North Callaway won eight football games a year ago, and the team thinks at least that can be accomplished this year.

The Thunderbirds head into the season with most of its starters back and loads of experience on the roster of about 40 boys. 

Head coach Kevin O’Neal said there is plenty of talent returning since North Callaway has five of its seven all-conference players from a year ago back this year. However, O’Neal said he is impressed how the Thunderbirds genuinely want to improve, pointing to how they decide to stay after practice for additional work.

“You see them doing extra work right now, and that’s all player-led,” O’Neal said. “We’ve got to be in good shape because we have guys that play both ways. The mentality has been great. I’m excited for this season.”

O’Neal said nine players return to the offense and eight return to the defense. Ben Haubner was an all-conference offensive lineman who fills an experienced line with Zac Craghead, Gunnar Wenneker and Donovan Seiling. Jaiden Galbreath, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards, made the all-conference team as a defensive end, and Collin Moore was an all-conference strong safety/outside linebacker and was another key weapon in the backfield and the primary receiver. Wyatt Haden and Tristan Petty were all-conference at linebacker and defensive back, respectively, along with being targets for returning quarterback Coltyn O’Neal.  

Nick Threlkeld is a junior who is also a key returner on offense and defense. The new activities director Dale Long has a couple of his sons joining the team, including Kellen Long as a running back and Hunter Long as an offensive lineman.

“We’re going to be more experienced this year than we have been in a long time,” O’Neal said. “We got a big group of juniors this year. Our biggest class is our junior class, and they’ve been playing since they were freshmen.”

O’Neal said Jamarion Glover and Liam Peck will be new additions as the basketball players add football to their careers. He said they will play tight end and defensive end, showcasing big size and good hands that translate well between the two sports. 

Moore, Wenneker, Haubner and Kellen Long are also multiple-sport athletes as they wrestle in the winter. O’Neal said they, along with many other guys, bring a physicality he expects to see from the team this year. That’s what helped the offense and defense post better point averages.

The offense, in particular, averaged 27.8 points per game following a season it finished with 14.6 points per game. After initial adjustments, O’Neal said the unit has a lot of chemistry.

“They understand the plays, the blocking schemes and all of those things,” O’Neal said. “We can expand our offense, do different things like throw the ball a little bit more and a lot of different guys are going to get touches so Jaiden Galbreath isn’t going to have to touch the ball 30 times a game.”

O’Neal said there should be tough challenges in the Eastern Missouri Conference again this year from teams like Van-Far, Wright City, Montgomery County and conference champion Bowling Green as well as Clarence Cannon Conference schools Palmyra and Macon. 

“We can't be satisfied,” O’Neal said. “We have to get better. We’ve got a schedule that is not easy. The expectation is we come out and play on Friday night, compete and we’re physical.”