Cardinals ready to defend district title in 2024

With the 2024 season starting at the end of this month the Columbus Cardinals will be starting their journey to defend their District Championship.

The Cardinals lost a lot of talent on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball but they did a great job in the offseason of filling those shoes in addition to several starters returning for their senior season.

Headlining the list of returning seniors is quarterback Adam Schobel. Schobel, who just committed to TCU is looking to put an exclamation point on his career as a Cardinal.

He is already off to a great start because he was named the Coverboy for Class 3A in Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine. He was also named the preseason Offensive MVP according to Dave Campbell.

There were a few questions about who Schobel would be throwing the football to in 2024 after losing his top target, Jackson Hancock, to graduation. Schobel will have his pick of the litter this season though as he has four viable targets to throw to.

Camdon Pitchford, Braylon Fisher, John Schobel and the latest addition Grayson Rigdon are all listed as pass catchers for the Cardinals. Like their quarterback Pitchford, Schobel and Rigdon are all entering their senior season and looking to make a big impact before moving on to college.

Pitchford and Rigdon are both extremely athletic and can create separation with little to no space as receivers on the outside. Pitchford had a great showing in his junior season and is looking to build and be even better as a senior while Rigdon is looking to make a splash in his first season of 11-man football.

Schobel plays from the tight end position and uses his big frame and strength to make him the perfect option over the middle for his cousin under center. Schobel also contributes on defense for the Cardinals on the defensive line, losing a solid interior lineman. Columbus lost Jayden Trapp who was a great defensive interior lineman but have plenty of guys ready to step up and take charge on the defensive line. Some of those names include Anthony Shorter, Orman Sanchez, Zachary Janik and Keyon Hemphill-Woods.

Shorter and Schobel will have the most eyes on them after they recorded 32 tackles for loss. Schobel racked up 135 tackles in his junior season making him great in coverage and rushing the passer while Shorter got after the quarterback in his junior season by getting 10 sacks.

The Cardinals have all the tools to make another deep run in 2024 and are set to defend their division crown.

With aspirations of a State Championship as their goal in 2024, the Cardinals start their journey on Friday, Aug. 30, when they travel to Cuero for their first game of the season.