Wawasee Hopes To Build On Gridiron Success
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
After going 5-25 between 2007 and 2009, posting a 2-19 mark in the Northern Lakes Conference, the Wawasee Warriors bounced back to go 6-4 overall and 5-2 in the NLC last year.
"Last year was nice, but the bigger thing was the confidence we built off that success," Wawasee's fifth-year coach said. "Now, it's up to this year's group of seniors to build on that."
Among those seniors is quarterback Bauer Schmeltz, who saw time on the field as a freshman before giving way to upperclassmen.
"Bauer's ready," Wogomon said. "He understands the offense and where his reads are. He commands the huddle and does things right. He's ready to be the quarterback this year."
Like many other area schools, the Warriors predicate much of their offense on the running game, and that game is without last year's leading rusher Trevor McKibben.
With McKibben gone, the ground attack will focus on junior D.J. Semon and junior Derrick Sorenson, two guys that saw action last season in the backfield, but not as a featured tailback.
In front of the running backs will be an offensive line, featuring junior Chad Eppley and junior Chris Pezan at guards, junior Brian Clark at center and senior Dimitri Kaplanis manning one of the tackle positions, while junior Jon Ruiz, sophomore Austin DeValk and junior Jake Schwartz decide who plays the other tackle.
"I feel good with our running game," Wogomon said. "However, it does take time for any group to play as one. The line isn't very big, but they are athletic. It's just going to take a little time for them to play as a unit."
At wide receiver, the Warriors will lean on senior Andrew Hepler, as well as senior Zac Patrick who saw time on the defensive side of the ball last year.
"Our receivers are new with the exception of Andrew Hepler," Wogomon said. "He put in a good football camp with us. Zac Patrick also started at free safety for us at the end of last season, and now, he's in an offensive role too. But he's ready."
On the defensive side of the ball, the Warriors' defensive line will feature reigning Times-Union Defensive Player of the Year John Essex at defensive end.
"John has really come into his own," Wogomon said about the senior. "He's put some more weight on and he knows what to expect this year."
Senior Justin Fick will handle the other defensive end position for Wawasee, while Kaplanis, Schwartz and Eppley will rotate on the interior line.
At linebacker, senior Jake Clark will start his third-straight season at linebacker, joining senior John Zarse and Brian Clark at the position, as well as senior Jordan Schmitt.
In the secondary, Wogomon plans to use Patrick and Semon at the two safety spots, but plans to use a few guys at cornerback until junior Josh Sumpter returns from a broken collarbone to join Hepler.
"He broke his collarbone during our camp July," Wogomon said about Sumpter. "We're hoping we can get him back by Northridge (on Sept. 2). So, hopefully, we can have him back for the NLC."
With Sumpter out, the cornerback duties will be shared by senior Jake Rhodes, sophomore Brandin McCullouch and Sorenson.
"Cornerback is where we have the biggest lack of experience," Wogomon said.
Opening the season against the Associated Press' 10th-ranked Whitko Wildcats at home Friday, the inexperienced cornerbacks are getting thrown in to the fire early.
"They're a team that can strike quickly with (quarterback Alex) Stoddard and (wide receiver Derek) Snep," Wogomon said. "They're going to run the ball right up the middle and use misdirection with the wing-T."
Following the Whitko game, Wawasee travels to South Bend to take on the Indiana Football Coaches Association's third-ranked South Bend St. Joseph's Indians.
After those two tough out-of-conference games, the Warriors get started with NLC play, beginning with a road trip to Middlebury to face Northridge.
Following the Northridge game, Wawasee takes on AP's No. 4 Concord Minutemen, a team Wogomon views as the best in the conference.
"I'd say Concord is the odds-on favorite," he said. "They have some big linemen up front and a 220-pound tailback (junior DuWhan Alford) to pound you with. They also have speed and athleticism on the outside."
If his team is going to have the same kind of success it had last season, Wogomon sees ball control as a key component.
