Expectations Higher At Tippecanoe Valley
August 16, 2016 at 4:35 p.m.
Expectations Higher At Tippecanoe Valley
By Dale [email protected]
After a 3-7 campaign in head coach Darrin Holsopple’s first season, the Vikings are eyeing improved results.
Valley opens the season Friday by hosting Culver Academy, and Holsopple’s ways of doing things are more understood than they were at this time last year.
“Expectations this year are much, much higher,” said Holsopple, who took the job at Valley in 2015 after a number of years as an assistant coach at Fairfield High School.
“I think that we did a good job in the offseason of making ourselves more athletic, making ourselves stronger and being in a better position to play.
“I think the coaches did a good job in the offseason of coming together as a staff, making the tweaks and the adjustments that we need to so our scheme fits our players better.
“It’s been a year of growth. I think that we’re improved athletically. I think we’re improved in strength. Our expectations are much higher than they were last year.”
Valley’s roster lists 52 players – 13 seniors, 9 juniors, 14 sophomores and 16 freshmen.
Highlighting the list of experienced players is senior Alec Craig, a multi-sport athlete who returns for his third season at quarterback.
Craig threw for more than 900 yards last season and rushed for nearly 450.
His productivity will be a big key for Valley.
“Being a two-year starter at quarterback already, I think he’s probably the most visible guy on the team, the guy on the team that most of the people in the community would be familiar with,” Holsopple said of Craig.
“Without a doubt, he’ll be one of our leaders, but there are some other guys that I think you’re gonna see shine this year.”
Holsopple listed senior slot backs DeSean Heckman and Shane Ellis as key contributors, and also said senior lineman Dalton Prater’s play is important on both sides of the ball.
Defensively, the Vikings have the tough task of replacing graduated inside linebackers Garrett Bell and Harrison Sponseller.
“Without a doubt, defensively, the big loss we are trying to fill is those two inside linebackers,” said Holsopple. “Between Garrett Bell and Harrison Sponseller, they made almost all of our tackles last year. Filling those spots is one of the biggest things that we need to do.
“I think that we’re finding some athletes and guys that have the ability to fill those spots. It’s just gonna be one of those things where the leadership is gonna have to come ... it’s gonna have to be something that develops. We’ll have to see who it’s gonna be that’s willing to step up and be that guy. I’ve got some ideas of who that’s gonna be, but we’ll just have to see when things actually get going.”
After Friday’s season opener, the Vikings will travel to Western on Aug. 26. Valley will then open Three Rivers Conference play in Week 3 by hosting North Miami.
Valley, among the five teams in the North Division of the TRC, was 2-2 in league play last year.
“With the conference, there’s a couple new coaches in our half of the conference, and that’s gonna make things pretty interesting,” said Holsopple. “I would guess that Whitko will be running the same type of schemes that they have in the past, and it’ll remain to be seen what Rochester is gonna do.
“I was very impressed with the competitiveness of the conference last year as we were making our run through it, my first time through it. I think Northfield would have to be the favorite ... they ran away with things until they hit the little speed bump there toward the end of the season, but I think that we will be able to play with them, I think we’ll be able to fight with them. It’ll be interesting to see how it comes out, but I think that as a team we can beat every team that’s in our half of the conference. But I also think it’s competitive enough that if we’re not sharp, every team out there is saying the same thing about us.
“I expect to have a lot more competitive games this year, and in crunch time who’s gonna make the plays, and who’s gonna do the things to get a win? I see most of the games coming down to the end, and whoever makes those plays is gonna come out on top.”
After a 3-7 campaign in head coach Darrin Holsopple’s first season, the Vikings are eyeing improved results.
Valley opens the season Friday by hosting Culver Academy, and Holsopple’s ways of doing things are more understood than they were at this time last year.
“Expectations this year are much, much higher,” said Holsopple, who took the job at Valley in 2015 after a number of years as an assistant coach at Fairfield High School.
“I think that we did a good job in the offseason of making ourselves more athletic, making ourselves stronger and being in a better position to play.
“I think the coaches did a good job in the offseason of coming together as a staff, making the tweaks and the adjustments that we need to so our scheme fits our players better.
“It’s been a year of growth. I think that we’re improved athletically. I think we’re improved in strength. Our expectations are much higher than they were last year.”
Valley’s roster lists 52 players – 13 seniors, 9 juniors, 14 sophomores and 16 freshmen.
Highlighting the list of experienced players is senior Alec Craig, a multi-sport athlete who returns for his third season at quarterback.
Craig threw for more than 900 yards last season and rushed for nearly 450.
His productivity will be a big key for Valley.
“Being a two-year starter at quarterback already, I think he’s probably the most visible guy on the team, the guy on the team that most of the people in the community would be familiar with,” Holsopple said of Craig.
“Without a doubt, he’ll be one of our leaders, but there are some other guys that I think you’re gonna see shine this year.”
Holsopple listed senior slot backs DeSean Heckman and Shane Ellis as key contributors, and also said senior lineman Dalton Prater’s play is important on both sides of the ball.
Defensively, the Vikings have the tough task of replacing graduated inside linebackers Garrett Bell and Harrison Sponseller.
“Without a doubt, defensively, the big loss we are trying to fill is those two inside linebackers,” said Holsopple. “Between Garrett Bell and Harrison Sponseller, they made almost all of our tackles last year. Filling those spots is one of the biggest things that we need to do.
“I think that we’re finding some athletes and guys that have the ability to fill those spots. It’s just gonna be one of those things where the leadership is gonna have to come ... it’s gonna have to be something that develops. We’ll have to see who it’s gonna be that’s willing to step up and be that guy. I’ve got some ideas of who that’s gonna be, but we’ll just have to see when things actually get going.”
After Friday’s season opener, the Vikings will travel to Western on Aug. 26. Valley will then open Three Rivers Conference play in Week 3 by hosting North Miami.
Valley, among the five teams in the North Division of the TRC, was 2-2 in league play last year.
“With the conference, there’s a couple new coaches in our half of the conference, and that’s gonna make things pretty interesting,” said Holsopple. “I would guess that Whitko will be running the same type of schemes that they have in the past, and it’ll remain to be seen what Rochester is gonna do.
“I was very impressed with the competitiveness of the conference last year as we were making our run through it, my first time through it. I think Northfield would have to be the favorite ... they ran away with things until they hit the little speed bump there toward the end of the season, but I think that we will be able to play with them, I think we’ll be able to fight with them. It’ll be interesting to see how it comes out, but I think that as a team we can beat every team that’s in our half of the conference. But I also think it’s competitive enough that if we’re not sharp, every team out there is saying the same thing about us.
“I expect to have a lot more competitive games this year, and in crunch time who’s gonna make the plays, and who’s gonna do the things to get a win? I see most of the games coming down to the end, and whoever makes those plays is gonna come out on top.”
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