Spring sports like baseball and softball have been finishing tournament play and packing their bat bags for the offseason.
While they have been coming to an end, Warren County’s most popular sport is preparing for a new beginning. The WCHS football team has been quietly practicing for close to three weeks and preparing for its annual spring game at Nunley Stadium this Friday night against Giles County.
For a team that seems in a perpetual quest for fresh starts, optimism is soaring at 199 Pioneer Lane under second-year coach Tom Moore. There’s the firm belief it’s going to be a much better season for WCHS football and that change in attitude is the best place to start.
“Considering our schedule, it really does us no good to scrimmage teams that are not talented or well-coached,” said coach Moore. “I am excited to see how our boys stack up against Giles County.”
Last year wasn’t exactly a formula for success as Moore inherited a program that was abandoned after one season by previous coach Scott Smith. WCHS entered last year with a team filled with youth, including a QB who had never taken a varsity snap.
It was shaky at first, but the Pioneers showed remarkable improvement as the season progressed. In the playoff game in Maryville, Warren County was expected to get steamrolled, but the Pioneers put up a 10-round fight as RB Rickie King rushed for 194 yards.
When I talked to coach Moore for a season wrap-up story, he told me he thought the Pioneers played their best football the final six quarters of the season. Now they’re looking to continue that same effort from Game 1 this season.
One thing I think we’ll see is a change in offensive philosophy. Now that coach Moore has had a year to work with this group and asset talent, the offense is expected to include more misdirection instead of the straight ahead, power attack we saw last year.
Further reason for optimism: Among all the players the Pioneers return are four all-region performers in QB Isaiah Grayson, offensive tackle Ethan Stuart, defensive end Hunter Hawkins, and linebacker Brenden Breedlove.
The schedule, which is brutal down the stretch with teams like Blackman and Oakland, is favorable at the start with the Pioneers opening the year in Smithville and then facing Lebanon at Nunley Stadium. It’s never wise to count your football wins before they hatch, but it’s reasonable to suggest the Pioneers could jump out to a 2-0 start.
Come out and get an early glimpse of what WCHS football has in store for 2016. The spring game starts at 6 p.m. this Friday night.