'13 Team Preview: Wilmington Hurricane
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
For the Wilmington Hurricane, the '13 season will not only mark their second year in the Southwest Ohio Conference (SWOC), but it will also mark their final season in the conference.
With this being the final year the 'Cane will be in the SWOC, they have one goal in mind before they join the South Central Ohio League following the end of this school year … to win a conference title.
WHS is a charter member of the SCOL, where they won 14 football titles, but the '13 season is about the SWOC.
"We expect to field a competitive team every year, and this year is no different," Wilmington head coach Rob Vida said. "That is our expectation, and our players understand that."
Last year, the 'Cane finished with a 5-5 overall record and were 2-5 in the SWOC. Mount Healthy won the SWOC with a conference mark of 6-1 last year.
"We want to continue to develop our team chemistry and accountability," Vida said. "You don't have success in a long season with just some talent. This is the ultimate team sport, and you have to develop respect and trust for the guy playing next to you."
In '12, the Hurricane scored 155 points in SWOC play while allowing 128, and in their 10-game regular season, they scored 275 points while giving up 154 as they ended the regular season with a two-game winning streak.
The 'Cane began the '12 season with three straight wins over Washington (52-6), Miami Trace (20-14) and Hillsboro (48-6). They then lost five straight games and then ended the season with two straight wins over Talawanda (40-14) and Little Miami (50-6).
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Key losses from the '12 team are Colt Briggs (Morehead St), David Henry (Grossmont College) and JT Lykins (Bluffton) to graduation. Briggs and Henry were first-team All-SWOC, while Lykins was honorable mention.
"We need to become a team that focuses on one play at a time, one yard at a time," Vida said.
Vida, who is entering his ninth season as head coach of the 'Cane, uses a multiple I formation on offense and a 4-3 defensive formation.
In those formations, running back Zach Day was the leading rusher with 1,222 yards and 19 TD's in '12, while quarterback Cody McCune passed for 915 yards and three TDs.
"We have five players returning that played a considerable amount on offense," Vida said. "We will count on them to set the tone in practice.
"(On defense), we have six players returning on defense. We hang our hat on defense, and we are confident in this year’s defense to carry the torch."
Key players for the 'Cane include: Day (second-team SWOC), Charlie Walker, Jaime Cline, Adrian Young, Garrett Scott (second-team SWOC), Grant Massie (first-team SWOC), Ryan Roberts, Evan Massie, Evan Hickey, Mark Huff, Marty Beaugard, McCune and Antwan Morris.
As with every season, there will be some newcomers on the WHS football team, with key players being: Chris McEvoy (second-team SWOC), Wyatt DeWeese, Jerry Johns, Michael Zitney, Kalen Kelly, Brendan Schweitzer, Jeremy Richmond, Jared Conover and Chris Bodner.
"We will have many new line players that will have to contribute," Vida said.
The 'Cane will open the '13 season on the road as they travel to face the Washington Blue Lions in non-league play on Aug. 30. They will travel to Miami Trace week two and host Hillsboro in week three.
With this being the final year the 'Cane will be in the SWOC, they have one goal in mind before they join the South Central Ohio League following the end of this school year … to win a conference title.
WHS is a charter member of the SCOL, where they won 14 football titles, but the '13 season is about the SWOC.
"We expect to field a competitive team every year, and this year is no different," Wilmington head coach Rob Vida said. "That is our expectation, and our players understand that."
Last year, the 'Cane finished with a 5-5 overall record and were 2-5 in the SWOC. Mount Healthy won the SWOC with a conference mark of 6-1 last year.
"We want to continue to develop our team chemistry and accountability," Vida said. "You don't have success in a long season with just some talent. This is the ultimate team sport, and you have to develop respect and trust for the guy playing next to you."
In '12, the Hurricane scored 155 points in SWOC play while allowing 128, and in their 10-game regular season, they scored 275 points while giving up 154 as they ended the regular season with a two-game winning streak.
The 'Cane began the '12 season with three straight wins over Washington (52-6), Miami Trace (20-14) and Hillsboro (48-6). They then lost five straight games and then ended the season with two straight wins over Talawanda (40-14) and Little Miami (50-6).
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Key losses from the '12 team are Colt Briggs (Morehead St), David Henry (Grossmont College) and JT Lykins (Bluffton) to graduation. Briggs and Henry were first-team All-SWOC, while Lykins was honorable mention.
"We need to become a team that focuses on one play at a time, one yard at a time," Vida said.
Vida, who is entering his ninth season as head coach of the 'Cane, uses a multiple I formation on offense and a 4-3 defensive formation.
In those formations, running back Zach Day was the leading rusher with 1,222 yards and 19 TD's in '12, while quarterback Cody McCune passed for 915 yards and three TDs.
"We have five players returning that played a considerable amount on offense," Vida said. "We will count on them to set the tone in practice.
"(On defense), we have six players returning on defense. We hang our hat on defense, and we are confident in this year’s defense to carry the torch."
Key players for the 'Cane include: Day (second-team SWOC), Charlie Walker, Jaime Cline, Adrian Young, Garrett Scott (second-team SWOC), Grant Massie (first-team SWOC), Ryan Roberts, Evan Massie, Evan Hickey, Mark Huff, Marty Beaugard, McCune and Antwan Morris.
As with every season, there will be some newcomers on the WHS football team, with key players being: Chris McEvoy (second-team SWOC), Wyatt DeWeese, Jerry Johns, Michael Zitney, Kalen Kelly, Brendan Schweitzer, Jeremy Richmond, Jared Conover and Chris Bodner.
"We will have many new line players that will have to contribute," Vida said.
The 'Cane will open the '13 season on the road as they travel to face the Washington Blue Lions in non-league play on Aug. 30. They will travel to Miami Trace week two and host Hillsboro in week three.