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Team pride has taken over the Superior High School football team.
It wasn’t too long ago that the Spartans were a struggling program, barley winning a game or two. Just five years ago they actually suffered through a winless season.
Boy, have things turned around.
Under the guidance of head coach Bob DeMeyer, a sense of pride has taken over the Spartans, and that has led to WIAA playoff berths the past two seasons.
Team pride is also apparent with a record number of players out for this year’s team. The Spartans opened camp with 93 kids, at least 20 more than DeMeyer’s first three years as head coach at SHS.
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Taking a lead in team pride for this year’s team are senior captains Ethan Taylor and Kellen McCoshen, who came upon the idea of fixing up the press box at Ole Haugsrud Field. The task was to include a fresh coat of paint and “Home of the Spartans” stenciled across the front.
“It started out with us just thinking about how we can help improve our playing area and add a little bit more school spirit,” Taylor said. “Everybody knows it’s the college’s field, so we wanted to do something that made it feel more like our home, too. We didn’t know exactly what we wanted to do, but there were a lot of things that needed work.”
McCoshen then remembered SHS graduate Dan Tracy giving him an idea for a senior project.
“Dan said we should paint Ole Haugsrud, not just the press box, but the bleachers, railings and everything else that needed a coat of paint,” McCoshen said. “After we thought about it, we decided to start with the press box. It’s the first thing you see when drive down Belknap and it wasn’t looking too good. Now when people drive by, they know it’s the home of the Spartans. It’s a big deal to us and to the team.”
Things turned for the better for Taylor and McCoshen when Rob Anderson heard about the project from UW-Superior’s Steven Kirk, who is in charge of athletic facilities on campus. Excited about the improvements, Anderson talked to his employers at Field Logic, who then donated a “Home of the Spartans” sign, similar to those on hockey arena boards.
After a tweak here and there to the design, it was a go and Anderson installed the new sign Wednesday morning.
“It looks awesome,” Taylor said.
Taylor and McCoshen gave most of the credit for a successful job to Kirk and UWS.
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“Steve couldn’t have been more helpful,” Taylor said. “He took time out of his busy schedule to help us out in any way he could. He also provided us with pretty much everything we needed, including scrapers, extension cords, brushes and paint and he even opened the gates whenever we needed.
“He’s basically been there helping us the whole way. He’s been great.”
Taylor and McCoshen figure to have a little more than 20 man hours into the project. That number could have been a bit higher if not for the help from classmates Scott Collins, Jordan Butera, Jake Turkowski, Ryan O’Neill, Chad Murray, Zach Colvin, Elyse Gunderson and Megan Berg.
“They helped for about a half hour, doing some work on the windows,” McCoshen laughed. “When they realized it was going to be hard work, they went and sat on the field, threw the football around a bit and watched Ethan and I paint the rest of it.
“It was a fun time, though.”
With their senior project behind them, Taylor and McCoshen quickly turned their attention to the start of the 2009 football season, which begins tonight with the Spartans hosting Stevens Point, one of the top ranked teams in Wisconsin.
“We’re actually looking forward to playing Point,” Taylor said. “We’ve been working really hard on offense and defense. The last couple of years haven’t been as intense as this year.”
Following is a preview of the 2009 Spartans:
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Offense
McCoshen has taken over as quarterback after the departure of Joe Reichert, a three-year starter with the Spartans, who is now playing for the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs.
“We’ve had Joe here for a while and there’s never been any worries,” DeMeyer said. “He’s helped get the program to the next level and he will be missed.”
McCoshen expected to battle with, or even share, the QB position with junior Joel Lindberg, who, after attending Superior’s quarterback camp during the summer decided not to play football.
“Joel is a tremendous athlete and we talked about things we were going to do offensively with both of them,” DeMeyer said. “One could have taken the snap and the other could have lined up somewhere else. Unfortunately, Joel decided not to come out and focus on basketball.
“But we’re solid without him. Kellen is unbelievable and is going to give us everything we want from that position. His leadership, athletic ability and everything, he’s the read deal and everything we need at the QB.”
McCoshen is backed up by junior Rob Dembroski and sophomores Nolan LaPorte and Blake Johnson, who will be the junior varsity starter.
The only returning starter on offense is running back Zach Colvin, who recently committed to attend college and playoff football at North Dakota State University.
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Cole Schorr was also expected to be back on the offensive line, but he broke a leg before practice started and will likely miss the entire season.
“That’s a tough deal,” DeMeyer said. “Cole never missed a workout, he loves football and worked real hard getting ready for the season. He just loves being a Spartan.”
