Walworth Big Foot must overcome graduation losses to make it nine in a row
WALWORTH—Walworth Big Foot has owned the Rock Valley Conference in football the last decade.
The Chiefs have won at least a share of eight straight Rock Valley South titles and were riding a 54-game conference winning streak before losing to Brodhead/Juda in the regular-season finale a year ago.
Will the domination continue in 2015?
Second-year coach Greg Enz says it's too soon to tell.
“We should be able to contend if our youth and inexperience are able to mature quickly enough,” Enz said. “We have better depth than we've had in a few years, but we lost a great deal of experience from the past senior class.
“I think we'll know a lot more about this team after Week 4. We will start out with a challenging first four games topped off with Brodhead/Juda in Week 4.”
Big Foot finished 7-3 a year ago and shared the Rock Valley South title with Brodhead/Juda. The Chiefs lost in the first round of the playoffs for the first time in nine years.
Big Foot averaged 28.3 points per game but must replace all-conference quarterback Brett Morris and all-conference running back Brandon Hausner.
Senior Zak Greco and sophomore Jackson Enz are vying for the quarterback job.
Junior Olinh Craig gets the nod at tailback, while senior Ben Bauer is also expected to start in the backfield. Big Foot averaged 179 rushing yards per game last season.
At 6-foot-5, Beau Cary is an imposing target at tight end. Senior Michael Heidenreich led the team in touchdown receptions a year ago.
“I think we're going to have to be balanced offensively,” Greg Enz said. “And I also think we're going to have to have the ability to adjust to what the defense is giving us so that we're able to take advantage of that.”
Seniors John Rebhorn and Mark Schauf lead the offensive line, along with sophomore Danny Carpenter and junior Edward Uden.
Greco was an all-state selection at defensive back last year and will anchor a secondary that also includes senior Mickey Setteducate.
Bauer was a first-team all-Rock Valley South selection at linebacker a year ago and will be joined by Craig.
“Our overall depth and team speed should be able to play out favorably for us,” Enz said. “But our inexperience, especially in the playmaker area and the loss of some very dominant linemen, will be important areas to address early.”
Graduation hit Big Foot's program hard, but that's also the case at Brodhead/Juda and Clinton, the two teams expected to challenge the Chiefs for the conference title.
A ninth straight title isn't out of the question. It's just not going to come as easily as the previous eight.
ROSTER
Number, Name, year, height, weight, position.
18, Austin Brongiel, So., 5-8, 146, WR/DB
70, Danny Carpenter, So., 5-8, 265, OL/DL
78, Aaron Carpenter, So., 5-8, 222, OL/DL
7, Jackson Enz, So., 6-0, 167, QB/WR
80, Jack Heidenreich, So., 5-11, 139, WR/DB
90, Connor Hessman, So., 6-0, 155, TE/DE
35, Jose Mercado, So., 5-8, 165, FB/LB
25, Tucker Milligan, So., 5-7, 126, WR/DB
45, Sam Ritchey, So., 5-6, 178, RB/LB
51, Ethan Rowland, So., 5-7, 215, OL/DL
81, Hunter Sharpe, So., 5-9, 141, OL/DL
10, Pedro Sierra, So., 5-11, 157, TE/DB
59, Taylor Trotti, So., 5-6, 235, OL/DL
66, John Volschow, So., 6-2, 334, OL/DL
86, Grant Yttri, So., 5-10, 149, SE/DB
9, Thallin Baker, Jr., 5-4, 137, WR/DB
26, Travis Berryman, Jr., 5-5, 120, WR/DB
48, Beau Cary, Jr., 6-5, 193, TE/DE
67, Charlie Chalchoff, Jr., 6-2, 220, OL/DE
15, Jacque Christman, Jr., 5-11, 161, FB/LB
36, Olinh Craig, Jr., 5-10, 207, TB/LB
5, Brennan Malone, Jr., 5-6, 145, FB/DB
23, Matt Orick, Jr., 5-6, 140, RB/LB
30, Michael Petkoff, Jr., 6-0, 171, WR/DB
64, Devin Rankins, Jr., 5-7, 196, OL/DL
3, Andrew Rego, Jr., 5-9, 163, WR/DB
83, Nelson Tovar, Jr., 6-2, 155, WR/DB
79, Edward Uden, Jr., 5-10, 240, OL/DL
11, Kasey Woodside, Jr., 5-11, 135, WR/DB
81, Quentin Arnold, Sr., 5-11, 136, WR/DB
42, Ben Bauer, Sr., 5-8, 183, RB/LB
19, Zak Greco, Sr., 5-9, 192, QB/DB
8, Michael Heidenreich, Sr., 6-1, 163, WR/DB
55, Greg Kovarik, Sr., 6-2, 231, OL/DL
22, Charlie Peterson, Sr., 5-5, 163, TB/DB
75, Dan Rabic, Sr., 5-10, 199, OL/DL
74, John Rebhorn, Sr., 5-11, 272, OL/DL
61, Mark Schauf, Sr., 6-1, 191, OL/DL
24, Mickey Setteducate, Sr., 5-11, 167, FB/DB
4, Jose Sierra, Sr., 5-9, 155, WR/DB