By Chris Parker
Cabool football took another step forward last year by posting a 6-5 record, which was the first time the Bulldogs finished with a winning record since at least 2008. It marked a third consecutive season of improved win totals. Cabool went from zero wins in 2017 to four in 2018, five in 2019 and six last season.
“We just need to keep building on what we are doing. The culture improves each year and these guys understand what it takes to win now. Overall, we will be pretty young this year but I’m excited to see our guys get experience and get better each week,” Cabool head coach Tyler Spittler said.
The Bulldogs graduated four all-conference players, but they do return some key pieces.
Senior Braxton Davis returns to the backfield after he took 124 carries for 614 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He was named Second-Team All-SCA as a junior.
“Braxton will be the guy this year. He will be expected to handle a majority of the carries and he will be a team leader for us,” Spittler said. “Braxton is a great player but he is an even better person. The younger guys really look up to him and he’s exactly the type of kid that you want your younger guys looking up to.”
Classmate Eddie Swisloski will be opening up holes for Davis to run through. Swisloski was named First-Team All-SCA as an offensive lineman. He was also first-team all-conference as a kicker.
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Size is Swisloski’s greatest strength, but it is far from his only asset.
“The easy answer here is his size. He has a D1 frame. What a lot of people don’t see is how hard he works in the weight room and at practice. His football IQ is very high, he understands the why behind what we are doing and knows every position on the line,” Spittler said. “His leadership is crucial. We return one other starter but Eddie is basically like an assistant coach on the field. He knows exactly what we are trying to do and what adjustments we need to make.”
He will be joined up front by Savage Wates, Kadyn Hall, Jeff Gebeke, Logan Walls and Randall Weatherman.
The quarterback battle involves three players in the pre-season including: Jesse Hale (senior), Trey Atkins (sophomore) and Braxton McCall (sophomore).
Sophomore Tyler Fleetwood will join Davis in the backfield at running back. Juniors Evan Counts and Brady Byerley along with sophomore Owen Casper will also see carries this year.
Junior Caleb Graven and sophomores Doug Turpin, Seth Owens and possibly Isaiah White-Wake will see time at receiver. Expect Byerley, Counts, Casper and Fleetwood to also catch some passes.
Expect more running from the Cabool offense this year with the inexperience at quarterback.
“We will be a little more run heavy this year than last year. We will lean on our seniors in Braxton, Eddie, and Savage to help us succeed. I still plan on spreading people out and throwing the ball some too,” Spittler said. “Finding out who the quarterback is will be a major key for us but really overall it will just be experience. We will start a lot of guys with not much varsity experience so there will be a learning curve associated with that.”
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Savage Wates will anchor the defense at middle linebacker. He led the Bulldogs with 94 total tackles including six tackles for a loss last year. He also had 2.5 sacks.
“He has gotten stronger and faster but what I’ve been the most impressed with is how he has really stepped into a leadership role for us. He gives you everything he has on the field so naturally he is one the younger guys respect and look to for guidance,” Spittler said.
Maverick Smith, Connor Hurst, Brady Byerley, Tyler Fleetwood, Owen Casper, Evan Counts, Doug Turpin, Seth Owens, Isaiah White-Wake, and Austin Daniel will all be competing for time at linebacker as well.
Smith had a strong junior season that saw him pull down 64 total tackles and intercept three passes. He is the only returning Cabool player that had any interceptions last season. Hurst was second among those returning linebackers with 49 total tackles including 11 tackles for a loss.
Up front on the defensive line expect to see Eddie Swisloski, Braxton Davis, Jeff Gebeke, Kadyn Hall, Logan Walls, and Randall Weatherman competing for time.
Swisloski had 50 total tackles last year including five tackles for a loss.
The secondary has Caleb Graven, Jay Brennan, Jesse Hale, Hunter Atchley, Trey Atkins, Aceton Gonzalez, Braxton McCall, Koby Sigman, and Will Tucker all vying for snaps.
“Our box should be our strength. Most of our returning guys with experience either play lineman or linebacker so we are going to rely on their experience to have a solid run defense in a run heavy conference,” Spittler said.
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Cabool may be a young team this year, but the expectations continue to rise.
“We need to compete in every game. My first year I felt some of the kids would go into a game thinking they were going to lose,” Spittler said. “Last year, I felt like they knew they could compete with everyone but weren’t sure they could beat them. I feel like this group goes into every game thinking they are going to win.”
Cabool opens the season on Aug. 27 at Miller.