Joining Colvin in the backfield will be seniors Chad Murray, A.J. Soland, Turkowski, Taylor and Chris Bishop and juniors Dan Quade, Zach Erickson and Casey Preston.
“Quade saw action late last year and has a lot more confidence and has worked hard in the offseason,” DeMeyer said.
Murray, a fullback, transferred to Superior after playing the past three years at Northwood High School in Minong.
“He’s fitting in really well,” DeMeyer said. “On offense, he’s a physical runner. He’s quiet, but he works hard every rep and has really gotten a grasp of what’s going on here.”
The wide receiver corps consists of seniors Mike LaValley, Jake Mergen, Jordan Butera and Zach Wohlwend and juniors Josh Gordon and Matt Frechette.
Battling for spots on the offensive line are seniors Tim Mahan, O’Neill and Byron Zuchowski, juniors Cody Kitch, Eric Olson, Mark Murray, Cam Stanley, Chris Fuhrman, Shawn Mattson, Ben Drinkwine, Cam Kalan and sophomores Garrett Franik and Ben Regner.
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“We’re young on the offensive line, but we have a lot of hard working kids who will keep getting better,” DeMeyer said.
Defense
The Spartans have plenty of experience back on defense, including at least eight starters.
The defensive line is anchored by seniors Nikola Bogojevic (5-10, 285) and Scott Collins 5-8, 280). They are joined by Zuchowski, Drinkwine and senior Rafael Ramirez on the inside while seniors Butera and Andrew Bronson, and Mattson, Stanley, Kitch and Josh Kimmes are vying for time at defensive end.
“Butera started last season before getting hurt and Bronson has looked really good so far. He’s really done a nice job,” DeMeyer said. “Kimmes, a junior, is out for football for the first time. He’s big and athletic, so when he learns the game he’s going to help us out a lot.”
Taylor, Mergen, Preston and Murray are the inside linebackers and Turkowski, Soland and Billy Lamoreaux, a senior, are on the outside.
LaValley, Colvin, Erickson, Quade, Bishop, Gordon and Frechette will be manning the defensive backfield.
Those players are trying to replace Chris Blake, a three-year starter, who is continuing his playing career at UMD along with Reichert.
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“We have to step it up 100 percent,” Colvin said. “We’ve looked pretty good in camp, but come our first game of the season against a team like Stevens Point, that’s not going to cut it.
“We have nine or 10 starters back on defense this year, but we still have to pick up our intensity. We were mediocre in our scrimmages, so we really have to pick up the slack before the season starts.”
Special Teams
Former Spartan soccer player David Zastrow, a senior, is the kicker, McCoshen or Taylor will do the punting and Turkowski or Dembroski will be the long snapper.
“David has a good leg and has worked hard,” DeMeyer said. “Now he’s working on his timing, the snap, the hold and the kick, but it’s coming.”
Strengths: leadership
“We really have a nice group of players that lead by example,” DeMeyer said. “That helps a lot when it comes to working on the little things during practice.
“If we have any weaknesses, I’d say it’s our inexperience, especially on the offensive side of the ball.”
Goals
“Our No. 1 goal is always to win the Big Rivers Conference, something we’ve never done before,” DeMeyer said. “After that, we’re currently working on our team and individual goals. We’ll eventually compile a list of our goals and post them on the wall in the locker room or weight room.”
Schedule
The Spartans added Stevens Point to a schedule that already included a non-conference game against D.C. Everest, a team Superior has lost to three times over the past two seasons.
Things won’t get any easier as the Spartans open BRC play against Hudson and Menomonie, both playoff regulars.
“We know we’re playing some of the best teams in the state right away, so we’re going to have to be ready,” Taylor said.
Superior defeated Stevens Point the last time they played. The win came during the 1988 playoffs when the Spartans eventually lost in the state title game.
Coaching staff
The JV staff includes Steve Hendry, a 1980 graduate of SHS and standout quarterback at UWS.
On the air
KUWS 91.3 FM has ceased broadcasting SHS football games. The WEBC The FAN 560 AM has picked up some of the slack and will air four of Superior’s home games, including tonight’s game with Stevens Point. SHS football games may also be found on the Internet at ifan.tv.
SPARTAN SPIN: The 1983 Spartan football team will be recognized during halftime of tonight’s game. That squad lost in the state semifinals when D.C. Everest. … The Spartans are also hosting an alumni touch football tournament on Saturday at Ole Haugsrud Field. For more information call DeMeyer at 591-2671.
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