Weight Room Big Part Of Triton Success
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
Coming to the Marshall County school seven years ago, coach Rodney Younis pinpointed strength as a area of needed improvement.[[In-content Ad]]"When I first came here (from Churubusco), they had a weight-training class, but as far as offseason workouts went, they didn't have kids coming in consistently," he said. "There may have been 10 that worked out that first summer, but after the season was over, I told those juniors we were going to commit to the weight room. The younger kids then followed them."
The first group of Trojans to utilize the weight room from eighth grade through high school was last year's senior class, which brought Triton its first sectional championship.
"This year's class isn't as strong in the weight room, but they are stronger on the field," Younis said. "That's where it matters."
That strength on the field has gotten this year's edition of the Trojans back in the regional, where they'll play the No. 7 Southern Wells Raiders Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Bourbon.
"Their offense has three running backs to throw at you," Younis said of Southern Wells. "They are a run-oriented offense. (Senior Devin) Leas is their best runner, which I know because he started as a freshman when we played them last (in 2005). He's a good back, but they have others to go to as well."
On the year, Leas has led the 12-0 Raiders with 1,339 yards and 22 touchdowns, good for a 112-yard per game average. In last week's 35-0 sectional championship win over Southwood, Leas ran for 151 yards and four touchdowns.
Along with Leas, the Raiders also get 60.1 yards a game from senior Jacob Miller and 62.8 from sophomore Tyler Roush.
When Southern Wells isn't running the ball, junior quarterback Jake Ripperger has completed 26 of 47 passes this year for 563 yards and eight touchdowns.
Defensively, Younis describes the Raiders as a quick squad, which gets to the runner quickly. Illustrating that fact was Wells' ability to limit Southwood running back Nick Driskill to 36 yards on 14 carries. Coming into the game, Driskill had averaged 160 rushing yards a game.
"Against a fast team, the best way to attack is to go right at them," Younis said. "Southwood tried to get to the corner, which didn't work all that often. So our gameplan is going to be to go right at them."
If Triton does look to get to the outside, it will be with junior Adam Creighbaum, who's rushed for a school-record 1,432 yards this season.
After beginning the season as the quarterback, Creighbaum has shifted to running back the last two games, with sophomore Dane Kennedy playing quarterback.
"We began the season hoping to get Dane in more games," Younis said. "Physically, he was not quite ready for varsity football.
"(With Dane at quarterback), it frees (Creighbaum) up to be a running back, which is what he is," Younis added. "It was no secret that he was a running back at the quarterback position."
In the Trojan's 23-21 sectional championship win over South Newton last week, Creighbaum ran for 132 yards, with senior Cale Kennedy running for 56 hard-earned yards up the middle.
Of those 56 yards, Kennedy ran for 41 in the second half, capitalizing on the work he's put in in the weight room.
"The confidence is there," Younis said of the weight-lifting benefits. "When they're blocking and tackling, they know they're going to make a play."
That confidence was evident with Cale Kennedy in the second half of last week's game.
"It all goes with the weight lifting and conditioning we do," Cale Kennedy said.
Senior running back Miles Reichard has also been a part of the weight-lifting program since he was in eighth grade, and he's not quite tired of it yet.
"It's not so bad," he said. "In eighth grade, you do it because you want to get better. The best way to get better is to get stronger. Now, it's basically routine."
According to Younis, the routine involves a lot of squats, power cleans and whatever other exercise can strengthen the entire body. All that work has put the Trojans on a level of competitiveness they've never seen before - not only in football.
In the past year, the football team has won two sectional titles, while the basketball team won a state title, the baseball team brought home a sectional title and the softball team also won it's first sectional crown.
"I'm a true believer that comes from hard work in the weight room," Younis said of the success at Triton High School right now.
Coming to the Marshall County school seven years ago, coach Rodney Younis pinpointed strength as a area of needed improvement.[[In-content Ad]]"When I first came here (from Churubusco), they had a weight-training class, but as far as offseason workouts went, they didn't have kids coming in consistently," he said. "There may have been 10 that worked out that first summer, but after the season was over, I told those juniors we were going to commit to the weight room. The younger kids then followed them."
The first group of Trojans to utilize the weight room from eighth grade through high school was last year's senior class, which brought Triton its first sectional championship.
"This year's class isn't as strong in the weight room, but they are stronger on the field," Younis said. "That's where it matters."
That strength on the field has gotten this year's edition of the Trojans back in the regional, where they'll play the No. 7 Southern Wells Raiders Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Bourbon.
"Their offense has three running backs to throw at you," Younis said of Southern Wells. "They are a run-oriented offense. (Senior Devin) Leas is their best runner, which I know because he started as a freshman when we played them last (in 2005). He's a good back, but they have others to go to as well."
On the year, Leas has led the 12-0 Raiders with 1,339 yards and 22 touchdowns, good for a 112-yard per game average. In last week's 35-0 sectional championship win over Southwood, Leas ran for 151 yards and four touchdowns.
Along with Leas, the Raiders also get 60.1 yards a game from senior Jacob Miller and 62.8 from sophomore Tyler Roush.
When Southern Wells isn't running the ball, junior quarterback Jake Ripperger has completed 26 of 47 passes this year for 563 yards and eight touchdowns.
Defensively, Younis describes the Raiders as a quick squad, which gets to the runner quickly. Illustrating that fact was Wells' ability to limit Southwood running back Nick Driskill to 36 yards on 14 carries. Coming into the game, Driskill had averaged 160 rushing yards a game.
"Against a fast team, the best way to attack is to go right at them," Younis said. "Southwood tried to get to the corner, which didn't work all that often. So our gameplan is going to be to go right at them."
If Triton does look to get to the outside, it will be with junior Adam Creighbaum, who's rushed for a school-record 1,432 yards this season.
After beginning the season as the quarterback, Creighbaum has shifted to running back the last two games, with sophomore Dane Kennedy playing quarterback.
"We began the season hoping to get Dane in more games," Younis said. "Physically, he was not quite ready for varsity football.
"(With Dane at quarterback), it frees (Creighbaum) up to be a running back, which is what he is," Younis added. "It was no secret that he was a running back at the quarterback position."
In the Trojan's 23-21 sectional championship win over South Newton last week, Creighbaum ran for 132 yards, with senior Cale Kennedy running for 56 hard-earned yards up the middle.
Of those 56 yards, Kennedy ran for 41 in the second half, capitalizing on the work he's put in in the weight room.
"The confidence is there," Younis said of the weight-lifting benefits. "When they're blocking and tackling, they know they're going to make a play."
That confidence was evident with Cale Kennedy in the second half of last week's game.
"It all goes with the weight lifting and conditioning we do," Cale Kennedy said.
Senior running back Miles Reichard has also been a part of the weight-lifting program since he was in eighth grade, and he's not quite tired of it yet.
"It's not so bad," he said. "In eighth grade, you do it because you want to get better. The best way to get better is to get stronger. Now, it's basically routine."
According to Younis, the routine involves a lot of squats, power cleans and whatever other exercise can strengthen the entire body. All that work has put the Trojans on a level of competitiveness they've never seen before - not only in football.
In the past year, the football team has won two sectional titles, while the basketball team won a state title, the baseball team brought home a sectional title and the softball team also won it's first sectional crown.
"I'm a true believer that comes from hard work in the weight room," Younis said of the success at Triton High School right now.
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