YOUNGSTOWN — Wins have been few and far between for the Lewiston-Porter. But you wouldn’t sense any pessimism among the players working out Tuesday on the school grounds.
“Never give up,” said Cole Walton, one of the seniors leading this year’s edition of the Lancers. “I strive to try my hardest, and we try to get all the guys in the offseason to really take in that mindset.”
Lew-Port has not had a season with at least two victories since 2019. Last year, they finished 1-7 overall and 1-6 in Section VI Class B3. This year, following a shuffling of schools among Section VI divisions, the Lancers will compete in Class B1.
“It’s a tough division this year, but it was a tough division last year,” said head coach Derek Tracy, entering his fourth season as head coach and his sixth overall with the program. “It’s gonna be chaotic. It’ll be hectic, because now we’re going against schools like South Park, Pioneer and, traditionally, those are good schools.”
Tracy says the turnout was good this summer, and the seniors have taken a leadership role hosting captain’s practices.
“Tons of them,” said Walton. “And we’re in the gym every Sunday, on the field every Sunday, captains practices almost every week, too.”
Walton, as a junior last year, led the Lancers in receiving yards, netting 138 of them on 13 receptions. Jackson Courts was the team’s leading rusher, gaining 359 yards on 79 carries, averaging 4.5 yards per run, and scoring three touchdowns. Like Walton, he has high expectations as one of the seniors.
“Most of our main guys last year were juniors,” Courts said. “I mean, we lost a few key pieces of seniors, but a majority of our guys this year are (now) seniors. A lot of these guys, we’ve all been playing since youth together. So it’s really an important year, we’re ready to go.”
Tracy has been pleased with his seniors’ leadership.
“As much as I expected out of them in July, and as chaotic as July was for us, they took it a step further, and when I wasn’t around, they were holding their own practices,” he said. “That shows the leadership that we had this year that maybe we haven’t had in the past.”
As a junior, Ryan Parker was the Lancers’ starting quarterback, completing 31 of 84 pass attempts for 360 yards, tossing three touchdowns. He also carried the ball for 190 yards and one touchdown last season.
Corey Timkey is another returning senior the team will lean on, as a rusher and receiver, and Hunter Harden enters his junior year with a season of varsity experience under his belt.
The Lancers open their 2025 season with consecutive games under the Friday Night Lights at home, September 5 against Albion, and September 12 against Starpoint.
Road games this year include trips to West Seneca East, Williamsville South, and Pioneer. Tracy notes that last season, the road schedule included long bus rides to Dunkirk and Olean.
“Really, the biggest thing was getting off the bus, 30 to 45 minutes before game time and being ready,” Tracy said. “The opponents this year might be a little bit tougher, but at least they’re closer, so we don’t have that really extended bus drive. I think that’s really going to go a long way. The camaraderie on a bus is good, but really we’ve got to be up moving around. We can’t be sitting around two hours before a game.”
The seniors say they’ll be ready.
“I’ve done a lot of work in the offseason the past two years,” Walton said. “I think I got a lot better over the offseason, expecting a lot more this year than last year.”