We tell you everything you need to know about the 2022 Benedictine football team in this preview. We take a look at roster changes and what fans can expect from the team this season.
2021 Stats
- Overall Record: 13-2
- Points Scored: 713
- Points Against: 311
Key Losses
The Cadets will lose some major talent from last season’s class 4A state championship team. Take your pick for who to start with. Gone is one of the most prolific passers in state history in Holden Geriner. The Auburn signee had 7,560 career passing yards and 75 TDs while completing 62 percent of his passes. He also ran for 293 yards and 16 TDs.
Justin Thomas, another extraordinary athlete on a team full of them, leaves behind a stellar football career that saw him put up perhaps the most incredible set of stats ever achieved on a high school football field: 2,627 yards rushing and 49 TDs on 358 carries, and 89 receptions for 1,730 yards and 20 TDs. Thomas also was a special teams ace with 1,001 kickoff return yards on 35 attempts. He returned four kickoffs for TDs. On defense, he had 14 interceptions, five of which of he returned for a touchdown, and he racked up 206 tackles, recovered five fumbles and forced another four fumbles.
Despite all that greatness, Thomas will not play college football. Instead, he has signed a scholarship to play baseball at Georgia, and hopes to play professionally someday. Other key members of the 2021 squad not returning include LB/FB Holden Sapp (Army), ATH Kam Edge (Army), OLB Mac Kromenhoek (Massachusetts Maritime Academy), CB Jakobe Gadsden (Citadel) and S Ben Hollerbach (Ga Tech).
Who’s Back
While the Cadets have a lot to replace, there’s some very good returning talent that will keep Benedictine in the hunt this season. The group of returners include heavily recruited senior DT Cole Semien, who has 99 tackles with six sacks over the last two years.
Also returning is CB/WR Zaquan Bryan, who has committed to play for the Golden Gophers of Minnesota. He has already pulled in 1,376 receiving yards with 15 TDs, while rushing for another 249 yards and two scores. Defensively, he has 51 tackles and an interception.
A returning junior who has enjoyed a standout career already, with still two more years remaining, is LB Bryce Baker. Playing in eight games as a freshman and then full-time in his sophomore season, the talented defender has recorded 174 tackles with 2.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and an interception.
Another junior returning in 2022 is ATH Luke Kromenhoek, who played some QB and LB for the Cadets last season. He ended his sophomore season with 9-of-14 for 123 yards passing, and ran 25 times for 187 yards with five TDs. He also lined up at receiver, catching 25 passes for 287 yards receiving and three TDs. On defense, he had 67 tackles including five TFL, and an INT. He also was credited with a blocked punt last season.
Senior Lamont Mitchell rushed for 381 yards on 68 carries last season, and had four TDs. He caught three passes for 23 yards. On defense, he had 15 tackles with a sack. Kicker Hudson Grove, who converted 3-4 FG attempts last season and was a perfect 4-4 on PATs, will be back for his senior season.
What To Expect
Benedictine suffered some heavy losses with its talented roster that carried the Cadets to a state championship last season. But that doesn’t necessarily mean Coach Danny Britt’s team won’t make another run at it in 2022. As noted above, they do have some talent returning. Of course, as is the case with any team with a special QB like Britt and the Cadets had with Holden Geriner, finding his replacement will be priority number 1.
Of the returning QBs, Luke Kromenhoek spent the most time under center last season for the Cadets, and is a talented signal caller in his own right. He has committed to FSU, so now is his time for him to shine and lead the Cadets’ offensive attack.
Britt told us that while spring practice went well, there is still work to be done. “Yes, spring went well, but we have to replace the entire offensive line from last year, so that is a major hurdle facing us,” he said. The head coach did add that the defense is looking good. “We left spring realizing that our defensive front is so much farther ahead of our offense,” he said.
Prediction
Britt has been here before, and the guys coming back are pretty good. I see another solid season and an 11-3 overall record for Benedictine.
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