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Trey
Mong (above) and Travis Fietshans (pictured below) will be a huge
part of the Franklin
Monroe success in 2014. The Jets lost one player
to graduation from a season ago and
could be one of the best in the
Cross County Conference this season. CNO file photos
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Franklin Monroe
brings powerhouse team back
Jets could be the
team to beat in 2014
By George Starks
PITSBURG - Coming off a 15-10 season a year ago, the Franklin Monroe
Jets could very well be the team to beat in 2014.
Of those 10 losses, three were at the hands of Tri-Village, including a
loss in the sectional finals at Troy in March.
Six of those losses, including the three to the Patriots, were by six
points or less.
At the end of the sectionals, the Jets lost only one player (Grant
Skelton) to graduation.
Skelton saw limited playing time for Troy Myers and the Jets in 2013
which means only one thing.
Myers has his whole team back.
“We are returning that whole team minus Grant and I’m feeling pretty
good about our team,” said Myers. “I think what we return is a lot of
leadership and a lot of people would say that when you have five guys
coming back that started the majority of every game last year. I think
we return a different kind of leadership than we did last year and that
comes from the understanding of our program because of the system and
the culture that we’ve tried to develop here and everyone, not just the
seniors has taken it to another level because they understand our
culture and the way we work every day. We’ve got the whole team back
and we’re excited.”
With the core group returning from last year, the Jets are looking good
in the scheme of the Cross County Conference.
“We like our chances in the conference,” Myers stated. “There is a trap
that we can fall in to if we believe all the hype about us and that
starts with the media. That also includes the other coaches when they
talk about who’s going to win the conference. We can’t fall into that
trap. We know nothing’s given. We have a lot of guys coming back but
that doesn’t mean wins. We have a lot to do between now and March.”
The 2014 team has the horses and the talent and it starts with the two
big guys in seniors Trey Mong and Travis Fietshans.
“Trey controls the glass for us,” said Myers. “He pulled down nine
rebounds a game last year and he’s stepped his game up over the off
season. Rebounding is his job but it’s not his only job and with Travis
and Trey, we can stretch the floor and that makes us multi-dimensional.
Trey took it upon himself to beef up his game and improve on what makes
him the player that he is and he’s looking good right now.”
Fietshans, coupled with Mong, makes for a deadly combination for the
Jets.
Travis and Trey are working well together and Travis can hit from the
outside as well as help Trey out on the boards,” said Myers. “These two
played a lot of AAU ball this summer together and they know each other
on the floor. They are working well together. Both of them have
improved since last year. We can create trouble on the glass with both
of them. Trey can shoot the 15 footer now so that helps stretch the
floor even more.”
With two solid big men on the floor, Myers has two more that will
come off the bench and play the post for him.
If Mong and Fietshans were to get into foul trouble, bring on junior
Henry Bourne and sophomore Grant Brown.
“Either one of those two guys can play the post for me and they will
help out a lot,” Myers pointed out. “Henry has dropped about thirty
pounds from last year and is quicker up and down the floor. Henry wants
to be a bigger part of what we do. I never asked him to shed the
weight. He did it on his own. He’s the kind of kid that’s going to get
out and go to work. He doesn’t want the headlines. He takes pride in
the program and that’s a blessing.”
“Grant Brown played a lot of junior varsity minutes last year,”
continued Meyers. “He’s about 6-4 and is trying to figure out what
we’re doing and if he understands the concept as a sophomore, I’ll put
him out there and he will get the minutes.”
Along with four bigs, Myers will feature sophomore Zach Hyre.
“Zach was a big part of this team as a freshman and he’s grown a few
inches and had put on some weight,” Myers acknowledged. “He’s very
serious about his workout regiment in the off season. He will surprise
some people this year. He’s never satisfied and he’s ready to play. He
has a calm nature about how he goes about his work and I like that. In
the sectional final game, he went in and knocked down three treys in
the first half. He’s going to be force.”
With the season starting next Friday, Myers said he will run the point
with whoever is ready at that time as it will be a point guard by
committee.
The Jets will host Ansonia in the season opener at The Hangar.
The following Friday, the Jets will visit Tri-Village in a CCC marquee
match-up.
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