By Ben Shanahan
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
BLOOMDALE — Elmwood football heads into the season looking to bounce back after a 3-8 record and sixth place finish in their Blanchard Valley Conference debut season.
As summer camp wrapped up, coach Gregg Bishop saw momentum building heading into August’s preseason camp, especially for his underclassmen.
“Camp is for younger guys to get a decent amount of experience,” Bishop said. “We have kids who play on Friday nights already. For them, it’s kind of just fine tuning things.
“We are at the point now where we’re just going to be really good and really sharp at what we’re doing. Obviously, with high school football, you don’t want to overload the kids with a bunch of different schemes. Some people might be really good at what you do and your base stuff. So we’re just really trying to install confidence,” said Bishop.
Bishop says the Royals’ returning players are better prepared to face the BVC with experience after battling through the program’s first year in the conference. Bishop says the new conference proved to be physical, as expected.
“It’s a very tough conference,” Bishop said. “It’s always been a physical conference. It has been even when I was the coach at North Baltimore, when they were in the BVC.
“I know a good amount about these schools and how, just how physical they play. It’s lots of schools like us, country schools, and they play hard, come out, and hit you,” Bishop continued.
“So, you got to be ready every single week. I think for our kids who are a lot younger than we were last year, so having those returners who have played in the BVC is very beneficial,” continued Bishop.
Players with experience stepping into leadership roles include Peyton Schafer and Jesus Almarez, says Bishop.
“Peyton Schafer has stepped up at linebacker and running back for us. So has Jesus Almarez. He moved to running back this year. He’s been a middleback for us, and he’s really just come along strong, really doing his part in the secondary,” said Bishop.
That leadership plays a huge factor when it comes to Friday nights, explains Bishop.
“In every football game, you’re going to have things not go your way,” Bishop said. “You have a series where things just aren’t going well, things aren’t going right, which happens.
“So I think with that and leadership you know it’s kind of a don’t flinch mentality, where, OK, we’ve been here before. We can just keep coming along, keep, you know, chipping away at things. And, you know, we’ll be fine, as long as we just keep our noses down,” said Bishop.
For the Royals, the goal is the same as anywhere else — win the game this week and end up in the state title game at the end of fall. Bishop wants his players to think big.
“We always tell our goals before the year, and they never change,” Bishop said. “We always want to be 1-0 every week, as a varsity squad. That is the vision for that week.
“Our goal is always to make the playoffs, and then we always want to make a run for the state title. I think if you never put it out there, you’re never aiming for them. It just becomes something to talk about. If we put those goals out there, it gives us an aiming point to go after,” said Bishop.
ELMWOOD SCHEDULE
Aug. 23 EVERGREEN
Aug. 30 @ Eastwood
Sept. 6 @ Leipsic
Sept. 13 ADA
Sept. 20 @ Liberty-Benton
Sept. 27 PANDORA-GILBOA
Oct. 4 ARLINGTON
Oct. 11 @ Riverdale
Oct. 18 @ Van Buren
Oct. 25 McCOMB
