Andrew Pennybacker
Defense awaits to see what play the offense draws up.
Two weeks into the season, Wheeling Park Football has already made a statement by being 2-0 against both Parkersburg South and Spring Mills. This hardworking energy isn’t just seen at their games, but also in their dedication during practice and to each other.
“Each week we have a meeting on Sundays where we watch our opponent, talk about our game-plan, break down film and all that stuff. Mondays we have a lighter practice, just getting an introduction to the opponent. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are pretty hard practices, everything is tailored to who we’re playing, so their formations and their plays,” said Assistant Coach Nardone. “If there’s a particular player that we need to highlight, we put a vest on him so we know where he is at all times. Thursday we just kind of review everything and make sure we’re on the same page, and then we go try to win a game.”
Additionally, the players also work individually with both each other and their respective coaches in order to improve and learn on a one-to-one level.
Brennan Wack, a senior player, said, “We have a lot of coaches, so each different position has their own coach, so they work one on one with us.”
This work ethic is what allowed our team to kick off the season right with being 2-0, which many of the players have similar perspectives on:
“A lot of people didn’t think we were gonna win either game, so that was nice, but while 2-0 is nice, 3-0 is better,” senior player Jerome Maynard said.
Junior starting quarterback Jay Bordas said, “It feels good being 2-0, but now you have to move on to next week and get ready to be 3-0.”
“It was crazy, it’s the first time we’ve been 2-0 in a while and it’s just a really good feeling being undefeated,” said Wack.
However, Coach Nardone said it best, “I think it’s always good to start the season fast, and when you play two good teams like Parkersburg South and Spring Mills and get a 2-0 start, not only does that help boost morale and boost how your season’s gonna go, but also battle-tests your team; you don’t just go out there for four quarters and become 2-0, there’s no powderpuff teams we’re playing, so it helps for sure.”
Their opponent this past Friday was Spring Mills, a top performing school, and the game was incredibly close. Even with all the odds stacked against them, the Patriots brought their A-game and pulled off the win.
“You go to Spring Mills– a three and a half hour drive– to play a top three team in the state; a team who competed for a state championship last year, and you just battle. We knew there were gonna be punches thrown back and forth and we didn’t blink. We lined up every play and went through both the goods and the bads, and we ultimately came out on top at the end,” said Nardone.
Despite their record, this team values more than just winning. Their brotherhood and team spirit runs deep, so much so that they have “TWBAI” written across their gear.
“T.W.B.A.I., meaning ‘Team Wins, Brotherhood All In’. It basically resembles our culture and what we stand for, which is playing for each other,” said Bordas.
“It is definitely a very prideful experience, I’m involved in a lot of teams and football is definitely one where you get a big reward out of it. It’s a great feeling and that brotherhood is so different,” said Maynard.
Newer members of the team also feel this sentiment, as freshman Maxx Taylor said, “It’s like a family, being part of a brotherhood. It’s a lot of fun getting to work with them, and the coaches are like parents, honestly.”
Overall, the team has performed extremely well, far exceeding all expectations. With that being said, there are definitely some players to highlight.
Coach Nardone said, “I think we’re doing great as a whole, but if I had to highlight one group, obviously Brennan Wack’s been doing really good, but with that comes an offensive line which I definitely want to give a shoutout to. There’s a lot of new guys on there who didn’t play their positions last year, and Coach Ickes is doing a great job with the offensive line. They averaged seven and a half yards last Friday against Spring Mills. They’re new and they got it done Friday night.”
If you plan on attending any of the upcoming games, definitely be sure to dress for the themes! They are:
September 12: Boots Down, Saddle Up
September 19: Men in Black
September 26: White Out
October 10: Think Pink
November 7: Alien Invasion (@ John Marshall)
To summarize the team’s goal of the season, “This is a really fun team, so just enjoy every moment, enjoy every week,” said Nardone.
Without a doubt, the football team deserves a world of praise for their performance so far this season, and they will undoubtedly continue to impress us moving forward.