VELMA — The 2009 senior football class at Velma-Alma left their legacy on the field.
No, they did not win a state championship. Nor did they reach the quarterfinals of the playoffs.
Why was this class so special, you ask?
Seven seniors walked off the field for the last time this past Friday night. It was a tough loss to a very good Cashion football team that outmanned the Comets. Just getting there, though, was a big accomplishment.
“This senior class showed a lot of character and a lot of guts,” said Comet head coach Greg Gothard. “We look to the seniors to take us as far as we can go, and they certainly did that for us.”
The 2009 campaign ended with a final record of 9-3 for Velma-Alma. From the beginning, Gothard knew he had a good group of players to work with.
Trenten Files, Dustin Sloan, and Cord Gothard had all been a part of the Comet program since junior high. Aaron Albertson, Frank Johnson, and Luke Norton joined them later. The seniors have been the most accountable group Gothard can remember coaching.
“It’ll be tough to replace the core of seniors, it’s always tough,” said Gothard. “I don’t believe any of those young men ever missed a practice or a weight lifting or film session since their freshman year. They were so dedicated and I never had to worry about them. They may have missed because of injury but they were always there for four years.”
It was that dedication that set the tone for the season and helped launch the Comets into the playoffs.
Gothard said Files was never 100 percent this season and there were several injuries and other things that happened off the field that made the Comets reevaluate their plan.
“I was pleased with how our guys fought hard and finished out the year,” Gothard said. “Where we started to where we finished, I think our team accomplished a lot.”
Other contributors were Tanner Jenkins, Zach Morse, Dallas Fox, and Dillon Dennis. Each of those players will return next season as seniors and Gothard expects them to pick up right where the 2009 seniors left off.
Jenkins led the team in rushing and in tackling, so he will be a force in 2010. Morse and Fox will anchor the offensive line, while Morse will also be a key component in the front seven on defense. Dennis and Peyton Presgrove will be called upon to carry the wide receiver and defensive back positions.
The talent coming back next year has Gothard excited to get it started already. Gothard believes that his senior leaders and coaching staff have every bit to do with how the team played this season.
“Without our senior class and without our coaching staff,” Gothard said, “we wouldn’t have been in the position we were in.
“Our kids showed mental toughness and integrity. I’m proud of our performance and ready to get after it next year. We can nearly put 11 players on offense and defense that had playing time this year. Our guys understand the tradition here and want to carry on that legacy.”
Ben Whitehead is a sports writer for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 255-5354 ext. 165 or via E-mail at ben.whitehead@duncanbanner.com.
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