Grain Valley News
  • Home
  • About
    • Submit Your News
    • Contact
  • News
    • Voter Resources
    • Online Puzzles
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • Kindness Awards
    • 2023 Garage Sale Directory
    • Parade
  • Job Board
  • Best of Grain Valley
  • Support
    • Advertise
    • Become A Sustaining Member
  • Business Directory Submission Form
  • Home
  • About
    • Submit Your News
    • Contact
  • News
    • Voter Resources
    • Online Puzzles
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • Kindness Awards
    • 2023 Garage Sale Directory
    • Parade
  • Job Board
  • Best of Grain Valley
  • Support
    • Advertise
    • Become A Sustaining Member
  • Business Directory Submission Form








​news

Baker leads solid Eagles linebacker group into 2022

8/4/2022

 
​by Michael Smith
     In recent years, head coach David Allie said his Grain Valley football team has been blessed with talented middle linebackers.
     Names like Tristan Pfieffer, Hunter Newsom and most recently, Gage Forkner captained the defense from the middle linebacker position.
     Now that Forkner has graduated, senior Brody Baker will shift from the outside linebacker position to middle linebacker and will lead a solid linebacking corps that will be a part of a defense that returns seven starters.
     Joining Baker on that unit will be two other players that got playing time last year are seniors Cole Elliott and Nathan Testa.
     “We are really only losing one spot that doesn’t have experience,” Testa said.
     Baker was second on the team in tackles last season with 68. He also had 1 ½ sacks, 5 ½ tackles for loss and one interception. In Grain Valley’s Class 5 state quarterfinal game against Fort Osage, he had 13 tackles.
     Allie and his teammates are confident in the senior taking on the new role and leading the defense.
     “We had Hunter Newsom and Gage Forkner at middle linebacker before and both were named KMZU Defensive Player of the Year during their senior season,” Allie said. “They were a big part of our team. We are confident Brody can take over that role.
     “He will run the show for us. He’s a physical kid and he’s actually gotten a little taller over the summer, which is good. He’s a very vocal kid and a very good leader for us.”
     Elliott agreed.
     “Brody is our guy,” Elliott said. “He lets us know where we need to be. He does it all. He’s going to be great. He will also lay the hit, too.”
     Baker is also someone who can keep the mood light.
     “He’s a funny kid and he’s always cracking jokes,” Allie said. “That doesn’t keep him from being serious and doing his job. He loves the camaraderie and you can see it in his play. His vocal ability is really going to help his teammates.
     Elliott and Testa will line up at the outside linebacker positions for Grain Valley. Last season, Elliott had a breakout season with 40 ½ tackles, 4 ½ tackles for loss and four interceptions.   Testa also got some playing time and had 4 ½ tackles in 2021.
     “Cole brings back some starting experience and has a year under his belt,” Allie said. “He’s a little stronger and a little more physical. Last year, at times, that was a detriment for him. HE wasn’t as big, fast and strong as he is now. We feel like that’s going to happen.
     “Nathan Testa has height and length and you can’t coach those things. He will be able to cover the flats and get into those passing lanes. He can come off the edge on the blitz, too.”
     Added senior defensive end Rhylan Alcanter: “Cole had an outstanding season last year and I bet he does even better this year.”
     Allie noted there will be a couple of sophomores that should contribute at the position, as well. Senior Michael Gassen could also be in the mix.
     “Michael is really knowledgeable,” Testa said. “He knows where he needs to be. Once he gets past the studying, he will be good.”
     With a mix of linebackers that have youth and experience, the linebacker corps could help Grain Valley repeat the success it had in 2022 where it held opponents to just 20.4 points per game.
      “We may not be the biggest guys but we are going to go out there and give it 100 percent,” Elliott said. “We are going to be aggressive.”

Picture
Seniors Cole Elliott, left, and Nathan Testa are two of three linebackers returning to Grain Valley with varsity football experience. Photo credit: Michael Smith
Picture

Comments are closed.

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Burton Kelso
    Business
    Cathy Allie
    Celebrations & Transitions
    Census
    City Of Grain Valley
    Columnists
    Community Profile
    Covid19
    Covid-19
    Economic-development
    Education
    Elections
    Financial-health
    Fitness
    Food Inspections
    Good News
    Good-news
    Grain-valley-assistance-council
    Grain Valley Fair
    Grain Valley Historical Society
    Grain-valley-partnership
    Grain Valley Schools
    Health And Fitness
    Health-and-fitness
    Home And Garden
    Jackson County
    Kindness Awards
    Ld
    Letters
    Local News
    Looking Back
    Lorne-meinershagen
    Missouri House Of Representatives
    Missouri Senate
    Musings From The Middle
    Neighborhood View
    On-the-job
    Pets
    Police Blotter
    Quick-news
    Rdn
    Recreation
    Sally-whitaker
    Seniors
    Senior-send-off
    Sports
    State Of Missouri
    Technology
    Tracey-shaffer
    Transportation
    University Of Missouri Extension
    Waynes-world

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018

Grain Valley News

Grain Valley News is a free community news source published weekly online. 
(c) 2023 Grain Valley News

Contact Us

PO Box 2972
​Grain Valley MO 64029

Privacy Policy
Picture