SPRINGFIELD — Kickapoo put together the most wins in any single campaign in Springfield Public School history last year. If not for a nationally-ranked CBC team, they would have made up half of the Class 6 state championship game.
Head Coach: Kurt Thompson (Second season, 10th overall)
2015 Record: 12-1
Key Players: Sam Gleason (LB) Chris Lawson (QB), Maverick McGee (RB), Peyton Moore (CB), Travis Vokolek (LB/TE)
11 all-conference players are gone from that group, including the Ozark Conference Player of the Year, Malachi Stout. The Chiefs still have plenty of talent to go around and don’t intend to dip in their second year under Kurt Thompson.
"We talked to them about getting back and having a good work ethic,” he said. "We can't look and wait for those other players to make plays. It's our turn now. Hopefully we've learned from that and it'll be a positive for us. “
In his 10th overall year with the program, Thompson is more comfortable with his latest crop after reentering the fold in 2015. That starts with senior quarterback Chris Lawson, who Thompson called another coach on the field. He threw for over 1,600 yards and 20 touchdowns last season and should garner more looks from college coaches.
"I've pulled him off to the side and said: 'Chris, you've got to talk to us. If there is stuff you're liking or not liking, let us know.' He's been under center for enough snaps that he knows what we need to do and what he's comfortable with."
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Senior Maverick McGee will assume the primary ball-carrying duties after getting most of the snaps alongside Stout in 2015. He racked up 892 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 8.1 yards per carry.
Both he and Lawson will have to get accustomed to a new offensive line. Zac Bray (All-State) and Ken Coopwood (All-Conference) are among the talented group that departed. Senior Grant Martin is the only returning starter after being named to the All-Ozark Conference second team last year. The play in the trenches could prove to be the difference to the Chiefs’ success rate.
“(Martin) will have a tremendous season for us. We just have some other pieces of that puzzle to get ironed out.”
Senior Travis Vokolek should be Kickapoo’s other collegiate prize. At 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, he will be the leader of the defense while seeing increased time at tight end. He picked up 81 tackles and three interceptions last year.
Those numbers will fuel a defense that allowed 14 points or fewer in six straight games last year.
"He creates a physical mismatch just with his stature. He'll play offense for us and that's our goal. We had a lot of kids that played just one way that 1 1/2 or 1 3/4-time players. It's their job and our job to make sure they can go out and play hard for that many snaps on a Friday night.”
If the Chiefs can get the same level of production out of two-way players, they look to be the early favorites to snag a second straight conference championship.
Kickapoo opens the season at Parkview on Aug. 19.
