Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SOUTH WHITLEY - Entering his 25th season as the head football coach at Whitko High School, Bryan Sprunger has changed very few things.
The Wildcats are a running football team.
They are coached to play a disciplined, ball-control style of offense.
And like every other year he's worn a whistle at Whitko, Sprunger's goal for the Wildcats this year is to win the Three Rivers Conference championship, or at least have a say in who wins it.
With a number of experienced players returning, it's fair to say Whitko will have a chance to make some noise in the TRC this season.
"We return quite a few players with experience, and that always helps," said Sprunger, who has 133 career wins and the 1986 state championship to his credit. "You hope you progress every year. When you have a team that has experienced players, you can come in and start at a higher level right away, and that's where we're at."
Experienced players returning to Whitko's offense include quarterback Casey Boggs, wingback Kaleb Swender, fullback Matt Strandlund, tight end Randy Wilkinson and linemen Bryan Boggs, Josh Feasby and Trevor Rowland.
The Wildcats return seven players that started on defense last season, as well as some players that Sprunger said "got some time."
Sprunger, whose Wildcats are looking for their first winning season since 2003 after posting records of 1-9 and 3-7 the past two campaigns, said he was pleased with what he saw in the team's preseason scrimmage with Garrett.
According to Sprunger, on the first 15 plays they were on defense the Wildcats did not give up a first down.
On their first 10 plays on offense, Sprunger said the Wildcats "marched the ball right down the field."
"We're going to run the football," said Sprunger. "We also have some talented kids that can catch it. Football has evolved over time, and you have to look at some different things, but you've still got to be able to run the football. Casey (Boggs), toward the end of last year, really started catching on to our passing game and found he can throw it. We'll see where that goes."
The Wildcats open the season Friday at Wawasee, a school that has turned into a force the past half-decade under coach Joe Rietveld.
Wawasee is coming off an 8-3 season and returns a number of starters on both sides of the ball.
Sprunger said he's looking forward to the opportunity to play Rietveld's talented bunch.
"We're looking forward to it," Sprunger said of Friday's season opener. "They're a tough opponent, they're a larger school than we are and they have more players. We want to go over there and be able to compete. If we can compete with them, I think we can have a good year."
The Wildcats play their first home game Aug. 25 against Leo, a team that beat them 7-6 in the second game of the season last year and 21-13 in the sectional.
Whitko will then open conference play Sept. 1 when it hosts Southwood.
Last season, after falling in the first two games to Wawasee and Leo, the Wildcats won three of their first four TRC games.
On paper, Whitko's most formidable TRC opponets could be Rochester and Valley. Rochester won the TRC title last year with a 7-0 record while Valley was 6-1. In 2004, their records and finish were reversed, with Valley running the table and Rochester finishing second.
"Those are our last two conference games, and right now that's a long way off," said Sprunger. "Barring injuries, we hope to be in position to challenge for the conference championship, or at least make some noise and have a say in who wins it. The conference has been down the past couple years, but I think it's going to be better this year, I really do."
Twenty years after the school won the state championship, maybe the Sprunger and his Wildcats have a special season in store for Whitko's fans.
"I think the kids we have playing are very excited," Sprunger said of getting the season started. "Who would have thought that year we would win state, it's not something we talked about, we were just trying to win the conference."
2006 Schedule (Home games in caps)
Aug. 18 at Wawasee
Aug. 25 LEO
Sept. 1 SOUTHWOOD
Sept. 8 at Manchester
Sept. 15 WABASH
Sept. 22 at Northfield
Sept. 29 NORTH MIAMI
Oct. 6 at Rochester
Oct. 13 at Valley
2006 Roster
No. Name Grade Pos.
10 Casey Boggs 12 QB
14 Doru Aldea 12 K
15 James Stoddard 10 QB
20 Ryan Busz 10 WB
21 Paul Bouse 10 WB
22 Gus Bouse 11 HB
23 Kaleb Swender 12 WB
24 Trent Rowland 11 QB
27 Ryan Yocum 12 HB
28 Ryan Bumbaugh 10 HB
31 Adam Jarrell 10 FB
32 Tom Yeager 11 WB
34 Malon Kraft 11 FB
35 Tyler Elder 12 FB
41 Dayne Richards 11 TE
42 Jay Walters 12 SE
43 Kyle Slater 10 SE
44 Matt Strandlund 11 FB
51 Josh Feasby 12 G
53 Bryan Boggs 12 C
54 Allen Allender 11 C
56 Trevor Rowland 12 G
58 Marcus Bills 12 G
60 Cruz Gregory 11 G
61 Ryan Fultz 10 G
62 J.D. Platt 11 T
64 Caleb Pratt 10 G
65 Dan Ruckman 11 G
66 Stuart Palm 10 C
70 Dane Starkey 12 T
72 Jacob Adams 12 T
74 Matt Holmes 11 T
75 Josh Bonebrake 12 T
76 Justin Roatcap 10 T
77 Kaden Krull 10 T
78 Trevor Wilkinson 10 T
80 Cort Walter 10 TE
84 Randy Wilkinson 12 TE
85 Brian Busz 12 SE
88 Eric Howard 12 TE
89 Cole Mishler 10 SE
