Another Hurdle Of Adversity For Tuscola

TUSCOLA — With no more film to watch, Rick Reinhart couldn’t keep his eyes open to watch Thursday night’s NFL game even though he hoped to.
Reinhart’s week leading up to Tuscola’s quarterfinal game against Astoria South Fulton was busier than he ever wanted.
On Tuesday, two days after his team notched a come-from-behind win against unbeaten Mount Sterling Brown County, Reinhart’s mother died. As Reinhart’s biggest fan, Irene helped talk him into taking the Tuscola job so she could be in the stands and watch her son coach. She did that once this season, but a fall led to further health problems that kept her at home.
“It’s been tough,” a choked up Reinhart said. “My mom was a great example of a football mom. We had all these plans, but she never quite made it back from the fall.”
Reinhart and Tuscola are no strangers to adversity. In the spring of 2008, wide receiver Gunnar Edwards’ mom died after falling on stairs at the family’s home. Thankfully for Reinhart and Tuscola, the practice field has given them a place to escape.
“I think what has made it able to cope is just the great coaches and the kids,” Reinhart said. “Just the fact on the practice field that you forget everything.”
The field has been a savior all year for the Warriors, who have battled bits of adversity related to the roster. Injuries and suspensions have dramatically changed the lineups between Game 1 and Game 12. The response from the players on the field every week has been the same — we can win with who we have.
“It seems like every week there is a different adversity and they have learned to stay focused and get better,” Reinhart said. “It’s a great credit to these kids who have stuck with it and had faith.”
Sophomore Josh Brookins was one of those players in last week’s win. Without stud linebacker Jordan Knerr, Brookins filled in and helped keep Tuscola’s defense strong and steady. Along with Brookins, T.J. Onstott, Chase Little, Phillip Meyer and Jack Leonard are some others who have stepped into roles.
“Every week something new seems to come up and it’s always tough, but we have a lot of players who we’re always confident in to put out there,” senior Matt Pflum said.
Reinhart credits his coaching staff for its talent evaluating skills because each roster move it makes seems to work, especially on defense. The Warriors (8-3) enter today’s game giving up only 7.2 points a game.
“The defense just continues to get better,” Reinhart said. “You look at who we started with and it’s totally different, but it hasn’t mattered.”
A Tuscola win would cap an emotional week for Reinhart and send his team to the semi-finals. Pflum said the team is ready to do “something special for him,” but Reinhart insists that he wants this win for the players who continue to battle each week.
“A win would mean a lot, but I want them to play for themselves,” Reinhart said. “I want them to win this game because we have so many kids who have made mistakes and the kids who haven’t deserve to win.
“This is for them.”
South Fulton brings similar style of defense
Tuscola quarterback Phillip Meyer is going to be seeing a lot of what his own team does defensively.
South Fulton (8-3) mirrors the Warriors on the defensive end with hopes of pressuring the quarterback into poor decisions. Rebels’ coach Dave Wilson knows what to expect from Tuscola and he thinks his team is ready.
“They only have 11 out there just like we do,” Wilson said about Tuscola. “It’s a game of football with basics of blocking and tackling. We’re playing pretty well and hopefully we can show up and play hard.”
South Fulton does have a quarterback who’s passed for more than 1,600 yards, but he left last week’s game against Greenfield in the first quarter with an injured ankle. His status for today’s game is unknown.
The Rebels also have a 1,300-yard back in Tyler Perry, who’s also scored six touchdowns.
Today’s game kicks off at 4 p.m. in Tuscola.
lbridges@herald-review.com|421-6970

Published in the Herald & Review in November 2009.

