By Patrick MacCoonRecord Sports EditorWhen looking at trends lately, one in particular sticks out to Warrenton Head Coach Steve McDowell.Investment in the weight room.“A few years ago our weight room attendance in the summer was 30 percent and we only won three ball games,” McDowell said. “The next year it was 20 percent and we won two ball games. We had about 50 percent last year and we won five ball games. This year we had around nearly 70 percent working hard in the weight room throughout the summer. The game of football is more than just the coaching staff and players, it’s about everybody buying into it.”With extra strength from performing Olympic-oriented lifts over the summer, such as squats and power cleans, the Warriors will look to be physical upfront and run the football with authority.While starting off the 2014 campaign with four consecutive wins, including its first against Washington, Warrenton lost five of its last six games as the running game had a hard time finding consistency. Not a single player rushed for 100 yards in a game, but McDowell looks for that to change after taking over the reins as offensive coordinator as well.“They have come to the realization that you have to be able to run the football to win football games,” McDowell said. “If you are sitting back there passing all the time, you might turn the ball over three times or more. I’ve always been a run-oriented coach. We want to control the clock and have several different looks on offense.”Leading the attack behind center will be senior Braydan Chmiel, who has 14 career touchdowns (eight passing, six rushing).The left-handed quarterback impressed many this summer with his awareness and improved arm strength.Last season, Chmiel led GAC North play with five touchdowns.In five starts, he completed 44-of-81 passes (54.32 percent) for 580 yards, five scores and one interception.“He makes great decisions and people who have watched him all summer have raved about his play,” McDowell said. “He’s gotten a lot stronger and he’s in for a breakout season.”His speed should also serve as a much needed weapon in McDowell’s offense.Chmiel has rushed for 434 yards and 4.1 yards per carry the last two years, scoring six times.“We will give him some flexibility in being able to run with the football and make big plays on his feet,” McDowell said. “If the open receiver is not there, we want him to take off with the ball. We feel very comfortable with him throwing the ball and being able to run some option and bootlegs for us. He’s a very versatile weapon for us.”The backfield, which will be a two-back set the majority of the time, will have several different players thrown into action. Senior Jacob Null and junior Jacob Manion will play the fullback position, while nearly four different tailbacks could be experimented with.“We are going to try and chip away at teams this year,” McDowell said. “James Biship, Kyle Reese, Trey Taylor and Cameron Richardson could all be used at tailback some until we find our featured guy. We want to be able to run opponents out of the game and wear them out.”Although Warrenton will have a run-heavy mindset, opponent’s can’t look past GAC North first-team all-conference senior wide receiver Hunter Russell.The speedster, who displays great hands as well, led the conference last season in both receptions (34) and receiving yards (589). In the season opener he finished with 194 yards receiving and scored one of his five touchdowns in a win over St. Dominic.Nick Todd set the single game receiving yardage record in 2010 when he caught six passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns.“We want to stay run-oriented this season instead of passing it around as much as we did last year, but of course we can throw it deep as well,” McDowell said. “Russell is a heck of a playmaker and one of the best receivers around the area.”Behind an offensive line consisting of experienced juniors Nick Boling, Ruben Varnado and emerging Wyatt Wielms, the ground game looks to average well north of the 74.5 rushing yards per contest Warrenton averaged per contest last season.Several members on the offensive line will also start on the defensive line as well.“Our line was all first-year starters for the most part last year, so they are going to be a lot stronger and more poised this year,” McDowell said. “Ruben is 6-foot-5, 340 pounds and is going to be a very solid player on both sides of the ball. Same for Wyatt, who was our defensive MVP at Missouri camp and is around 6-foot-3, 260 pounds going into the season. We expect Chris Vogt and Alex Vogt to do some big things on the line along with Jeremy Schneider as well.”Under the second year of Defensive Coordinator Eric Murphy’s 3-4 scheme, a new group of linebackers will look to find success and replace a strong core that graduated.Null and Matt Copher are expected to start at inside and middle linebacker, respectively, while Ken Bonzo and Michael Zerjav also look to step up.“Jacob’s got a real nose for the football and will help lead a brand new linebacking core,” McDowell said. “In our 3-4, we need our linebackers to be strong.”Other impact players to make a difference at wide receiver and defensive back include, Jacob Abel, Brandon Molinari, Jacob Crump, Justin McBroom and Chmiel.“Brandon has stuck out to us throughout the summer,” McDowell said. “He is almost 6-feet tall as a sophomore and is very athletic. We expect him to do great things for us.”Abel led the GAC North in conference play with an average of 14.8 tackles per game and finished with 14 more tackles compared to the next top tackler in league play.The strong safety earned all-state with a 113-tackle season.He and the Warriors defense will look to pick up where it began last season.Through the first four contests, Warrenton only allowed 35 points and posted a pair of shutouts.“We have to stay motivated and play as a complete unit this season,” Abel said. “It’s about keeping the mindset that no one will ever beat you or get the best of you. You have to know that you are better than the running back or whoever you are going up against.”McDowell expects great things out of one of his strongest leaders.“(Jacob) is always wanting to learn,” McDowell said. “He isn’t the type of kid that acts like he knows it all. He works to get better. He’s worked extremely hard this offseason in the weight room and at practice.”Leading the kicking game will be senior specialists Dillen Mayfield and Sawyer Junker.Russell will handle kickoff return duties again after totaling 181 yards on 10 returns last season.With a strong offseason, Warrenton has set a goal to win its first playoff game since a state run in 2010.“We want to get in the playoffs,” McDowell said. “We want to make it past Week 10. We want people to fear Warrenton again. I think we can build upon the success that we had last year. Our goal is to be in Week’s 11 and 12.”Added strength looks to help out a ground game that will be called upon quite frequently.

Senior quarterback Braydan Chmiel will look to run the football quite a bit more this season. The dual threat quarterback has six rushing touchdowns in his career. Warrenton will trust his arm when needed after throwing five touchdowns to one interception last season.

Derrick Forsythe photo.