustaining a season-ending loss to Canfield in the quarterfinal round
As Grubich & Co. open camp for the 2026 season, a premium is being put on staying healthy because if they do — well — the Bombers can have a pretty special season as they head into their new home in the Suburban League
“I think our team can be really good this year if we stay healthy,” senior Will Hamm said
That’s a monumentally big “If.”
A year ago, the guys in street clothes on Friday nights were a rundown of most of Kenston’s best go-to players. Among them were quarterback Jack Bryner (concussion/hamstring), receiver Khalil Hinton (broken hand), running back Ethan Burge (broken tibia), linebacker Dominic Silla (broken leg), receiver Eric Lemons (knee) and Hamm (hip flexor). All sidelined for multiple weeks
The downside was Kenston probably never reached its optimum level of play in 2025
The good news? A lot of young guys got valuable experience, which should help the team this year as most of last year’s injured players return this fall
“That’s one positive thing,” Grubich said. “A lot of kids had to play that we were looking to develop a little more on the JV level last year. That should pay off this year.”
Hinton (6-foot-3, 180) is back as a field-stretching receiver, after camping at West Virginia, Ohio State, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati this summer. Backfield lightning bolt Burge is back for a third year at running back. Both are juniors
Lemons is healthy at receiver, and Hamm is back to play the jack-of-all-trades role he filled last year
Add in all the young guys who got baptism-by-fire experience last year, and Kenston is looking pretty good early on — IF the Bombers stay healthier than last year, which wouldn’t take much
“It was kind of an anomaly last year,” Grubich said. “To have that many kids out at one time is tough, but that’s part of football. The young guys thrust into the varsity spots, it’s a credit to them and the coaching staff as well. It was a total program buy-in.”
Burge and Hinton said measures were takens of staying healthy this year
“Coach (Pat) Conahan gave us workouts that will help us prevent injuries,” Burge said
“We’re working outside of that, too,” Hinton added. “Eating well, stretching every day.”
Both players said they felt they let the team down by missing so much time last year with injuries. But both also hold the bar of success high this year
“If we stay healthy, we could be something great,” Burge said
Another key for the Bombers will be the progression of sophomore quarterback Ethan Lawrence
“It’s a lot, but I’ve had lot of preparation this summer,” the young signal-caller said. “We’ve got a bunch of dudes. We’ve just got to get them the ball in space and let them work.”
Kenston opens play Aug. 21 at Solon before making its home debut Aug. 28 against Perry. Grubich said the Bombers will take the same mantra this year as last year’s injury-ravaged campaign
“Head down and charge the mountain,” Grubich said
With fewer injuries — knock on wood
“We start off camp every year telling the kids we’ve got 55-to-60 dudes,” Grubich said. “How we look starting Week 1 is going to be completely different than who’s playing in Week 10.”
