By RICHIE HALL
Reporter Sports Editor
Back when there were only five football classes, Westfield was in the top class, 5A, for a hot minute.
Then a sixth class was added. The Shamrocks stayed in 5A, but rose to the occasion and soon became one of the elite teams in that class, culminating in a first-ever state championship in 5A last season.
Now, inevitably, Westfield is back in the big class, 6A, where it looks like it will be staying for quite a while. The Shamrocks must now rise to the occasion again, but don’t worry. Westfield has a championship culture in place and is ready to go with the big boys again.
“I have been very impressed with the culture of our team,” said ‘Rocks coach Jake Gilbert. “They have been great to coach. The work ethic and leadership are as strong as ever. We have a lot of improvement to make, but we are excited to rise into 6A and compete. Our numbers are strong and our staff is still intact. We have high expectations to build on, but our focus is this group and this year. We can’t wait to get going.”
Westfield will have to contend with another inevitable fact of high school football life: Graduating a great senior class. Last year’s seniors set a high standard for the Shamrocks and will be missed.
But there were some younger players who were part of Westfield’s championship run. Chief among them is senior Nate Froelich, who was the Shamrocks’ leading rusher last season, eating up 1150 yards in 213 carries. Froelich also scored 16 touchdowns last year.
Junior Dorian Henson also returns; he saw some time on the field, scoring two touchdowns. Henson will be seen on defense, as a cornerback. Both of Westfield’s safeties are back, and both are juniors: Koby Hauser is slated to start at strong safety, with Owen McGraw in the free safety spot.
Back to the offense. Senior Matthew Robinson will start at left tackle, where he played last season. Senior Kaleb Pettijohn will be one of the Shamrocks’ wide receivers. Pettijohn got some varsity time last season, with three catches, and he also rushed for a touchdown.
This year’s quarterback duties will be taken over by Cameron Nance. The senior played behind a great signal-caller in Andrew Sweet, but did get into a handful of games last season, passing for one touchdown.
Westfield will open its season Friday at Riverview Health Stadium, hosting Harrison. This will be the 13th straight season the ‘Rocks play the Raiders, a rivalry that goes back to when Harrison was part of the Hoosier Crossroads Conference.
“Our team has had a great culture and work ethic,” said Gilbert. “We have a ton of inexperienced players. We will need to continue to grow and improve fundamentally and in confidence. We have some great players who need to play like great players. We are ready to rise to the next level.”
