JV Football won its final eight games after losing its opener to became conference champions.
Many players credited their success to being exposed to different coaches and coaching styles. Although JV practices in the past have been separate from varsity practices, practices have been coached by both varsity and JV coaches this season.
“I was the only coach that was specific to JV, so we had to come up with a way for all the varsity coaches to help,” coach Roddy Story said, “I think any time you’ve got JV players getting instruction from varsity coaches, that’s going to help them out a lot. That helped them out this year, but I think it’ll also be good for the program down the road.”
Sophomore Jack Dalton agreed.
“It lets us see what varsity players should be doing,” he said. “It lets us improve, and that lets us know what we should be doing our junior year and senior year.”
The team had an eight game winning streak, only losing its first game to Southern Lee, 35-24.
“[Southern Lee was] a very talented team,” Story said. “I think if we played them 10 times we would win some and they would win some, but I do think we have a better team than they do.”
After that loss, the boys were determined to win the rest of their games.
“We were going to try to win eight straight games after our first loss, and we did,” Dalton said. “We wanted to be the best JV team in Northwood history, and I think we were.”
The team excelled after being able to work out their kinks and make a few position changes.
“We have definitely improved since [the first game],” sophomore John Atwater said. “I think it was just nerves.”
Story was especially impressed with his team’s effort throughout the year.
“Our goal is always that we out-hustle the other team, and I think we did that in every game.” Story said, “I don’t have a problem when players make a mistake, I have a problem when they don’t go full speed.”
To have such a successful season, the individuals had to work together.
“They really came together as a team,” Story said. “Whenever you have that many guys put the team first, that’s a good thing to see as a coach.”
– By Katie Robbins