Clarence builds Class A1 push around skill talent, detail-focused standard

Overview

• Chris Dickson enters his second season as Clarence head coach, and he said Class A1 will challenge the Red Devils every week.
• Dickson pointed to Harper McKenzie, Trevor Mueller, Nick Kensy and Patrick Mohr as returning pieces, calling the team's skill players the foundation.
• Jackson Turski is set to start at quarterback, with Dickson looking for him to manage the game and make smart decisions with the football.
• Clarence plans to play from a spread offense and a 3-4 defense with an aggressive style.
• The Red Devils are scheduled for home games against Frontier on Sept. 11, Williamsville North on Sept. 25, Sweet Home on Oct. 9 and Niagara Wheatfield on Oct. 16.

Clarence Red Devils 2026 Football Preview

Chris Dickson's second season as Clarence head coach begins with a clear standard for the Red Devils in Class A1.

"To compete in Class A for a division title and a place in the sectional playoffs, we must be unselfish, focused, disciplined, and committed to the details," Dickson said. "Class A1 will challenge us every week, and there will be no easy games."

Dickson said the Red Devils' goals are to win the division and play for a sectional championship. The path, in his view, starts with getting the ball to the team's skill players and continuing to develop up front.

Skill Group Leads The Foundation

Dickson named Harper McKenzie, Trevor Mueller, Nick Kensy and Patrick Mohr when asked about returning production and the team's strongest foundation. He also identified McKenzie as a potential breakout player and listed McKenzie and Jake Overholt as primary team leaders.

McKenzie, a senior WR/DB, gives Clarence a proven receiving option. In 2025, he caught 19 passes for 318 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing five times for 66 yards.

Mueller, a junior RB/LB, added two-way production as a sophomore. In 2025, he rushed for 312 yards and two touchdowns, caught one pass for 22 yards, and finished with 51 tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception, one fumble recovery and two passes defended.

Kensy, a junior WR/DB, also returns after a productive defensive season. In 2025, he had 42 tackles, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble and four passes defended, and he added four catches for 160 yards. Mohr, a senior RB/DB, recorded 23 tackles, one forced fumble and eight passes defended in 2025.

Overholt is listed as a senior RB/LB. He rushed for 174 yards in 2025 and is one of the leaders Dickson named for this group.

Quarterback, Line And Identity

Jackson Turski is listed as a junior QB/WR, and Dickson said Turski is the starting quarterback. The assignment is straightforward: "Manage the game and make smart decision with the football," Dickson said.

Clarence's offensive identity will be built from the spread. Dickson said the team's biggest strength should be its ability to get the ball to its skill players.

The line remains central to that plan. Dickson named Donald Carrato, Austin DeGeorge and Antonio Destefano as players expected to anchor the offensive and defensive fronts, adding that Clarence needs to control the line of scrimmage to be successful. DeGeorge is also the new contributor Dickson wants readers to know.

On defense, Clarence will work from a 3-4 structure. Dickson described the intended identity as an aggressive style of defense.

Jack Jefferson, a junior WR/DB, is the special-teams player Dickson said could make a difference.

Schedule Landmarks

Clarence is scheduled to open Sept. 5 at Maritime - Tapestry at Tapestry Athletic Complex, then host Frontier on Sept. 11 at Clarence High School's Stadium Turf.

The Red Devils visit West Seneca West on Sept. 19 before returning home Sept. 25 against Williamsville North. October begins with a trip to Kenmore West on Oct. 3, followed by home dates against Sweet Home on Oct. 9 and Niagara Wheatfield on Oct. 16.

The regular-season schedule closes Oct. 22 at Orchard Park.

For Clarence, the season's theme is detail work in a demanding division. If the Red Devils can pair their spread skill talent with steady line growth and an aggressive 3-4 defense, they will have the pieces Dickson wants for a Class A1 push.