Hillsboro second-year football coach Demetrius Cox knows a thing or two about adversity. 

It dealt Cox and the Trojans a devastating blow a year ago with the tragic loss of Cox’s son, Demarius, in June 2019. 

All the Trojans did was finish 6-4, falling in the second round of the state tournament to perennial powerhouse Pittsburg-Colgan, for the third year in a row. 

Adversity is facing everyone this year in the form COVID-19, putting a damper on the world and possibly impacting Kansas high school sports for 2020. 

No matter the outcome, the Trojans have enough returning this season to pick up where they left off and show that 6-4 was for real. 

The offense took a big hit with the graduation of two of the Trojans’ five players who gained all-state honors in Class 1A. 

Gone is first-team All-1A wideout Hunter Hein, and utility man Caleb Potucek, two-thirds of the Trojans traditional three-headed monster they have enjoyed the last two seasons. 

There’s still the third member who made it go, however, in junior quarterback Matt Potucek. 

Matt earned all-state honorable mention a year ago at quarterback and linebacker, punishing opponents with his arm as well as his legs. 

Applications for the other two of three playmakers still are being taken by Cox. 

Jamari Harris suffered through a subpar sophomore year after making great strides with a solid freshman year. He’s also back at linebacker on defense. 

Harris has the quickness and footwork that will allow him to continue into mature in the backfield and whether he can bounce back for his junior year will have an impact on the Trojans’ outcome. 

With Hein being Matt Potucek’s top choice at wideout, Dillon Boldt was a second option as a junior a year ago.

Boldt should be the Trojans’ big-play man at wideout in his final go-round and he provides the experience in the secondary on defense, earning all-state honorable mention. 

Cox had a balanced offense a year ago. With senior all-state honorable mention Austin Rempel back, along with Jared Janzen, Tristan Rathbone, and Cole Kaufman up front, the Trojans offense should again feature a potent and explosive attack.