High School Varsity Football Touchdown Preview: Newsome High School, 2024

New head coach Jeff Turner is no stranger to Newsome High School football. He was an assistant under longtime head coach Ken Hiscock for 11 years. He was the offensive coordinator for East Bay High School for the previous five years and was the boys’ basketball coach for East Bay last season as well. 

Turner was comfortable coaching in a community he lived in before he moved, officially starting the job on February 1. His kids graduated from Newsome High School. He inherited a good program from former head coach C.J. Yockey, who moved on after last season after six years at the helm. The Wolves uncharacteristically struggled the last two seasons, not making the postseason after three straight playoff runs, including a birth in the regional final in 2021.

The Wolves will be led by strong quarterback play. Senior Noah Guenther brings stability in his second season as signal caller, as he has been in the same system for his entire high school career. Turner said that Guenther does everything well. He’s got a strong arm, he’s deadly accurate and he’s very intelligent. Guenther is more of a prototypical drop-back and pass quarterback but will be asked to run the ball a little more this year. He will have a chance to play at the next level, with three current offers. 

Turner is impressed with the depth of his skill position players on both sides of the ball at receiver and defensive back. He thinks that his defense will need to improve the most, giving up 31 points per game the last two seasons.

Senior tight end and Davidson College commit Nate Hohlfeld will be a big target for Guenther in the passing game and senior Air Force commit Clayton Brown is another offensive weapon. Seniors Tariq Sapp and Malik Hassoun will be big factors in the special teams return game. Senior linebacker Jett Buzbee has an offer from Webber International University and will be a key player on defense. Newsome will start over on the offensive line, but Turner feels that they have some great prospects at those positions. The Wolves will return seven starters on defense and five on offense. They have an experienced roster with approximately 30 seniors, 26 juniors and eight sophomores.

Turner said that his team had a great offseason and worked hard in the weight room. The team’s motto is TPW, “tough people win.” He and his players hope to end the playoff drought this season.

“Let’s compete for a district title, get into the playoffs and get this ship righted and get back at it,” said Turner. “I think we have the group to do it. When you’re senior-loaded, that’s a good thing. It’s from player leadership, not coach leadership, so in my eyes when the players are leading, we are going to be all right.”

Schedule:

8/16 vs. Southeast

10/25 vs. Plant City