Wolverines feel ahead of schedule going into season opener with WCV

Everyone within the Nodaway Valley/OM football program is well aware that the Wolverines look to snap a 25-game losing streak this year, but they’re confident that the excitement in the air for this season isn’t all for naught.

The Wolverines boast 36 players on this year’s roster with a large senior class. They also retain head coach Jack West from a year ago, who enters his second season at the helm of the program. A new district awaits the team with eight regular season games on the schedule.

“I learned a lot last year being a new teacher in the district and my first year as a head coach,” West said.

West said that this summer has been good for his players and the coaching staff as they get ready for the upcoming season.

“We have had a good summer. The guys have really put in some good lifts and good work in getting stronger for the season,” West said. “We have also gotten faster and I think that we have a lot of work to do, but fans are going to notice.”

There are 12 seniors on this year’s roster, including Keyin Steeve, Matthew Rudolf, Titus Hamer, Ashton Honnold, Bryan Gonzalez, Jacob Fry, Will Shilling, Wyatt Boden, Bennett Brown, Brody Brown, Remington Woosley and Parker Schneider. Gone are eight players from last year to graduation.

One player the Wolverines are tasked with replacing is last year’s starter at quarterback in Eli Harris. Harris had the best season of his career a season ago, completing 72 passes for 747 yards and two touchdowns. He also was the team’s leading rusher with 4.1 yards per carry, 394 yards and a touchdown. NV/OM also graduated its top-producing catcher in Garrett Welsch (20 catches, 234 yards and a touchdown). Up front both ways, the team lost players like lineman Trent Warner, who made 36 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss a year ago. He is on to Northwest Missouri State University this season.

Despite losing those key pieces from last year’s group, several linemen return to help anchor the offense. Sophomore quarterback Titan Foster is ready to step in and start this year as the Wolverines’ signal-caller. He was one of the school’s top basketball and baseball players during the last school year.

Seniors Hamer, Rudolf and junior Erik Jensen are good possibilities to also be in the backfield this year on offense. Steeve is the top receiver that returns after he made 18 catches last year for 208 yards and a touchdown. Caleb Christensen is poised to surprise at tight end and on defense. Senior Ashton Honnold will miss time to start the season due to recovery from surgery, but when he returns, it is expected he will help anchor the offensive line.

Christensen is the team’s best tackler to return with a team-high 51.5 stops and 38 solos a year ago. Hamer made 31.5 tackles last season. When Honnold returns, he’ll also be a key piece for the defense.

On special teams, the Wolverines will need a new punter as graduated senior Paul Berg punted all but six times last year with a 35.2-yard average. Gonzalez should be in the mix after averaging 34 yards per punt last year in a handful of punts. Woosley is in line to handle kickoff duty. Hamer and Steeve are top returners back this year on special teams.

Despite physical improvements, in the second year in West’s system, the Wolverines know that this year’s district slate is tough and doesn’t offer any favors. The Wolverines are in Class A, District 7 for the next two seasons. The Wolverines will play new teams in Oakland Riverside, AHSTW and Southwest Valley in district play. Half of the teams in the Wolverines’ district made the playoffs last season in AC/GC, AHSTW, Riverside and Mount Ayr.

The Wolverines will play three of their first four games at home this season and have four home games in all. The season opener is Aug. 29 at home against West Central Valley and a home game follows Sept. 5 against Central Decatur. Other home games are Sept. 19 against AHSTW for homecoming and Oct. 10 against Mount Ayr for Senior Night.

Early practices have gone well with competition at some spots creating a buzz in camp. The Wolverines were able to get in a couple of padded scrimmages in at Creston against a pair of football teams Saturday, Aug. 9 to help give coaches some good looks and information.

“We were able to get a little ahead of the game with our scrimmages in Creston,” West said. “We were able to get kids in pads earlier and hit them earlier and then we put them away for a bit before getting them out again when the state schedule allowed it. I am excited, our players are excited and we are ahead of where we were last year at this time. That has really been one of the good things about the preseason.”

Nodaway Valley/OM hosted an open practice Saturday, Aug. 16 under the lights on their home field. They host Perry 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22 for a Gatorade scrimmage.