2024 Pigskin & Hoops Preview: Jefferson County North Chargers Football

TEAM: Jefferson County North Chargers

CLASSIFICATION: 1A

LEAGUE: Northeast Kansas League

COLORS: Green & White

SOCIAL MEDIA: @usd339jcn on Twitter

HEAD COACH: Jeff Schneider (10th season, 62-30)

2023 RECORD: 11-2 (1A Sub-state Champions, state runners-up)

2023 IN REVIEW

Last season was a historic one for one of the region’s proudest programs, as coach Jeff Schneider’s group reached its first 1A championship game in school history. That was the cherry on top of a season that also featured the program’s first sub-state win in team history and its fourth league title under Schneider. The Chargers were an offensive juggernaut a year ago, posting 51.3 points per game, the fifth-best mark in the state regardless of class. They weren’t slouches defensively, either, holding opponents to a measly 11.1 points per game. To truly hammer home the point about JCN’s dominance: It scored over 50 points six times and held opponents to single digits eight times, including five shutouts.

KEY DEPARTURES

Almost all of JCN’s production from last season graduated, including 11 seniors. Six graduating Chargers were first-team All-Northeast Kansas League selections last season on offense and another six, with some overlap, were first-team defensive players. A pair of seniors from last year’s roster are now playing collegiately at NAIA Dordt University, including long-term impact players R.B. Tweed and Grady Noll.

TOP RETURNERS

Three senior starters return for the Chargers, starting with a pair of three-year letterwinners in Abraham Noll and Andrew Baker. Noll has started along the offensive line since his sophomore campaign and will also man a linebacker spot defensively, while Baker has seen starting time at defensive end since he was a freshman and will be an impact player at tight end, too. Fellow senior Eli Weishaar is one of the most experienced offensive contributors on the JCN roster, having taken plenty of snaps at running back the last two seasons. Junior returning starters Will Elias and Cohen Navinsky, who started at cornerback and along the offensive line last year, respectively, will also play major roles both on and off the field for this young Chargers team.

2024 SCHEDULE

9/6 @ Maur Hill

9/13 vs Horton

9/20 vs Oskaloosa

9/27 @ Pleasant Ridge

10/4 vs Onaga

10/11 @ Valley Falls

10/18 @ McLouth

10/25 vs Jackson Heights

Northeast Kansas League, District game

2024 OUTLOOK

This Jefferson County North program will be far younger in 2024 than it was in 2023, but it is a program that always has lofty gridiron goals. And it should; it’s posted a winning record in eight of nine seasons under Schneider. The pros and cons that come with such a new-look roster are obvious, of course. It means there isn’t much game experience returning, but it leaves plenty of opportunity for new faces to make a name for themselves and to contribute early on. Plus, these types of situations often lead to increased competition and energy. Those will be vital elements for a developing team. It’s not often that a state runner-up can fly under the radar, but that’s where JCN finds itself this year. If the newcomers and young returners can hit the ground running, the Chargers can be dangerous week in and week out this season.

FROM THE COACH’S HEADSET

“We will be a much younger team than in 2023, so we’ve had some positions to sort out over the summer, but our returning players are eager for opportunities in 2024.” – Jeff Schneider

–Brendan Dzwierzynski

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