The Crusaders were 2-9 in their inaugural varsity season, including something you don’t always expect from a fledgling program – a two-game winning streak with Class 2A, District 5 victories over Gallatin County and Owen County.
Special teams coordinator Terry Durstock says there’s a slightly amusing way to describe how young the team is.
“We’ve got … 52 on roster right now,” he said. “Twenty-plus of those kids are freshmen, so they’re probably still riding bikes around the neighborhoods.”
Here are five things to know about the Crusaders headed into the 2026 season:
28 operations
Head coach Tim Odom is not a doctor, but he knows about surgeries.
The latest – six outpatient procedures to correct nerve damage in his neck that has affected both arms and shoulders, probably reminders from high school at Moeller and college at Ohio State. He said he won’t miss practices or games because the surgeries are in the mornings.
Odom has coached while healing from operations before – he wore a boot on one foot for several weeks when he was Dixie Heights’ defensive coordinator form 1987-89.
The six surgeries Odom is having are just the beginning.
“I also have to have a hip and knee replaced before next spring,” Odom says. “When done, I will have had 28 football-related surgeries. December through March will be the big ones so that I am clear for spring ball in April.”
The Pate brothers
A friendly debate started between the Pate brothers, junior Lucas and sophomore Owen. The question: Who is the better pool player?
“I’m gonna say it’s me, but Lucas would say it’s him, so I guess that’s just another part of how competitive we are,” Owen said.
Lucas, well, disagreed.
“I’m undefeated against Owen, actually,” he says.
Beside the age difference, the discussion shows the brothers’ different personalities. Owen calls himself an introvert, while Lucas is the extrovert who peppers coaches with questions.
“Growing up, we were both pretty athletic kids,” Lucas said, “We were 13 months apart … We’re very,, very gifted athletically, and I think that kind of nurtures like a competitive mindset.”
Lucas Pate is a running back and edge rusher, while Owen is a fullback and nose guard. Lucas ran for 338 yards and four touchdowns last year, and Owen added another 115 and a score.
“It’s really nice having a brother on the team because I rotate in at his position as a backup,” Owen says. “Whenever I don’t know what I’m doing, he usually tells me what’s going on, and it makes it easier; it’s like having a second coach.
“I can just tap him on the shoulder, and he knows the guy to go get,” Lucas said. “Or if there’s a certain dude that keeps getting me, he knows to go get that guy, and it’s like I don’t even have to tip anything to him, and he knows what to do.”
‘More footing’
Owen Pate doesn’t think Year 2 will be any easier.
“I would just say we know what to do more,” he says. “It’s, like, the same level of competitiveness with the other teams, but we just have more footing now this year.”
St. Henry scored just 108 points last year and allowed 418 – understandable statistics for a fledgling program.
“We were still learning how to tackle, so our tackling probably wasn’t the best,” Durstock said. “Our blocking wasn’t the best; it was more fundamentals than anything, and that’s really what you need in football the most is fundamentals.
“… But as the season went on, it seemed like we got better every week last year.”
The Crusaders task will be finding some more offense – a seemingly tricky task because leading rusher Caden Kunstek (519 yards, five touchdowns) graduated and quarterback Ryne Ravenscraft is not returning.
New quarterback
Look for junior Imer Viveros, sophomore Cy Parento and sophomore Kamare McClendon, a transfer from Lloyd Memorial, to battle for the starting quarterback job. Viveros threw for 216 yards and a touchdown, and Parento added another 128 and a score.
Sophomore receiver David Penick caught 25 passes for 278 yards and a touchdown.
A lover of hitting
Senior Andrew Stewart’s 37 tackles is highest among this year’s returning starters – one of at least three jobs
“He’s a defensive safety and a wide receiver, and he’s also one of our kickers,” Durstock said.
Stewart said a lot of his tackles were the result of linemen and linebackers being a little slower to the ball
“We were a little bit newer, so our linemen and our linebackers weren’t as confident,” Stewart says. “And so a lot of times they would go into tackles a little bit slower, and that’s why sometimes (runners would) break free and I’d get to tackle.
Stewart believes the defense overflows with confidence.
“It’s like everyone knows what they’re doing,” he said. “When we have questions, it’s more complex questions. It’s not, ‘Coach, I don’t know what I’m doing’.”
Stewart is also a receiver, but defense is his favorite side of the ball.
“I love to hit somebody,” he says.
The team’s cumulative grade point average wasn’t known, but Stewart is near the top – he carries a 4.03 on a weighted scale and is on St. Henry’s summa cum laude honor roll.
What you likely don’t know: Stewart doesn’t do homework at home.
“When I do something, I do it 100%,” he says. “… I rarely, actually, ever have to do homework at my house. I’m very good about getting it done at school, and when I have spare time in class or when I have a free period, I knock it all out.”
Stewart wants to go to medical school – he’s planning on attending the University or Louisville next year – but biology is not on his mind in August.
“Sure, I get good grades,” he said.” I’d rather have 5 interceptions, one game, than getting A on a test.”
We’re previewing all 22 NKY football teams from July 27-August 17. Check out five things to know about each team below:
