Football Feature: Wilmington Hurricane

For two Wilmington Hurricane seniors, the path to their senior season has been full of varsity football. Both Cody McCune and Charles Walker have been in the varsity lineup since their sophomore season, and this year they want to continue that trend for at least 10 more games.

Since their beginning in the game, both McCune (a quarterback) and Walker (a lineman) have seen a lot of change, but now before their senior year is about to start, they each looked back at how they began playing the game.

"I first was at East Clinton from first throughout fourth grade, and I played baseball then," Walker said. "When I moved to Wilmington, I really didn't play any sports. Then Zach Day asked me to come out (for football) and so did Jaime Cline, and since seventh grade I've played. I played offensive guard and offensive tackle, and I've played defensive tackle since seventh grade."

McCune was also in the fourth grade when he began at the urging of friends.

"Most of my friends started in the third grade," he said. "I came to school one day. All my friends had their jerseys on, and I asked them 'where did you get those jerseys, guys?' They told me they were playing youth football, so that day I went home, told my dad I wanted to play football and the next year he signed me up and I started playing."

For McCune, a three-year varsity quarterback, he began his football career not as the QB, but on the offensive line.

"My first game ever, I started at center against Clinton-Massie," McCune said. "We lost 49-0. From that game on, I've played quarterback the rest of my career."

For McCune, being the quarterback comes with a lot of pressure and responsibility, but that is one of the aspects that makes the senior enjoy being the leader of the 'Cane.

"I really enjoy the leadership part of being a quarterback," he said during a two-a-day practice. "Everyone looks up to you, asks questions and you are the leader. This will be my third year at varsity, starting every game my sophomore and junior year.

"It was different at first (starting as a sophomore) because I was looking up to all of those guys. At quarterback, you want the leadership, but we had a lot of leadership on the offensive line, so I was looking to them for the leadership then. They helped mold me into being the leader I am right now for the current underclassmen."

For Walker, playing defensive tackle is simple: he's there to hit the opponent from the first whistle until the clock is all zeros in the fourth quarter.

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"I like to just hit people really hard," Walker said with a smile. "Playing defensive tackle is about pure rage and just getting after it. When I'm playing, I just want to tackle anything in sight. Just getting physical with others and challenging yourself, seeing if you are better than the other person across from you and finding out if I can beat them by using my skills and strengths against them.

"We run a 4-3, so it makes me feel great having another defensive tackle beside me on the line. Knowing we are together, we're one, and try to accomplish the same thing."

Last season, the 'Cane were 5-5 overall and 2-5 in the inaugural Southwest Ohio Conference season. In those 10 games played, McCune spoke about what he learned from his second season at the varsity level.

"I learned a lot from last year … just basically you need everybody working in one unit to get where you need to go," McCune said. "We can't have anyone not focused or not paying attention at any point. We need 100-percent focus every single down. We need that focus so that 7-6 game we lost to Mt. Healthy turns into an 8-7 victory this year."

McCune also described what it is like for him playing at QB.

"Playing quarterback, the feeling is awesome," he said. "You have 10 other people, every play, looking up to you … wondering what they are going to be doing that next play.  

"You have control … and you know, as a group, every single person in that huddle is waiting on you, listening to you, and you know they have your back and will do anything for you."

Walker described being a defensive tackle.

"Pass blocking has been the biggest challenge they've given me," Walker said. "I kept getting beat on the outside, and I had to work to get better at that type of blocking.

"Getting a tackle is the best … you are the center of attention for that moment because you just clobbered the opponent … you are on top of the world. The best moment is the first time I played at varsity. I was like 'I'm with the big guys, I'm doing it.' I was the youngest guy on the offensive line with all the seniors."

With the season a week away, the goal for these two seniors is to battle for a SWOC championship.

"Being champions is the goal … we haven't had it in a long time, and I think this is the year," Walker said.

"I'm looking forward to having a chance to compete for the SWOC title this year," McCune said. "A lot of the players have been in the program three or four years … we've heard Coach Vida always say 'hang that banner,' and I want this to be the year we do it."

But it comes back to being leaders for these two players, as they want to just do what is best for their teammates.

"It feels great," Walker said of being a leader. "I like showing the younger kids what to do and pushing them to see what they are made of."

"It means a lot to me," McCune said of the leadership role. "I've put so much work in for these guys and I have their back 100 percent. I know they have mine … knowing that, it is awesome."