Having missed the state playoffs the past two season, head coach Jason McEachin hopes to get the Portal Panthers back to the state this season.

McEachin returns some key players from last year’s group, including a few up front. One of those linemen he will be counting on is rising senior Devin Rhodes.

“Devin is about to be a three-year starter for us on the offensive line and is moving to center this year because we have so much trust in him,” McEachin said. “Devin has really stepped into a leadership role for our program and he does a good job pushing his teammates to get better. We are expecting a big senior season out of him.”

“I think I’m doing well this summer but I still have a lot of work to do,” Rhodes said. “There is still plenty of summer left, and I think there are several areas where I can continue to improve. I feel really good about the upcoming season. With our new schedule and region, I think our team has a great opportunity to make a deep playoff run.

I’m excited to see what we can accomplish together. I think the strength of our team is our option package. We have the ability to run, throw, or pitch the ball on any play, which makes our offense difficult to defend. It keeps opposing teams guessing and forces them to prepare for multiple possibilities every time we line up.”