Wogoman Finally Working With Experience
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
"We don't have to replace our offensive line, and that in itself is a great key," Wogomon said about turning the Warriors program around. "A few of the guys have also begun to take over ownership of their position."[[In-content Ad]]In his first season at Wawasee, Wogomon was working with a line with zero experience. After getting through a 2-8 season, he once again had a brand new line last season, resulting in a 1-9 campaign.
Now, following a 3-17 record in the past two years, Wawasee will have seniors Jaemeson Gee, Seth Long, as well as juniors Jacob Collins, David Garlinger and Austin Vuittonet blocking for an experienced backfield.
"Last year, we had seven guys in the returning letterwinners photo," Wogomon said. "That there tells you we were fielding an inexperienced football team. So, it's definitely a lot nicer to have 19 kids coming back this year."
Among those 19 returning letterwinners, is third-year quarterback, senior Jake Sommers.
Sommers began last season as the Warriors' starting signal-caller, but had his season shortened after breaking his leg Sept. 26 at Plymouth.
Since then, he's worked to get back on the field, and leaves his coach feeling confident in the position.
"He's done what he needed to do," Wogomon said of Sommers. "After he broke his leg, that was the first time he had missed a practice.
"He's a third-year starter, and he understands his role really well," he added.
Behind Sommers at runningback will be senior Travis Patterson, junior Trevor McKibben and sophomore Andrew Hepler, all of whom are small in stature, but feature quickness.
"They're all about 5-foot-4, while Trevor may be 5-foot-8-and-a-half, which is the tallest," Wogomon said of his running backs, who will be partnered with sophomore Jordan Schmitt at fullback. "They're not enormous, but they all have pretty good speed."
When the Warriors go to the air, Sommers will have some familiar guys to go to, including junior Josh Dingeldein at tight end, as well as seniors Joey Melendez and Ryan Hoover at wide receiver, all of whom are returning letterwinners.
"We are deepest at wide receiver, as well as defensive back," Wogomon said. "Joey Melendez and Ryan Hoover are both returnees, and we also have (junior) Ben Klaybor, who's also been doing great. (Senior) Learon Tomlinson will also bring something to the outside, and we also have (sophomore) Zack Patrick too."
At the defensive back position, Wogomon will have returning letterwinners in juniors Cam Erb and Tom Kehoe, making him confident in that area.
"We bring a lot of experience back at defensive back, and the nice thing is, they're all juniors or younger," Wogomon said.
Accompanying Erb and Kehoe in the defensive secondary will be McKibben and sophomore Jake Clark at safety, with Sommers, senior John Cox and Klaybor also seeing time at safety, and senior Justin Elliott, Patrick and Hepler also listed as defensive backs.
"They're young, but three or four of them have played before," Wogomon said.
The defensive line should also be well experienced for the Warriors, with Dingeldein and sophomore Justin Fick listed as defensive ends and Vuittonet and Dimitri Kaplanis listed as the top two defensive tackles.
A spot Wogomon is anxious to see is linebacker, where Melendez, senior Jeff DeLeon, Schmitt and sophomore Kory Workman are on the four-deep.
"Linebacker is the biggest question mark," Wogomon said. "We have DeLeon back, but other than him, it's a lot of fresh faces."
Wawasee opens it season the same way it has since 1997, with Whitko. This year, the Whitko Wildcats visit Warrior Field for Senior Night at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
"It's vital to come out and have early success," Wogomon said.
Following two rough seasons, Wogomon is aware that a culture of losing may creep in, so expunging that quickly is necessary.
"We've got a lot of experience, but a lot of that experience has been in losing," he said. "We've got to get through the mistakes to show we're not the same team we were in 2008."
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"We don't have to replace our offensive line, and that in itself is a great key," Wogomon said about turning the Warriors program around. "A few of the guys have also begun to take over ownership of their position."[[In-content Ad]]In his first season at Wawasee, Wogomon was working with a line with zero experience. After getting through a 2-8 season, he once again had a brand new line last season, resulting in a 1-9 campaign.
Now, following a 3-17 record in the past two years, Wawasee will have seniors Jaemeson Gee, Seth Long, as well as juniors Jacob Collins, David Garlinger and Austin Vuittonet blocking for an experienced backfield.
"Last year, we had seven guys in the returning letterwinners photo," Wogomon said. "That there tells you we were fielding an inexperienced football team. So, it's definitely a lot nicer to have 19 kids coming back this year."
Among those 19 returning letterwinners, is third-year quarterback, senior Jake Sommers.
Sommers began last season as the Warriors' starting signal-caller, but had his season shortened after breaking his leg Sept. 26 at Plymouth.
Since then, he's worked to get back on the field, and leaves his coach feeling confident in the position.
"He's done what he needed to do," Wogomon said of Sommers. "After he broke his leg, that was the first time he had missed a practice.
"He's a third-year starter, and he understands his role really well," he added.
Behind Sommers at runningback will be senior Travis Patterson, junior Trevor McKibben and sophomore Andrew Hepler, all of whom are small in stature, but feature quickness.
"They're all about 5-foot-4, while Trevor may be 5-foot-8-and-a-half, which is the tallest," Wogomon said of his running backs, who will be partnered with sophomore Jordan Schmitt at fullback. "They're not enormous, but they all have pretty good speed."
When the Warriors go to the air, Sommers will have some familiar guys to go to, including junior Josh Dingeldein at tight end, as well as seniors Joey Melendez and Ryan Hoover at wide receiver, all of whom are returning letterwinners.
"We are deepest at wide receiver, as well as defensive back," Wogomon said. "Joey Melendez and Ryan Hoover are both returnees, and we also have (junior) Ben Klaybor, who's also been doing great. (Senior) Learon Tomlinson will also bring something to the outside, and we also have (sophomore) Zack Patrick too."
At the defensive back position, Wogomon will have returning letterwinners in juniors Cam Erb and Tom Kehoe, making him confident in that area.
"We bring a lot of experience back at defensive back, and the nice thing is, they're all juniors or younger," Wogomon said.
Accompanying Erb and Kehoe in the defensive secondary will be McKibben and sophomore Jake Clark at safety, with Sommers, senior John Cox and Klaybor also seeing time at safety, and senior Justin Elliott, Patrick and Hepler also listed as defensive backs.
"They're young, but three or four of them have played before," Wogomon said.
The defensive line should also be well experienced for the Warriors, with Dingeldein and sophomore Justin Fick listed as defensive ends and Vuittonet and Dimitri Kaplanis listed as the top two defensive tackles.
A spot Wogomon is anxious to see is linebacker, where Melendez, senior Jeff DeLeon, Schmitt and sophomore Kory Workman are on the four-deep.
"Linebacker is the biggest question mark," Wogomon said. "We have DeLeon back, but other than him, it's a lot of fresh faces."
Wawasee opens it season the same way it has since 1997, with Whitko. This year, the Whitko Wildcats visit Warrior Field for Senior Night at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
"It's vital to come out and have early success," Wogomon said.
Following two rough seasons, Wogomon is aware that a culture of losing may creep in, so expunging that quickly is necessary.
"We've got a lot of experience, but a lot of that experience has been in losing," he said. "We've got to get through the mistakes to show we're not the same team we were in 2008."
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