Youngsters Aim to Keep Knights on Track
After losing 12 seniors to graduation, and with just two seniors on the current roster, Covenant could be excused for taking a step back in 2021.
However, head coach Jacob Zinn sees the momentum continuing for a program that made its third consecutive The Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) playoff appearance last season — despite moving up to the 3A classification.
“We had a lot of guys during the last four years who have served our program well and put us in a good place to be successful going forward,” Zinn said. “We’ve got a lot of talented young guys coming up. They can finally showcase their ability in the spotlight.”
The Knights will have a competition to fill the void at quarterback left by the graduation of four-year starter Ben Spangler. Among the candidates are Mark Spangler — the youngest of the three Spangler brothers — along with Andrew Pattison and Brad Shahan, although it’s possible Covenant could rotate signal-callers, Zinn said.
“It’s going to be a different kind of look for us. We don’t have that one guy that we’re going to lean on,” he said. “We’ve got some good athletes that can do different types of things.”
As usual, the Knights will feature several two-way players, although they have depth at the skill positions and a developing offensive line.
Among Covenant’s other top players, James Predtechenskis was a starting linebacker last year as a freshman, and Bennett Sands will move from safety to cornerback. Josh Barto and Dobson Beaird provide leadership up front.
