By Derrick Forsythe Record Staff Writer No matter what happens from this point on, this season will undoubtedly be a tremendous turning point for the Wright City football team. The Wildcats, now 8-3, …
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Atmosphere change has helped turnaround
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By Derrick ForsytheRecord Staff WriterNo matter what happens from this point on, this season will undoubtedly be a tremendous turning point for the Wright City football team.The Wildcats, now 8-3, have improved their win total by six over a dismal 2-8 finish a year ago and are preparing for their first district title game appearance since 2010 on Friday at Centralia.“At this point we are playing the best we’ve played all year,” said senior Kyle Tuepker. “I feel like we can beat anybody we line up against.”So, what has been the driving force behind such a dramatic change?Atmosphere, says the Wildcats’ leading tackler, senior Austin Buchheit, who has an astounding 202 takedowns from his linebacker role.And most of his teammates would agree.Buchheit says the process began over the summer when Wright City kicked off its journey with first-year Coach Jeff Sargent by going to team camp at Missouri State University. “He came in with a new mindset and made us all believers in it,” said Buchheit. “It’s really cool to see our hard work paying off, going all the way back to those hot days in Springfield.”Senior David Ortega, who has anchored the Wildcats’ line this season, says there is a heightened awareness of responsibility and confidence.“Sargent immediately had high expectations for us,” said Ortega. “He believed in us and believed we could go far.”He adds that the team chemistry and bond also have improved.“Nobody specifically has to wear a cape and carry the team,” said senior quarterback Andrew Pfuhl. “You learn how to trust other people to do their 1/11th. It’s a totally different atmosphere.”He believes the season took a turn for the best around Week 6, following a disheartening 44-42 defeat against Mark Twain. The Wildcats have not lost since, stringing together five straight wins.“I have the utmost respect for this senior class,” said Sargent. “They earned everything they’ve gotten to this point, and I think they’re starting to realize they don’t want this to be over.”Role changesSargent’s presence as the new head coach was not the only significant change the Wildcats had to adjust to during the offseason.His decision to move Tuepker from quarterback to a more defensive role, while placing Pfuhl in at quarterback resulted in several weeks of growing pains.“I remember when he and I first went over the playbook, Pfuhl talked about being overwhelmed,” said Sargent. “By the end of camp things had slowed down for him, and you could see the weight lifted off. He’s matured a lot.”Pfuhl, along with a pair of dynamic receivers in Troy Muse and Tyler Brittain, has taken a traditionally run-dominant offense and made it multi-dimensional. Through 11 weeks, the signal-caller has completed 133 of 243 passes for 2,344 yards and 23 touchdowns. Most of those have been to Muse, who has 1,142 yards on 58 catches.“I’ve made a 180-degree turn from being injured and not playing my junior year to starting at this position,” said Pfuhl “Learning on the fly is difficult, but when you’re coached well, it comes naturally. Everyone has backed me up and done a great job of playing their supporting roles.”Tuepker has developed into one of the Wildcats’ most reliable defensive threats, collecting 139 tackles and a team-best nine sacks from his linebacker position.“At first I was nervous about making the switch and wasn’t sure I’d be able to perform as well as the coaches expected me to lined up with Buchheit,” said Tuepker.“I’ve just tried to mimic his style, and I think I’ve adapted to become a pretty solid defensive player.”Tuepker has remained active on offense too, rushing for 551 yards on 79 carries.
Wright City Coach Jeff Sargent celebrates following a touchdown in Friday’s 28-17 win over Christian. Sargent has led the Wildcats to an 8-3 record in his first year leading the program. Last year, they went 2-8. Derrick Forsythe photo.
