TALAWANDA
Coach: J.D. Vonderheide, fifth season (12-29)
OHSAA designation: Division III, Region 12
Playoff history: 1-3 in three appearances (1991, 2000, 2014)
2015 record: 0-10 overall, 0-6 in the Southwest Ohio Conference (seventh)
Schedule: Aug. 26 — Madison, 7 p.m.; Sept. 3 — at Badin, 7 p.m.; Sept. 9 — Eaton, 7 p.m.; Sept. 16 — at New Richmond, 7 p.m.; Sept. 23 — Little Miami, 7 p.m.; Sept. 30 — Harrison, 7 p.m.; Oct. 7 — at Mount Healthy, 7 p.m.; Oct. 14 — Edgewood, 7 p.m.; Oct. 21 — at Northwest, 7 p.m.; Oct. 28 — at Ross, 7 p.m.
Talawanda High School football coach J.D. Vonderheide said his team is going back to its roots this season after struggling to find an identity last year.
The Braves, using several inexperienced players, couldn’t replace the production lost from 2,500-yard rusher Maurice Thomas after a 2014 playoff run, and found themselves pulling in too many different directions. The result was the program’s third winless season since its inception in 1956.
With several returning players, Talawanda has a more clear direction as it turns back to what it has always done best. The Braves hope a renewed focus on the running game can lead them to contention in the Southwest Ohio Conference.
“We’re going to be a run-heavy team — that’s our identity and something we got away from a little too much last year,” Vonderheide said. “We threw a little more than we would like to because we weren’t establishing the run and we had pretty inexperienced players, but we have to go back to focusing on what we’ve always done best.”
The Braves’ top two rushers from last year — Mason Kuhn (666 rushing yards) and Connor Wentzell (634) — graduated, but new tailbacks Blake Bryan and Tyler Prater have a more experienced offensive line to work behind. All-SWOC first-team lineman Tanner Orona leads a group which also includes seniors Kyle Broshear, Derek Corcoran and Noah Russell, as well as Andrew O’Donnell at tight end.
Quarterback Logan Kamphaus returns and is looking much improved after a slow start that resulted in a change last year.
“He was one of those guys with growing pains last year, but he’s really matured through the process and has done a great job through the offseason and preseason,” Vonderheide said.
Luke Croucher and Sam Wespiser will be among his top throwing targets, but also are the anchors on defense, which will remain focused on providing heavy pressure from a 4-2-5 formation. Croucher is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound safety, and Wespiser is a 6-foot, 205-pound linebacker. Orona and O’Donnell lead the defensive line, which adds Michael Nava at nose guard.
Depth continues to be a concern while coming from the younger classes with little to no experience; however, Vonderheide said if the team can stay healthy, there is enough returning experience in the starting lineup to carry the Braves.
“Last year, we were a lot younger than what we led onto,” Vonderheide said. “Obviously, when you lose the talent of Maurice Thomas and the leadership of that senior class (from 2014), that is tough to replace, but we also had guys banged up and guys going two ways, so we had a lot of inexperienced players.
“It was overwhelming for some, but they developed into their roles and now that bodes well because a lot of them are back. We took our lumps last year, but it will help us in 2016 because those kids are not overwhelmed by the Friday night lights anymore. All the pieces are here to be competitive — they were last year too, but we struggled to put the puzzle together. The pieces of the puzzle are starting to come together.”
Vonderheide said despite the inexperience last year, going 0-10 was still a shock after making the playoffs the year before. Talawanda also was winless in 2011 and 1975.
The Braves had two losses by seven points or less last season, but now they are anxious to get back on the winning side. They open at home Friday against Madison.
“Last year was a very humbling experience going from being a playoff team in 2014 and creating those expectations and then coming through a year you don’t win, so it’s a motivating factor and we’re very anxious to get the taste of last year out of our mouth,” Vonderheide said. “We had a great offseason, the kids have done a great job committing and buying into what we’re trying to do. Now it’s time to go out and perform as quickly as we can to get 2015 behind us.”
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