There’s a lot to like about 2025 Cathedral High School football. Head Coach Bill Peebles sees the ’25 Irish as potentially a very good team – a team with a lot of good players, and one that can accomplish many goals. That’s normal for Cathedral’s tradition-rich football program, and Peebles the ’25 Irish can fulfill their potential. “We have a chance to be a really good team this year,” he said. The Irish, who will compete in Class 5A after competing in Class 6A the past three seasons, not only return their starting quarterback from a team that finished 6-4 in 2024, they also return what Peebles said is a group of quality front-line starters. “The senior leadership in the offseason has been excellent,” Peebles said. “I feel really good about the group of seniors that we have. It's a big group. They have had success all three years. They have just got it. “Ultimately, it’s about the 11 guys who are on the field but if you just look at what we've done in the offseason from a leadership standpoint and from a work ethic standpoint, our guys have been excellent.” One key to the ’25 season is ensuring those starters remain healthy. “We have a great group of kids and a lot of really good high school football players on this team,” Peebles said. “I'm a little concerned that we're playing a lot of other really good football teams and I'm also little concerned that we're not real deep. “We're pretty top-heavy at all our positions where if we have some injuries we could get in some trouble.” The Irish, who lost in the Class 6A, Section 6 final in 2024, are expected to be a strong running team in 2025. Peebles said they also could be a team that depends on its defense to again be one of the state’s top programs and make a strong postseason push. “We've had some teams [in the past] where we’ve used the pass to set up the run,” Peebles said. “This is a year we have to use the run to set up our pass. We have an experienced offensive line coming back with four returning starters and two others that had significant playing time last year, so we have five guys that are going to be playing that have varsity experience on the offensive line. “We have a chance to be pretty good if we stay healthy and the defense plays like I think they can. If we can run, we have a chance on the offensive side.” Among the key players and leaders for the 2025 Irish: *Cameron Koers, senior quarterback (11 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 1,528 yards in 2024). *Xavier Dangerfield, junior running back (1,087 yards, 16 touchdowns in 2024). *Jimmy Pappas, senior running back (130 yards in 2024). *Jackson Harvey, senior wide receiver (29 receptions, 341 yards, two touchdowns in 2024). *Owen Peterson, junior tight end (13 receptions, 146 yards in 2024). “We have a good returning group,” Peebles said. “There are a couple of areas where we’re going to have to find some guys.” The strength of what Peebles said could be a strong defense is a strong interior, a group that includes: *Michael Pugh, senior edge/linebacker (6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks in 2024). *Aiden Flournoy, senior edge/linebacker (3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks in 2024). *Kyle Harden, senior and three-year starter at linebacker (65 tackles, 11.5 for loss, 4.5 sacks in 2024). *Gannon Knowles, senior and three-year starter at linebacker (57 tackles, 14.5 for loss, three sacks in 2024). *Zion Hill, Ball State signee and senior defensive back (four interception, five passes defensed in 2024). “We feel pretty good about our defense,” Peebles said. “Our defense has fared well all summer and I hope it continues that way when we face other teams.” Peebles, too, said the Irish kicking game should be strong with kicker Van Krisiloff having committed to Eastern Michigan and with senior punter Henry Lewis. “I think our kicking game’s going to be excelling,” Peebles said. And while Peebles said the Irish aren’t a team looking to the past, he said a major focus is to be a more physical team overall than was the case in 2024. “It has been a point of emphasis this summer,” Peebles said. “It's something we have spent more time on. For us, it’s about us getting right for the season and preparing for Game One.” Game One for the Irish: A home game against Ben Davis, the 2023 Class A state champions. That’s the first of a difficult four-game stretch to start the season, with the Irish visiting 2024 Class 6A state champion Brownsburg in Week 2, perennial power Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Xavier in Week 3 and 2023 Class 4A state champion Bishop Chatard in Week 4. “We could be a Top 10 team in the state and be 0-4 pretty easily,” Peebles said. “Our first goal, when it comes to in-season goals, is win Game One. We want to start off on a good foot. Our second goal is to beat all the Catholic School teams we play. Our third goal is to make a good run in the tournament and hopefully play on Thanksgiving Weekend (in the state-title game). Those are kind of our every-year goals. “It’s us focusing on what we need to do to make sure the Irish don’t beat the Irish and we’re as good as we can be in Week 1.”