"We have to do a better job of controlling the ball and moving the chains," he said.[[In-content Ad]]
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After going 5-25 between 2007 and 2009, posting a 2-19 mark in the Northern Lakes Conference, the Wawasee Warriors bounced back to go 6-4 overall and 5-2 in the NLC last year.
"Last year was nice, but the bigger thing was the confidence we built off that success," Wawasee's fifth-year coach said. "Now, it's up to this year's group of seniors to build on that."
Among those seniors is quarterback Bauer Schmeltz, who saw time on the field as a freshman before giving way to upperclassmen.
"Bauer's ready," Wogomon said. "He understands the offense and where his reads are. He commands the huddle and does things right. He's ready to be the quarterback this year."
Like many other area schools, the Warriors predicate much of their offense on the running game, and that game is without last year's leading rusher Trevor McKibben.
With McKibben gone, the ground attack will focus on junior D.J. Semon and junior Derrick Sorenson, two guys that saw action last season in the backfield, but not as a featured tailback.
In front of the running backs will be an offensive line, featuring junior Chad Eppley and junior Chris Pezan at guards, junior Brian Clark at center and senior Dimitri Kaplanis manning one of the tackle positions, while junior Jon Ruiz, sophomore Austin DeValk and junior Jake Schwartz decide who plays the other tackle.
"I feel good with our running game," Wogomon said. "However, it does take time for any group to play as one. The line isn't very big, but they are athletic. It's just going to take a little time for them to play as a unit."
At wide receiver, the Warriors will lean on senior Andrew Hepler, as well as senior Zac Patrick who saw time on the defensive side of the ball last year.
"Our receivers are new with the exception of Andrew Hepler," Wogomon said. "He put in a good football camp with us. Zac Patrick also started at free safety for us at the end of last season, and now, he's in an offensive role too. But he's ready."
On the defensive side of the ball, the Warriors' defensive line will feature reigning Times-Union Defensive Player of the Year John Essex at defensive end.
"John has really come into his own," Wogomon said about the senior. "He's put some more weight on and he knows what to expect this year."
Senior Justin Fick will handle the other defensive end position for Wawasee, while Kaplanis, Schwartz and Eppley will rotate on the interior line.
At linebacker, senior Jake Clark will start his third-straight season at linebacker, joining senior John Zarse and Brian Clark at the position, as well as senior Jordan Schmitt.
In the secondary, Wogomon plans to use Patrick and Semon at the two safety spots, but plans to use a few guys at cornerback until junior Josh Sumpter returns from a broken collarbone to join Hepler.
"He broke his collarbone during our camp July," Wogomon said about Sumpter. "We're hoping we can get him back by Northridge (on Sept. 2). So, hopefully, we can have him back for the NLC."
With Sumpter out, the cornerback duties will be shared by senior Jake Rhodes, sophomore Brandin McCullouch and Sorenson.
"Cornerback is where we have the biggest lack of experience," Wogomon said.
Opening the season against the Associated Press' 10th-ranked Whitko Wildcats at home Friday, the inexperienced cornerbacks are getting thrown in to the fire early.
"They're a team that can strike quickly with (quarterback Alex) Stoddard and (wide receiver Derek) Snep," Wogomon said. "They're going to run the ball right up the middle and use misdirection with the wing-T."
Following the Whitko game, Wawasee travels to South Bend to take on the Indiana Football Coaches Association's third-ranked South Bend St. Joseph's Indians.
After those two tough out-of-conference games, the Warriors get started with NLC play, beginning with a road trip to Middlebury to face Northridge.
Following the Northridge game, Wawasee takes on AP's No. 4 Concord Minutemen, a team Wogomon views as the best in the conference.
"I'd say Concord is the odds-on favorite," he said. "They have some big linemen up front and a 220-pound tailback (junior DuWhan Alford) to pound you with. They also have speed and athleticism on the outside."
If his team is going to have the same kind of success it had last season, Wogomon sees ball control as a key component.
"We have to do a better job of controlling the ball and moving the chains," he said.[[In-content Ad]]
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