Football Feature: McClain Tigers
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The 2012 McClain Tiger football team looks to make a vast improvement from their overall record from one season ago and will look to achieve that goal with a group of 11 seniors who not only want to win, but a group where some have been playing on the same team since the fourth grade.
With this being their final go-around as members of the purple-and-gold, the 11 seniors on the Tigers team just want to be a part of the first step of putting the MHS program back on the map, all the while achieving some personal goals along the way, including a winning season and returning the Rotary Bowl trophy to Greenfield during the final week of the regular season.
[[In-content Ad]]McClain's 11 seniors include: Brandon Davis, Dillon East, Clayton Burgess, Jordan Goble, Coty Barnhart, Phillip Thompson, Coleston Walters, Trevor Gossett, Robert Ralph, Isaac Savage and Devin Trefz.
Getting to what is now their senior season, the players have their own stories of how they each began their game, with some playing on the same Tiger Cub team in the fourth grade, some playing flag football at even a younger age and others waiting until junior high to buckle the chin strap for the first time. Eight of the 11 Tiger seniors began their football playing days between the second and fourth grades, which included flag football.
Through all their different beginnings, the 11 seniors ended up together for one final season as members of the varsity team at MHS with one simple goal in mind, and that is to make their final season one to remember for years to come.
"I started playing in the fourth grade," Davis said. "There were a lot of people on that fourth grade team who are still on the team now. We were the Tiger Cubs."
As their final season nears, each player has his own reasons as to why he has continued to stay a part of the game of football as they have at least 10 games remaining of their high school careers.
"I play the game of football because I like the contact of the game," Trefz said. "I like hanging out with my friends. We're a big family, and football brings us all closer. It's my senior year, and it's the last chance we get to play football together as one team."
"I agree with Devin (Trefz), but playing football also keeps me out of trouble," Savage said.
"Football gives us something to do over the fall and winter," Ralph said. "But I agree with Devin and Isaac about football keeping us out of trouble."
"I've been around football my whole life with Coach Gossett being my dad," Trevor Gossett said. "I was a ball boy for a long time, and I just love the pride of football and the contact part of the game."
More senior classmates followed with why they have continued to play the game of football, reaching this point of the high school career for one final season, a stretch of 10 final games underneath the bright lights of Friday nights.
"I guess I just like the physicality of the game," wide receiver and corner back Walters said.
"I come out every year because I love the competitiveness, and football is my favorite sport since I was little," Thompson said.
"I love the tradition and the pageantry of football," Barnhart said. "I love the hitting and everything about the game."
"We've all grown up together playing this game, and I love the game of football," Goble said. "It's been our own little family playing football together every year."
"All my brothers played, so I've grown up around the game," Burgess said. "I love being around the game, and I just love hitting people."
"I love to compete," East said. "We are all a part of a family and brotherhood here, and I just love that about playing team sports."
"Hitting people and being around the guys on this team keep me playing the sport," Davis said.
Members of this senior class have experienced close wins, heartbreaking defeats, games won by a late touchdown and games where the outcome was decided earlier than expected. This senior class has been a part of winning a Rotary Bowl and losing a Rotary Bowl, not to mention members of this class have been a part of a winning season and a one-win year, so it's safe to say this group has seen its share of ups and downs.
Being a part of the highs and lows during their careers hasn't made members of this senior class budge with their goals, as they each have their own thoughts on what they'd like to accomplish.
"I want a winning record this year as a senior," Davis said.
"Being a part of the first playoff team is what I want to be a part of," East said.
Burgess said he wanted everyone to stick together and have a good season this year, while Goble wanted the team to stay healthy, gain a winning record and bring the Rotary Bowl trophy back to Greenfield as he was a sophomore on the varsity squad the last time the Tigers defeated rival Hillsboro in 2010.
"I'm looking forward to getting healthy again," the injured Barnhart said. "I was in a tackling drill when I injured my AC joint."
"It would be nice for everyone to be closer as a team this year," Thompson said. "We need to be more of a team than last year and stay close."
"A winning record is what I want us to achieve this year," Walters said.
Gossett, Ralph, Savage and Trefz all agreed they wanted to gain a winning record and win the Rotary Bowl.
Being a senior means they are now the oldest players on the team, and with that being said, the players will be looked at as leaders on and off the field by all other grade levels in the program as the seniors spoke about what a good leader is.
Savage and Ralph said being a senior on the team was an indescribable feeling for them, but a role they took responsibility in, while other teammates spoke about how they go about being leaders for the team this season.
"At the beginning of two-a-days, it hadn't really sunk in that I was actually a senior, but now after going through it, it does feel like you have the leading role, and it means a lot," Trefz said. "A leader to me means if somebody is down, you have to pick them up and keep them going."
"It doesn't feel like I should already be a senior or this old yet," Gossett said. "I think the best way to be a leader is by example, not by screaming at teammates or anything like that. Just being a good example for others is the best way to lead a team."
