Madison football coach and Dean of Students Sean Conway selected three seniors to preview their team’s upcoming season. Conway said one of this team’s greatest strengths is character.
Zach Davis, outside linebacker and tight end, is one of those three “Looking forward to getting the senior year started. I’m looking forward to playing all the teams,” Davis said, “Hoping to do well and get a lot of wins.” They start two-a-days next week. “We’re strong this year, and we’re also faster.”
“This is one of our most athletic teams this year, position-wise,” stated Calvin Gordon, running back and outside linebacker. “Anybody can get a position this year.” Within the team, they’re playing for those starting spots, and these players say the competition on the team has been good. “Since everyone’s fighting for a spot, we always have backup too,” Gordon said. “We have a lot of depth because of that competition.”
Cody Harris, tight end and outside linebacker said “I’m looking forward to a season even better than last year, and just making sure our team chemistry stays.”
Teammate Gordon, added “Increase what we did right.”
Football camps have been a big part of these players’ summers. This year, Davis trained at Kent State, Harris worked out at Tiffin, and Gordon has been to multiple camps: Ohio State twice, Bowling Green twice, Tiffin, and he heads to Akron camp. “You’re out there working hard five hours a day,” Gordon said, “They’re not going to let you slide.”
When asked about rivalry, the young men were wise to answer, “Mansfield Senior is our biggest rival, but in the OCC conference, everyone is your rival,” Gordon stated.
“Every week is a new battle,” Harris said.
Watch for these Madison senior Rams on the field this year. Gordon number 23, Harris number 15, and Davis number 42.
Coach Conway has been at Madison for four years, and seen their team grow. “Over the course of the last four years, we have grown 20-25 guys,” Conway said. “Now it’s just finding out each role.”
“I think it’s been good coaching-wise because our core group of coaches have been here at least four years,” said Conway. “So there’s been a level of consistency.”
He’s proud to have been working with a number of former players he taught and coached at Crestview High School: Preston See, wide receiver coach; Terry Stuart, tight end and lineman coach; and Nick Watson, special teams coach. “And a good number of them have been teachers in the building, which is a good thing, so we have been very lucky in that regard.”
This is the Madison football teams’ last year on the current field, as the athletic boosters and community itself have contributed to some exciting things happening. “This is the last year playing on grass, and from what I’m told, beginning of the 2014 season we should have a new field turf and track facility.”
Obviously the seniors, having heard about the news, are excited, but aware that they are graduating before they see those changes made. Coach Conway was reassuring to those seniors’ efforts. “I think you have to credit the work of those young people that help create excitement, so that people in the community would want to support it.” Conway added, “I think it was important to say, despite you might be graduated, it was your work. And I think they understand that.”
When asked about the strengths of the team, he reinforced the quality of the team’s character. “I don’t see a lot of poor decision-making. I don’t see a lot of them being untrustworthy. I see a very character-driven team with a lot of potential.” Due to a great number of seniors that have graduated, the team is still working on maximizing their potential this year.
“Because we’ve graduated so many starting seniors, we enter this season with a lot of question marks. So there are a lot of kids competing to play on the varsity level.” It’s good and bad for a couple of reasons. Conway is optimistic because “sometimes the competition brings out the best in them.” This presents a process for a coach though, determining players’ levels and abilities for the team. “It’s a concern because we have a hard time planning, because we don’t know how things are going to shake out yet. That’s a whole dynamic.”
