Class A District 5
School Colors: Royal and White
Head Coach: Logan Cawyer (0-0, 1st season)
Assistant coaches: Chris Cawyer (DC), Matt Poteet (OL/DL), Hayden Moss (QB)
“I expect our team to compete for a district championship and continue to grow in that direction. We have several returning starters in key positions. Game experience and hard work in the summer will help get us back in the playoffs.”
The Commerce Tigers improved as the season went on last year. In their first four games, they went 1-3, but won four of their last six. “We played some tough games early, had a lot of uncertainty and a few games got cancelled due to Covid,” Cawyer says. “Our kids pushed through and started playing better towards the end of the season.” The Tigers saw some players sidelined for weeks at a time due to COVID-19, so they relied heavily on their depth and the development of underclassman in 2020.
RB/LB Eric Cunningham (Sr) 5’10”, 175 lb – 845 rush yards, 11 TD
TE/DE Aiddenn Vanatta (Sr) 6’3”, 200 lb – 70 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries
WR/OLB Levi Rhinehart (Sr) 6’2”, 190 lb – 61 tackles, 2 forced fumbles
TE/OLB Marcus Howard (Sr) 6’1”, 185 lb – 47 tackles
QB/FS Kyle Forbis (So) 5’9”, 160 lb – 41 tackles, 1 interception
FB/LB Seth Hailey (Sr) 5’10”, 215 lb – 18 tackles, 2 sacks, 5 tackles for loss
WR/DB Roger Hernandez (Sr) 5’9”, 165 lb – 16 tackles, 1 interception
OL/DL Daniel Nino (So) 5’10”, 205 lb – 15 tackles, 2 forced fumbles
OL/DL Brandon Cochran (Jr) 6’3”, 275 lb
WR/DB Julian Herrera (Sr) 5’9”, 165 lb
RB/OLB Conner Pace (So) 5’11”, 180 lb
RB/DB Corben Cunliffe (Jr) 5’11”, 175 lb
OL/DL Kevin Schulz (Jr) 6’0”, 225 lb
QB/LB Austin Lake (Fr) 5’10”, 165 lb
9/3 @ Galena
9/10 vs. Chelsea
9/17 vs. Keifer
9/24 @ Pawhuska
10/1 vs. Afton
10/8 @ Wyandotte
10/14 vs. Ketchum
10/22 @ Fairland
10/29 vs. Oklahoma Union
11/5 @ Quapaw
The Commerce Tigers are operating under a new head coach for the 2021 season. Logan Cawyer has been with the program for a handful of seasons, but this upcoming season will be his first in the lead role. He plans to implement a more balanced approach on offense. “Our goal going into the season will be to put the ball in the air more,” Cawyer says. “We want to be closer to 50/50 on run/pass then we have the past couple of years. We will still have fast, strong runners in the backfield and a good receiving corp.” Eric Cunningham was an important piece of the Tiger’s run game last year, rushing for 845 yards on 146 carries and scoring 11 touchdowns. He is returning in for his senior season. Not only is he a force on the field, but he is also the team’s leader. “Eric is one of our toughest kids,” Cawyer says. “He’s a leader in the weight room and on the field. Eric leads by example and is a “team first” guy.” In 2021, the Tigers will also be building a new offensive line. Many of the same players will remain, but some in different positions. On defense, Cawyer’s emphasis is on getting his team to rally to the ball.