Walters said a good teammate is a role model to those younger than him on the team, while Thompson felt a leader know how to stay content and positive no matter how good or bad times get.
"I think I can take on the role very well with my fellow seniors," Thompson continued. "It's my responsibility to take control this year, take things seriously and keep everyone in line with what their goals are this year."
Barnhart said it's an honor to be a senior at McClain for the fact there is a lot of tradition that goes with playing for the Tigers. His teammates agreed.
"Being a senior is somewhat bittersweet because you wanted to be the senior your whole life, you wanted to be the guy that everyone looked up to, but now you realize you have 10 games left in high school and it's all over and may never play football as an organized sport again," Goble said.
"It doesn't seem real that I'm a senior now," Burgess said. "It's hard to step in to fill the shoes of the seniors before. A good leader is someone who just keeps everyone together and pushes the team to work harder."
"It feels awkward being a senior because I've been around the program so long, I've seen the seniors come and go, and to be in their shoes is just surreal," East said.
"Being a senior …. this is it. This is our last chance to do the best we can, and as for being a leader, a good leader is someone who keeps everyone on track to work as hard as they can."
As the countdown to the senior season is now under way, the players looked back at some good times on the football field, with the seniors coming up with a variety of personal answers as to what their favorite memories were up to this point of their football careers.
Some of them answered they couldn't pick out one, a big win against a county rival or just their first varsity game, while other answers had more of a personal touch, with two memories coming from the same game back at the start of the 2010 season.
"My sophomore year, I made the game-winning sack and forced a fumble against Adena (a McClain 20-15 victory in '10) in the first game of that year," East said. "That's the thing that will always stick out in my mind."
As for Goble, his memory goes back to the Adena game as well, but during his sophomore year, he was forced to the starting role at quarterback due to an injury to then-junior starter Camron Cooper.
"I had to start on the road for my first varsity start. I had a week to prepare, and I didn't expect to play any quarterback my sophomore year. To go out and come back in the fourth quarter with little time left on the clock was one of the best feelings ever," Goble said. "To walk off that field with a win after my first varsity start was pretty amazing."
Gossett ended by speaking about playing football for his father (coach Tim Gossett), who is one of the offensive coaches for the Tigers.
"Having my dad being one of the coaches is fun because if I have a question about something and we're at home, I can go and ask him about it," he said. "I just feel comfortable with him watching in practice, and if I make a mistake, I can go to him for advice … I like it. But when we are on the playing field, he's a coach first, and at home, he's a dad and coach."
With this being their final go-around as members of the purple-and-gold, the 11 seniors on the Tigers team just want to be a part of the first step of putting the MHS program back on the map, all the while achieving some personal goals along the way, including a winning season and returning the Rotary Bowl trophy to Greenfield during the final week of the regular season.
[[In-content Ad]]McClain's 11 seniors include: Brandon Davis, Dillon East, Clayton Burgess, Jordan Goble, Coty Barnhart, Phillip Thompson, Coleston Walters, Trevor Gossett, Robert Ralph, Isaac Savage and Devin Trefz.
Getting to what is now their senior season, the players have their own stories of how they each began their game, with some playing on the same Tiger Cub team in the fourth grade, some playing flag football at even a younger age and others waiting until junior high to buckle the chin strap for the first time. Eight of the 11 Tiger seniors began their football playing days between the second and fourth grades, which included flag football.
Through all their different beginnings, the 11 seniors ended up together for one final season as members of the varsity team at MHS with one simple goal in mind, and that is to make their final season one to remember for years to come.
"I started playing in the fourth grade," Davis said. "There were a lot of people on that fourth grade team who are still on the team now. We were the Tiger Cubs."
As their final season nears, each player has his own reasons as to why he has continued to stay a part of the game of football as they have at least 10 games remaining of their high school careers.
"I play the game of football because I like the contact of the game," Trefz said. "I like hanging out with my friends. We're a big family, and football brings us all closer. It's my senior year, and it's the last chance we get to play football together as one team."
"I agree with Devin (Trefz), but playing football also keeps me out of trouble," Savage said.
"Football gives us something to do over the fall and winter," Ralph said. "But I agree with Devin and Isaac about football keeping us out of trouble."
"I've been around football my whole life with Coach Gossett being my dad," Trevor Gossett said. "I was a ball boy for a long time, and I just love the pride of football and the contact part of the game."
More senior classmates followed with why they have continued to play the game of football, reaching this point of the high school career for one final season, a stretch of 10 final games underneath the bright lights of Friday nights.
"I guess I just like the physicality of the game," wide receiver and corner back Walters said.
"I come out every year because I love the competitiveness, and football is my favorite sport since I was little," Thompson said.
"I love the tradition and the pageantry of football," Barnhart said. "I love the hitting and everything about the game."
