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Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Beginning an End
Central Kansas, KS
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By: Kollen Long, VYPE Central Kansas
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Photo(s) By: William Purnell
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As Trinity Academy leaves eight-man club ball behind, inaugurating its state-sanctioned 11-man football program, its opponent in the season opener, Bluestem, looks to begin anew by ending a 67-game losing streak
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“It is an intriguing game, that’s for sure,” Kriwiel said. “The scheduling folks did a good job with this one.”
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We’ll concede that the season opener in Leon won’t be the most meaningful football game under the Friday night lights on Sept. 5.
Without a doubt, bigger games, with higher-profile athletes and more successful programs, will be played around the state on opening night.
But if you enjoy rooting for the underdog, witnessing fresh starts or taking in a game that is guaranteed to produce a feel-good story no matter who wins, make the trip to Leon (just 40 miles east of Wichita on Highway 400) for the Bluestem-Trinity Academy matchup.
Here’s what makes the game so interesting:
• Bluestem will be trying to snap a 67-game losing streak, and Trinity, after competing in club eight-man ball for several years, will be playing its first state-sanctioned 11-man game. Bluestem is desperate for a win; Trinity, to prove it belongs.
• The coaches leading the teams have interesting backgrounds, and both face challenging tasks. Attempting to lead a revival at Bluestem is veteran George Stewart, who has 30 years experience but is serving as a head coach for the first time since the mid 1990s. His counterpart, Trinity’s Kriwiel, is the son of a Kansas legend, Ed Kriwiel, who passed away in early December of 2007.
Kriwiel recognizes the various angles the Central Plains League game will provide.
“It is an intriguing game, that’s for sure,” he said. “The scheduling folks did a good job with this one.”
Ed’s Offspring and Burns the Burner
For five years, Wichita Trinity, a self-described “college preparatory Christian high school” located on the east side, fielded an eight-man club team. The experience was a good one, Kriwiel said, but the situation was far from ideal.
Working with a lean budget, the team had volunteer coaches, and players and parents picked up the tab for uniforms and equipment. There was no weight room, no home field. And the schedule was, to be kind, pieced together with games against other club teams and home-school squads. Some games were competitive, others weren’t, which is why it’s difficult to determine what last year’s successful season (7-3 record) really means.
“We played such a wide range of programs,” said Kriwiel, the team’s coach last year. “We jumped on some teams and it was over at halftime. Other games, we were the ones jumped on. I don’t know… we had a lot of fun, played a lot of good football, but there was still a club mentality.”
That has changed. The school has embraced the program, and a football complex is on the wish list. This year, Trinity will play its home games at Maize South.
“To be on the first-ever team is a great opportunity for these kids,” Kriwiel said. “We have a lot of kids, a lot of parents, who want to be involved. It’s something new, and people are being kind of drawn to it.
“We understand it’s going to be a challenge. We’re jumping into a tough league, a very tough district, but we think we have a chance to be successful.”
Kriwiel’s son, Toby, said the team’s players feel a sense of pride to be representing the school.
“It makes our program seem more legitimate,” he said. “And it will be more fun to play against better competition.”
Offensive coordinator Randall Rogers is installing a spread offense, so coach Kriwiel thinks his team should be fun to watch. Toby Kriwiel, a 5’11” junior, is expected to start at quarterback.
“He’s a real functional quarterback,” coach Kriwiel said. “He’s not gonna wow you with talent, but he’ll be consistent and he’ll compete.”
The team’s most exciting offensive player will likely be speedster Morgan Burns, a 5’11” sophomore tailback who runs a 4.4-second 40-yard dash and catches the ball well out of the backfield, according to coach Kriwiel. “He’ll get more touches than anybody,” he added.
Other players to watch are fullback Austin Kessinger (6’2”, 200); guard-linebacker John Matthews (5’11”, 200) and guard-linebacker Bobby Erickson (5’10”, 190).
The man in charge of transitioning the team into the Kansas State High School Activities Association should be well prepared for the challenge. Kriwiel has previous coaching experience at El Dorado and Circle, but, more importantly, he learned firsthand from one of the best coaches in Kansas prep football history – his dad.
Specifically, what did Mike Kriwiel learn from his father, the well-respected, longtime Kapaun coach who won 297 high school games and had only two losing seasons in 36 years?
“Mmmmm…what didn’t I learn from him?” said Mike, who has 10 children. “I think what I learned is that it’s important to respect every player, every opponent, every coach. It’s a matter of treating people with respect and giving them every opportunity to succeed at whatever level they can contribute.”
George’s Mighty Task
Coach George Stewart understands the enormity of the task he faces at Bluestem. He politely mentions that he doesn’t enjoy talking about the past, but he realizes the losing streak is a topic of conversation – in Leon and around the state. It’s his job to, somehow, some way, turn the program around.
“It’s a big challenge, it really is,” he said. “Winning is something that hasn’t happened in a number of years here. Essentially, you have to start all over.”
Stewart’s buzzword is easy to identify, simply because he uses it over and over during a 20-minute interview: Commitment. He said he wants and needs commitment from the administration, the players, the parents – in short, the entire community.
“Like I told the school board when they asked me to come talk to them, a coach can’t make this happen on his own,” Stewart said. “It’s gonna take commitment from everybody involved.”
So far, Stewart is pleased. The district has refurbished the bleachers, put a filming deck on top of the press box and purchased video and editing equipment. For his part, the old-school Stewart is focusing on improving the team’s conditioning and stressing the fundamentals, like blocking and tackling.
The team’s quarterback, Wade McHone, is excited about the changes Stewart has made.
“He’s been working us pretty hard,” he said. “Things have picked up in the weight room. We’re getting in better shape. He is demanding more discipline from us and things like that. He won’t put up with any attitude.”
McHone, a 6’2” senior who took over the QB spot several games into last season, will be responsible for leading the team’s newly installed Wing-T offense.
“He’s got the physical tools,” Stewart said. “We’ve had several talks about his importance and what his role has to be.”
Said McHone, “I’m not worried about my stats or anything like that. I just want to learn the offense and help us get that win.”
Stewart has some good-sized linemen to work with: Alex Cooper (6’0”, 230) and Chris Hodges (6’3”, 240). The 6’2” Darius Semisch will look to make big plays as a wide receiver and return man. William Wedman will be counted on at fullback and linebacker.
“I think we’ll be much improved, I really do,” Stewart said. “We’re not trying to sell the kids on the idea that we can win every game. But if they work hard, concentrate on the fundamentals, we will eventually win. We’re concentrating on being better football players, better teammates. If we do that, we can begin changing the perception of Bluestem football.”
With a chuckle, the 59-year-old Stewart said he only hopes he has the energy to lead the rebuilding effort: “At my age, can I maintain the enthusiasm?”
McHone thinks so. He worked with the new coach doing maintenance at the school over the summer. Coach and his wife also had players over for cookouts. “He’s a pretty cool guy,” McHone said.
One thing is certain. Stewart is the antithesis of last year’s coach, the muscular, inexperienced Scott Wheeler, who lasted just one season. Stewart brings 30 years of experience, including stints at South Barber in the late 1970s and Kingman in the mid 1990s. He was an assistant at Bluestem last season.
Stewart’s eagerness about the season opener against Trinity is easy to identify.
“Both teams,” he said, “are gonna be real hungry for a win. It should be fun.”
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