2024 Snapshot: Lakota East

Lakota East will look to rebound from a tough season in 2023. The Thunderhawks will look to make a splash in the Greater Miami Conference and surprise those around the area with a complete turnaround in 2024. With a nine-game conference slate and an opening game against a traditional Dayton power, the opportunity to do something special is right in front of them. With the sour taste of last season still on the minds of the players and coaches, Lakota East is looking forward to proving the naysayers wrong.

Lakota East is fortunate to have returning players who understand what second year coach John Kitna wants in his program. The Thunderhawks return twenty plus players with varsity experience and that should go a long way in helping them reach their goals. Among the experience is the talent that is definitely needed to compete in the rugged Greater Miami Conference. They’ll need that talent to have big seasons if they’ll want to open some eyes.

Division I, Region 4
2023 RECORD: 1-9, 1-8 GMC
COACH: Jon Kitna (1-9 at Lakota East, one year; 71-47 overall, 11 years)

HONOR ROLL
Jamison “J.T.” Kitna, Sr, QB – The unquestioned leader of the team, Kitna brings a versatility to the spread offense with his ability to make plays with his arm and his legs. He is a great scrambler while always keeping his eyes downfield to make a play. His ability to extend plays kept defenses on their toes all season long and he’ll need to be great for East to get where they want to go. In his first season in Ohio a year ago he passed for 1,489 yards and 9 TDs while adding another six scores on the ground. OPSWA Division I Honorable Mention All-Ohio as jr. He holds offers from UAB, Ball State, Baylor, BGSU, UConn, Duke, Houston, Indiana, James Madison, Kansas State, Liberty, UMass, North Texas, Ohio, Pitt, Syracuse, UTSA, Texas Tech, Toledo, West Virginia and Western Michigan.

J.T. Kitna (photo by Barry Burtenshaw)

Ryder Hooks , Jr, RB –Hooks opened eyes across the league with his strong play in his first season in the GMC. A shifty back who can hit the big play will be depended on to pace the run game and take pressure off of the passing attack. Hooks had several big games a season ago and will look to add onto that as the Thunderhawks push towards a playoff berth. Named 1st Team All-GMC, Hooks ran for 928 yards and four scores and hauled in 27 receptions for 228 yards and another touchdown as a sophomore in 2023. Offers from Bowling Green, Kent State and Toledo with surely more to come.

Cohen Reip, Sr, MLB – 2nd Team All-GMC as junior. Reip has 114 tackles in his career and will lead an East defense that needs to take strides in stopping their opponent in 2024. Manning the middle, Reip has shown he can get guys down and the Thunderhawks hope that he can wreck some offensive gameplans as a senior. He is the leader of the defense and Kitna hopes he will have a big season defensively.

Zion Neal, Jr, WR – 2nd Team All-GMC as sophomore, Neal will be the go to playmaker through the air for Kitna. Neal has great big play ability and showed his skillset as a youngster in the tough Greater Miami Conference. 621 yards on 57 receptions in 2023 and should be a gamechanger this season for Lakota East.

Lakota East WR Zion Neal/photo by Barry Burtenshaw)

OTHER RETURNEES
Parker Elam, Sr, DE – Elam paced the defensive line with 40 tackles with 8.5 being for loss. He’ll look to wreak havoc to offensive backfields.

D.J. Stanley, Sr, DL – 29 tackles with 5 for loss in 2023. Will help make up a great defensive line in the GMC.

Marcus Osner, Sr, DL – 22 tackles as a junior. Osner along with Stanley and Elam have the ability to put maximum pressure on opposing offenses.

Cole Miranda, Jr, DB – 22 tackles in six games as a sophomore. Miranda is one of the GMC’s hidden gems.

Zy’ion Jones-Anderson, Sr, DB – 28 tackles and 148 kickoff return yards. Part of a deep secondary that should be one of the teams strengths in 2024.

Nick Miller, Sr, DB – 12 tackles in six games as a junior. A healthy Miller is primed for a breakout sennior season.

Connor Kruse, Sr, DB – 46 tackles as a junior. Will be depended on to cover the opposing team’s WR1 and be able to come down into the run game and make tackles.

P.J. McFarlane, Jr, TE – 12 receptions for 126 yards as a sophomore. A returning starter and big target for Kitna to throw to at 6-foot-4.

Lakota East TE P.J. McFarlane (photo by Greg Shoemaker/TriStateFootball.com)

The Thunderhawks have beef up front with four senior returnees on the offensive line Caleb Mourer (6-3/285),  Sam Williams (6-2/280), Jackson Billingsley (6-3/315) and Tyler Meadows (6-8/325).

NEWCOMERS
Senior DB Alex Smith, juniors WR Chris Bouyer, WR Jayden Seay, DL Carter
Fausnaugh, along with sophomores ATH Braxton Thurman and ATH Carter Jones
are all going to push the starters for playing time. Smith is a transfer from
Fairfield. Thurman, also a transfer had 38 total tackles, four pass breakups and
218 yards on kickoff and punt returns as a freshman at Monroe. Jones lettered as
a freshman playing in eight games for the Thunderhawks. Bouyer is just beginning
to pick up steam on the recruiting trail with offers from Kent State and Toledo.
The 6-foot-4, 180-pound receiver will become a hot commodity after a full season
of Kitna throwing to him.

Lakota East ATH Carter Jones (photo by Barry Burtenshaw)

PLAYOFF HISTORY
(five appearances, 4-5) – 2021, 2020, 2018, 2014, 2012

2024 SCHEDULE
Fri – 08/23/24 – CENTERVILLE (9-3 in 2023) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 08/30/24 – MASON (7-6) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/06/24 – at Hamilton (8-4) LAKOTA EAST (1-9) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/13/24 – PRINCETON (12-1) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/20/24 – at Fairfield (3-8) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/27/24 – MIDDLETOWN (3-8) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/04/24 – at Colerain (0-10) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/11/24 – SYCAMORE (5-6)– 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/18/24 – at Lakota West (11-3) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/25/24 – at Oak Hills (5-6) – 7:00 PM

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