This Saturday @ 1 p.m. Mid-Buchanan (13-0) takes on Windsor (14-0) for the Missouri Class 1 State Championship. Photo by @HelmetMissouri
The 2020 high school football season has been one of uncertainty.
With the state of the country being what it is during the pandemic, no one was sure if a season would even be played.
The Mid-Buchanan Dragons (13-0) and Windsor Greyhounds (14-0) have successfully navigated their way through the uncertainty to reach the plateau of high school football in the Missouri Class 1 Division.
Both teams take the field at Blair Oaks High School this Saturday at one p.m. in search of their schools first ever State Championship and this monumental feat is something both head coaches know is an experience their players will never forget.
“It’s just really exciting for everyone. We have all poured our lives into being the best team and family that we can be,” said Mid-Buchanan head coach Aaron Fritz. “Tons of sacrifice has been made to get us where we are. I’m very proud of everyone and fortunate to coach great young men, and coach alongside my friends.”
“The fact that we have earned the right to play in a State Championship game to represent our school and community is an honor for our program,” said Windsor head coach Jake Vencill. “This is a special group of young men who play for one another and have a bond like I have never seen in my coaching career.”
Path to State
To understand these unique yet eerily similar paths to State, we need to first go back to 2015.
That was the year Aaron Fritz took over head coach duties at Mid-Buchanan and changed the culture of a program historically at the bottom of the KCI Conference totem pole.
Fritz took over a winless team and led them to five victories in his first year as head coach, coincidentally Windsor also finished the 2015 season with a 5-6 record.
The following season, the Dragons’ finished with an identical 5-6 record. Meanwhile 2016 is when Jake Vencill took over head coaching duties at Windsor, leading the Greyhounds to a 4-6 record in his inaugural season.
In 2017 Windsor made a dramatic turn around with a four-win improvement and an 8-3 record.
Mid-Buchanan on the other hand, finished with their worst record under Fritz at 1-9. However, the Dragons were on the cusp of a record-breaking run.
Mid-Buchanan won their third straight District Championship this year. Two years ago Windsor won their first District Championship in 30 year. Windsor photo by @windsorhighfootballgreyhounds
Over the next two years the Dragons record was 21-7, with two District Championships and back-to-back Class 1 Semifinal appearances under their belt.
On the flip side, Windsor was making an impressive run of their own, winning 17 games while losing seven. The Greyhounds also won a District Championship for the first time in 30 years during that time.
Which brings us to this season, Mid-Buchanan enters this game with an unblemished record of 13-0 while Windsor comes in sitting at 14-0.
Since 2015, Windsor’s overall record is 48-22 while Mid-Buchanan’s is 45-28.
Irresistible Force vs Immovable Object
On paper, this contest has all the makings of a heavyweight prize fight. It is one of only two Missouri State Championships to feature two undefeated teams, the other is the Class 4 showdown between MICDS and Helias Catholic.
Ready to throw the haymakers for their respective teams are running backs TJ Runyan of Mid-Buchanan and Dalton Witherspoon of Windsor.
The best word to describe Runyan is dynamic. The Dragon senior has rushed for 1,425 yards and scored 20 touchdowns. His semifinal performance against Adrian is one that will live on forever in Mid-Buchanan football lore.
Across the field is a back who has been just as dynamic in Witherspoon. So far in his junior campaign, Witherspoon has rushed for 2,386 yards and scored 34 touchdowns.
Both backs can catch the ball out of the backfield as they both have over 300 yards receiving this season as well.
The running backs aren’t the only weapons at their teams disposal this weekend, both teams sport quarterbacks that can hurt you with their arm or their legs.
Javan Noyes, who has been starting at Mid-Buchanan since he was a freshman, has thrown for 2,568 yards and ran for another 1,264 and scored 56 touchdowns. His counterpart on Windsor, fellow senior Kenton Sargent, has passed for 1,420 yards, ran for 426 and scored 30 touchdowns.
(Left) Javan Noyes #12 leads Mid-Buchanan into the State Championship to take on quarterback (Right) Kenton Sargent and the Greyhounds. Windsor photo by @windsorhighfootballgreyhounds
While both teams have quarterbacks and running backs that grab most of the headlines, each team has a plethora of playmakers able to score at a moments notice.
When Mid-Buchanan has the ball, Windsor needs to keep an eye on players like Rawlins Brant, Butch Walters and Lane Ellison.
“Mid-Buchanan will be the most complete team we have played with a potent rushing and passing attack,” Vencill said. “They challenge you at all three levels of defense with talented skill players and do a great job of getting them in space.”
Windsor brings Dylan Witherspoon, Jacob Berube and Camden Foster as offensive threats of their own.
"They have tons of playmakers for their quarterback to get the ball to and they run the ball very well with other guys behind their big line,” Fritz said. “We expect them to attack us a ton with their run game, and then try and get us off balance with their downfield passing game that they are very good at.”
Defense, Defense, Defense
(Left) Mid-Buchanan defenders take down the Adrian runner as their teammate hauls in the fumble. (Right) Windsor defenders apply pressure to the Marceline quarterback. Windsor photo by @windsorhighfootballgreyhounds
We know both offensive units can score, but the defensive units stepping on the field Saturday have played lights out this season.
Mid-Buchanan comes in allowing just nine points a game. Tenacious and unrelenting are the words best used to describe the Dragon defense.
Cage Burns leads the team in tackles with 102, while Butch Walters has 84 and Lane Ellison has 77.
Mid-Buchanan has recovered 20 fumbles and hauled in 18 interceptions, eight of which by Caiden Bailey.
“They are fast and aggressive, we need to have balance offensively, establish the running game, and look for opportunities with our passing attack,” Vencill said. “Overall, we need to take care of the football, sustain, and finish drives with points.”
Setting the tone for Windsor defensively are Dalton Witherspoon with 117 tackles while Kenton Sargent has 109 and Dusty Johnson has 98 of his own.
Windsor has also recovered 20 fumbles along with 20 interceptions. Leading the team in interceptions is Camden Foster with eight.
“They are a very fast and physical defense,” Fritz said. “They don’t give up very many big plays and if you do manage to gain yards, they are fast enough to chase you down.”
For All The Marbles
In a year of uncertainty, one thing is for certain, this Saturday one of these teams will leave Blair Oaks High School with their first ever State Championship.
The ultimate achievement for two teams whose paths these past six seasons have led them here.
Comentarios