Football team fights through 2018 season

Senior Kieon Davis runs the ball toward the in-zone after an unsuccessful tackle by Sherwood’s defense. The game was held on Sept. 14

This season has been a tough one, but The Wildcats pulled through on Sept 14 with a 48-6 victory against Sherwood.

 “Junior Varsity came in at the second half, and they were doing good. They didn’t give up a point,” senior tight end Eli Hawkins said.

 The performance on the 14th was a stellar juxtaposition to the game on the 9th against Cole Camp, in which the Wildcats lost 0-21.

Junior Chase Steiner injured his knee at the Cole Camp game, just one in a handful of injuries that the football team sustained during the 2018 season.

  Most of these injuries were small, and healed fast. There were one or two concussions and some muscle injuries. All injured players were back in the game in no time.

 Senior quarterback Matthew Luebbert had experienced an elbow injury that prevented him from playing this season.

 “[Other player’s injuries] put us all in a bad mood, since they’re out we’re not going to be able to do as much,” senior Dalton Nickels said.

  Senior wide receiver/free safety Colby Schwartz experienced a shoulder injury that slowed things down and switched up playing style for him.   

 Whenever a player is injured, often a younger player will step in.

  “It takes them a while to get the hang of it but they do. They’ve been stepping up.” Schwartz said.

  Whenever it comes to the outlook for the football season, head coach Ryan Boyer divides the season of nine games up into thirds, and they move through it a week at a time, adjusting players positions as necessary.

  The adjustment is part of relative improvements made to the spirit of the team. Boyer also says that ‘effective communication’ has developed.

  “Communication is always key. You’re gonna have adversity, you’re gonna have tough situations. Working it through personally, or with another person is what you always hope to see in the team,” Boyer said.