EVANSVILLE — Last July, the inaugural Reitz Rumble was cut short due to weather interference. No pun intended.
Around an hour of 7-on-7 football was played before the fields at Goebel Soccer Complex had to be evacuated. The chance for high school athletes to get live reps was short lived.
But this year, the event was a success from start to finish for all parties involved.
The sun was beaming as 37 teams from Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky made their way to the complex on July 18 to put offseason preparations to the test. The opportunity to see your players compete against multiple opponents allows coaches to see where their group stands as the fall season nears.
For Reitz coach Cory Brunson, the day was meaningful to say the least.
“Definitely want to thank my three main sponsors (Tri-State Orthopedics, Liberty Credit Union and Explore Evansville),” Brunson said. “Last year, I think everybody saw how good it could be but the weather changed those plans. Mother Nature just kind of did a better job this year helping us out a little bit.”
Brunson, entering his seventh season leading the Panthers, said the variety of good competition the Reitz Rumble brings is a benefit. His group was among the better ones in terms of execution. The Panthers took on Mt. Vernon, Meade County, Washington, New Albany, Marion and Vincennes Lincoln throughout the morning and afternoon.
Brunson was satisfied with his team’s showing. The positive signs shown at Goebel Sports Complex give him even more confidence in Reitz’s trajectory.
“They’re competing,” Brunson said. “I got a young group but they’re working hard. They’re quiet and they do what we tell them to do. We got a ways to go but I like where we’re at currently in the offseason.”
Brunson said the goal is to keep getting better. The room for improvement remains continuous with the hope that it leads them to the Panthers looking like the best version of themselves come late October. In all three phases, with each passing week, the Panthers coach wants the levels to rise.
Reitz is coming off a 7-4 season in 2025 that culminated in a sectional semifinal appearance. It was the program’s fourth consecutive winning season under Brunson’ leadership.
While the goal remains trying to get the program back to its glory days of the late 2000s where it won two IHSAA state championships, the step that is most imminent is playoff success. The Panthers have won just one sectional in Brunson’s six seasons.
As is the case every year, replacing seniors is another challenge. Reitz lost three All-SIAC players to graduation: Azhari Jackson, Kaiden Thomas and Parker Baumeyer. Not to mention, the program lost its starting quarterback, three leading receivers and a two-way specialist in AJ Coates.
While Brunson’s roster is young, it is not lacking talent. Three of his returners earned all-conference honors last season: Xavier Vanover, E’Ani Clardy and Amry Wilford.
Among those younger names is Wilford who rushed for 1,474 yards and 13 touchdowns as a freshman. The future is bright for the Panthers’ lead back. He will surely be among the names the offense relies upon most this season.
“We have a handful of sophomores, a freshman or two in the mix,” Brunson said. “But I think they’re holding their own, they’ll be fine.”
Ultimately, the second annual Reitz Rumble looked to be a stepping stone for several programs in search of improvement. As August 21 nears, the event may prove to be the reality check several programs needed at this point in the offseason.
Markos Tsegaye is a sports reporter for the Courier & Press. He can be reached at mtsegaye@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @10_Markos_
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: A successful Reitz Rumble, how the Panthers look as fall nears
Reporting by Markos Tsegaye, Evansville Courier & Press / Evansville Courier & Press
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By Markos Tsegaye, Evansville Courier & Press | USA TODAY Network
