The end of the 2018 football season at West Central Valley Community Schools left a lot of open positions on the varsity squad. The recent 1-8 campaign was the last time 10 seniors will suit up for the Wildcats. Among the departures include two-year starting quarterback Carson Wadle, his number one passing option in Cole Arnburg, the squad’s top two running backs in Zac Mann and Brice Sechrist, and the team’s leading tackler in linebacker Cole Sackett.

The Raccoon Valley Radio Network last spoke with West Central Valley football coach Eric Addy on October 22 during the Wahl McAtee Tire and Service Center Guthrie County PM Sports Page. He says retooling is part of coaching high school football. “We definitely lose some special pieces for us, but football is a team game,” Addy said, “I’m confident our young guys will be able to step up. I’d be lying if I said we haven’t been in this situation before where we’re in the time period where we’re probably going to have to play some young guys.”

Addy is encouraged by this year’s eighth-grade class but will look towards the current juniors, sophomores, and freshman to step into more playing time than their use to having. The 2019 varsity football season starts in Stuart next August for West Central Valley as they host the Des Moines Christian Lions in a nondistrict contest.