By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
Willow Springs has been able to celebrate only nine wins on the gridiron over the past three years, but new Bears coach Travis Payne points out his players know how to win.
Willow Springs’ boys basketball team captured the Class 4 District 11 championship and made the quarterfinal round on its way to 22 wins last winter.
On the track, Gavin Ferguson and Nate McDaniel were part of the Bears’ 4 x 100 relay that was fifth at Sectionals last spring.
Ferguson, McDaniel and Scooter Osborn were key cogs on the hardwood for Willow Springs and also figure prominently in Payne’s plans. He absolutely believes their winning ways elsewhere will carry over to football.
“They had success in basketball and track and baseball improved,” Payne said. “Winning is contagious. It’s carried over from what I’ve seen coming in. The kids are getting better in the weight room and are focused on football.”
Osborn, Ferguson and McDaniel are each entering their senior season and like many of their teammates, will be starting on offense and defense.
“It’s the same 11 on offense and defense,” Payne said. “We’re hoping to get to 12 or 13 and be able to switch up a couple players. But it will be the same core of kids on the field both ways.
“Coming to a new place, that’s often how you’ve got to start,” he added. “Hopefully, we will grow into having more depth and not have as many kids going both ways.”
Naturally, conditioning has been a top pre-season priority. To that end, Payne reports his players have prepared themselves to play all of 48 minutes or more each and every Friday night.
“There are times we have to get the kids motivated to get there. But they’ve been working hard all summer and are in the best shape of their lives,” he said. “They’re ready.”
Offensively, Willow Springs passed for an average of 102 yards and ran for an average of 94 yards a game last season.
The backfield includes Ferguson and McDaniel at running back and Taylor Rothermich at quarterback.
“Gavin and Nate give us speed out of the backfield,” Payne said.
DOWNLOAD THE O-ZONE APP NOW!
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR APPLE
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID
Payne likes Ryan Koehler’s big-play potential and physicality at wide receiver. The 6-foot-4 Koehler was an All-South Central Association selection last year.
The Bears figure to be strong along the offensive line, with Osborn, Warren Ennis and Gennadiy Dudko all proven performers. Osborn was tabbed an All-South Central Association choice last season.
Dudko is a 6-foot-3, 235-pound tight end, Osborn is 5-11 and 240 pounds and Ennis 6-0 and 220 pounds.
“Scooter is a good athlete with great experience,” Payne said. “Thomas is new to football. As a first-year player on offense last year, he did a great job blocking up front. He’s a strong kid. Warren broke his leg. He’s a hungry kid who is working hard in practice. He’s got great speed at guard, and is a great puller.
“We’ve got good size up front and good physicality,” he added. “But we’ve still got a lot of things to clean up (in August).”
Payne is incorporating a spread-option offense and feels the process is going well.
“It hasn’t been bad,” he said. “They knew what they were doing offensively last year, when they didn’t run exclusively in the gun, but they did it. So, it’s been a good transition for them. With Taylor, there’s a lot of experience there. He’s picking things up and has run some option.”
Payne used the spread option in his three years as offensive coordinator at California. The Pintos went from averaging 13.7 points a game in Payne’s first season at California to averaging more than 30 points a game the past two seasons.
“It’s versatile,” he said of the spread option. “We can use it a lot of different ways depending on the type of kids we have. We have different packages we can use. They seem to like it. The offense can get fast at times and the kids enjoy an up-tempo.”
Payne thinks Thomas Sidorovich could emerge as a difference-maker as an effective kicker.
Willow Springs welcomes back eight starters defensively from a unit that gave up four touchdowns or more in seven of its eight losses.
As a defensive end, Dudko received All-South Central Association and All-District honors last season and Osborn was named an All-District defensive end.
Rothermich is back at free safety, Koehler at cornerback, Ferguson at linebacker, Ian Smith at linebacker and Ennis is moving from guard to linebacker.
Payne, who played college ball at Benedictine and started his coaching career as an assistant for seven seasons at El Dorado Springs, is happy at Willow Springs.
“There has been a ton of support,” he said. “Everyone is excited. I’ve heard it’s a great community and that even in years when they were without a lot of success, they built a new stadium, which is awesome. The community is hungry to get wins. That’s what we’re working for.”