"We've all grown up together playing this game, and I love the game of football," Goble said. "It's been our own little family playing football together every year."
"All my brothers played, so I've grown up around the game," Burgess said. "I love being around the game, and I just love hitting people."
"I love to compete," East said. "We are all a part of a family and brotherhood here, and I just love that about playing team sports."
"Hitting people and being around the guys on this team keep me playing the sport," Davis said.
Members of this senior class have experienced close wins, heartbreaking defeats, games won by a late touchdown and games where the outcome was decided earlier than expected. This senior class has been a part of winning a Rotary Bowl and losing a Rotary Bowl, not to mention members of this class have been a part of a winning season and a one-win year, so it's safe to say this group has seen its share of ups and downs.
Being a part of the highs and lows during their careers hasn't made members of this senior class budge with their goals, as they each have their own thoughts on what they'd like to accomplish.
"I want a winning record this year as a senior," Davis said.
"Being a part of the first playoff team is what I want to be a part of," East said.
Burgess said he wanted everyone to stick together and have a good season this year, while Goble wanted the team to stay healthy, gain a winning record and bring the Rotary Bowl trophy back to Greenfield as he was a sophomore on the varsity squad the last time the Tigers defeated rival Hillsboro in 2010.
"I'm looking forward to getting healthy again," the injured Barnhart said. "I was in a tackling drill when I injured my AC joint."
"It would be nice for everyone to be closer as a team this year," Thompson said. "We need to be more of a team than last year and stay close."
"A winning record is what I want us to achieve this year," Walters said.
Gossett, Ralph, Savage and Trefz all agreed they wanted to gain a winning record and win the Rotary Bowl.
Being a senior means they are now the oldest players on the team, and with that being said, the players will be looked at as leaders on and off the field by all other grade levels in the program as the seniors spoke about what a good leader is.
Savage and Ralph said being a senior on the team was an indescribable feeling for them, but a role they took responsibility in, while other teammates spoke about how they go about being leaders for the team this season.
"At the beginning of two-a-days, it hadn't really sunk in that I was actually a senior, but now after going through it, it does feel like you have the leading role, and it means a lot," Trefz said. "A leader to me means if somebody is down, you have to pick them up and keep them going."
"It doesn't feel like I should already be a senior or this old yet," Gossett said. "I think the best way to be a leader is by example, not by screaming at teammates or anything like that. Just being a good example for others is the best way to lead a team."
Walters said a good teammate is a role model to those younger than him on the team, while Thompson felt a leader know how to stay content and positive no matter how good or bad times get.
"I think I can take on the role very well with my fellow seniors," Thompson continued. "It's my responsibility to take control this year, take things seriously and keep everyone in line with what their goals are this year."
Barnhart said it's an honor to be a senior at McClain for the fact there is a lot of tradition that goes with playing for the Tigers. His teammates agreed.
"Being a senior is somewhat bittersweet because you wanted to be the senior your whole life, you wanted to be the guy that everyone looked up to, but now you realize you have 10 games left in high school and it's all over and may never play football as an organized sport again," Goble said.
"It doesn't seem real that I'm a senior now," Burgess said. "It's hard to step in to fill the shoes of the seniors before. A good leader is someone who just keeps everyone together and pushes the team to work harder."
"It feels awkward being a senior because I've been around the program so long, I've seen the seniors come and go, and to be in their shoes is just surreal," East said.
"Being a senior …. this is it. This is our last chance to do the best we can, and as for being a leader, a good leader is someone who keeps everyone on track to work as hard as they can."
As the countdown to the senior season is now under way, the players looked back at some good times on the football field, with the seniors coming up with a variety of personal answers as to what their favorite memories were up to this point of their football careers.
Some of them answered they couldn't pick out one, a big win against a county rival or just their first varsity game, while other answers had more of a personal touch, with two memories coming from the same game back at the start of the 2010 season.
"My sophomore year, I made the game-winning sack and forced a fumble against Adena (a McClain 20-15 victory in '10) in the first game of that year," East said. "That's the thing that will always stick out in my mind."
As for Goble, his memory goes back to the Adena game as well, but during his sophomore year, he was forced to the starting role at quarterback due to an injury to then-junior starter Camron Cooper.
"I had to start on the road for my first varsity start. I had a week to prepare, and I didn't expect to play any quarterback my sophomore year. To go out and come back in the fourth quarter with little time left on the clock was one of the best feelings ever," Goble said. "To walk off that field with a win after my first varsity start was pretty amazing."
Gossett ended by speaking about playing football for his father (coach Tim Gossett), who is one of the offensive coaches for the Tigers.
"Having my dad being one of the coaches is fun because if I have a question about something and we're at home, I can go and ask him about it," he said. "I just feel comfortable with him watching in practice, and if I make a mistake, I can go to him for advice … I like it. But when we are on the playing field, he's a coach first, and at home, he's a dad and coach."