The Akron-Westfield football team transitions to a new era for the 2023 football season. Akron-Westfield alum and all-state quarterback John Sievert takes over a Westerner football program that went 2-7 in 2022. With a new coach comes new schemes, and Coach Sievert says his team has learned the new offensive scheme very quickly.
Akron-Westfield football is hungry after the 2022 season did not go according to plan. Coach Sievert says his team is working hard and competing well in position battles to make sure a year like last year does not happen again.
The Westerners return running back Ian Blowe for his senior season. If there’s been one constant of the Westerner offense, it has been Blowe who has rushed for 1,423 yards and 12 touchdowns in two years in the backfield. That has come in an offense that has been primarily known for passing the ball. Coach Sievert says Blowe is going to be relied upon more this year, and he is ready for that challenge.
At the quarterback position, Laytin Koch and Conner Wendel split time for the Westerners last year with Wendel getting the majority of the reps. Being a quarterback in his day, Coach Sievert knows how tough a position battle can be. He says these two are making the coaching staff’s decision very tough.
Akron-Westfield’s defense kept them in many of their games last season, and they will be strong again this year. Nick Jacobs returns as defensive coordinator retaining some stability on the defensive side of the ball. Coach Sievert says that allows the guys to keep doing what has been working on that side of the ball.
The Westerners should also be pretty deep on the defensive side of the ball. Coach Sievert sees that with guys who are still competing for their spot in the lineup on Friday nights.
As the Westerners wind down their practices before their season opener, they are keeping things simple working on the fundamentals. Coach Sievert says that and hard work make really good football players.
Akron-Westfield starts the year off in Akron with a non-district matchup against Ridge View.
Click here to listen to our full interview with Akron-Westfield head football coach John Sievert:
2023 AKRON-WESTFIELD FOOTBALL SCHEDULE:
August 25 – RIDGE VIEW
September 1 – at Sibley-Ocheyedan *
September 8 – at Hinton
September 15 – HARTLEY-MELVIN-SANBORN *
September 22 – at Gehlen Catholic *
September 29 – MMCRU * (Homecoming)
October 6 – at Alta-Aurelia *
October 13 – SOUTH O’BRIEN *
* – denotes Class A District 1 game