Cumberland Reloads For State Title Run

TOLEDO — When a team loses four of its most productive players, the following season is usually one of rebuilding.
That hasn’t been the case for Cumberland’s volleyball team.
After a run in the postseason that led to a third-place finish in Class 1A a year ago, the Pirates lost its top hitter, setter, defender and their second-best blocker, along with five-year coach Drew Robertson.
Insert coach Monica McNeil, who coached the Pirates before Robertson, and the team hasn’t stumbled at all. In fact, the group enters tonight’s sectional with fewer losses (2) than last year’s team (4).
“It has been fun,” said McNeil, who coached all of her players at the junior high level during the last several years. “I am familiar with this group and it’s a good group. They’ve worked really hard to be where we’re at.”
McNeil was talked into taking the job back by her husband and her assistant. The logic was simple considering she helped these same girls to state during the junior high years. Other than age, nothing has changed with McNeil and the girls.
“She has always made us work hard and pushes us to be our best,” senior setter Brittany Whitaker said. “She really wants us back at state.”
Before the team can enjoy a return trip to state, it has to overcome two familiar opponents this week.
South Central and Edwards County were the only teams to beat Cumberland this season and both are in its sectional. First up is South Central who beat the Pirates without starting hitter Macy Shupe, one of the team’s best players.
“With her back, I think we have a really good chance,” Whitaker said. “We have improved tremendously.”
McNeil remembers the match against South Central all too well. Everything went wrong for her team and not having Shupe in the lineup didn’t help an off night for the Pirates.
“It will be a good fight,” McNeil said about the match against South Central. “South Central is a tough team and we know what kind of match we’re walking in to.”
If Cumberland gets by South Central, it’s likely that Edwards County will be waiting. During their run to state last year, the Pirates outlasted Edwards County in three sets in the sectional.
“It would be so big because we lost a lot of talent,” Whitaker said about getting back to state. “We had to become a new team and it’s been about putting it all together.”
After fighting illnesses, injuries and other distractions, McNeil is confident that her team can put it all together for this week’s competition.
“Honestly, if the girls are at 100 percent both nights, we have a chance to get out of this week,” McNeil said.
Cumberland’s match against South Central is at 7 tonight at Red Hill High School. If the Pirates win, they will play the winner of Edwards County and Eldorado at 7 p.m. Thursday.
lbridges@herald-review.com|421-6970

Published in the Herald & Review in November 2009.

Pana Proves It Can Play Physical

PANA — Pittsfield got a great look at what Pana football is all about a week ago.
It’s unlikely Pittsfield would describe it as explosive or thrilling. But there’s no doubt they would label it effective.
The Panthers didn’t waver from its defense-first style of play that allows the offense to settle into games. In fact, with the game far from over, Pana used a punishing 20-play drive to melt nine minutes off the clock and seal its first-round 12-8 upset against the eight-win host.
“When you keep the ball that long, the other team’s offense can’t hurt you,” Pana (7-3) coach Al Stupek said.
Considering his defense has thrived all season behind five roaming linebackers, it’s a surprise he doesn’t want his defense on the field more. Stupek, in his second year at Pana, employs the 3-5 defense because he’s got great linebackers. The reasons they’re great are simple — they like to tackle and they work hard.
“It’s not a surprise to us that we’re playing good defense,” Stupek said. “Our linebackers are versatile, quick and they make plays. We have a whole bunch of guys who like to tackle people.”
Making life easier on the backers is nose tackle Alan Handy. Handy is 6-5, 320 pounds and demands double teams, which allows Stupek to bring blitzing linebackers from different places all game.
“It’s old,” Handy said about facing double teams. “But that’s the goal every game so a backer can come through free.”
Senior linebacker Jake Wicks has been one of those backers running free. He’s totaled 114 tackles, third-most in the area, while the unit is one of the area’s best. Pana hasn’t allowed any team to score more than 24 points and has allowed only 9.3 points a game.
“We have to try and get a helmet on all their defenders in every play and that’s a tall order,” Anna-Jonesboro (7-3) coach Brett Detering said.
Stupek likes that his aggressive, hard-hitting defense is complemented by a similar offense. While the group hasn’t put up incredible numbers (only averaging 21.1 points a game), it’s been able to win games just like last weekend.
“We are lining up and trying to run at people,” Stupek said. “If it doesn’t work then we’ll keep trying. But if we can control the clock by chewing up time and yardage, we’re going to do it.”
Anna-Jonesboro likes to run the ball, too, but it’s out of an option attack. Detering is hopeful that Pana’s too aggressive and that will allow his quarterback to make the correct read and pitch, which will create positive gains.
“Some times teams are still aggressive and disciplined, but there are breakdowns and we need to take advantage of those,” Detering said.
Handy compared the Wildcats run game to a Vandalia team that Pana beat 22-14. The Vandals rushed for 154 yards on 55 carries in the loss.
“They’re a good team, but we’re not too worried,” Handy said about Anna-Jonesboro. “If we play like we can, we should beat them.”
The smash-mouth football offensively and defensively has helped Pana to its most wins in 11 years and at 2 p.m. today the Panthers host Anna-Jonesboro. All three of Pana’s losses — Carlinville, Greenville and Hillsboro — came at home.
lbridges@herald-review.com|421-6970

Published in the Herald & Review in November 2009.