Playing high school football with only 16 players would be a challenge in regular circumstances, say playing in the Central Wisconsin Conference-10.
But Bowler/Gresham switched to 8-man football this year, where fielding 16 players is just about right.
“We’ll be playing a lot of schools that are in the same situation that we’re in,” Bowler/Gresham co-head coach Ralph Smith said. “They don’t have the numbers.”
The Cats (1-7, 0-6 CWC-10) fielded 27 players a year ago, but the coach knew the numbers would be down this year after losing 11 seniors and anticipating a small freshman class.
“I knew we’d have around 15 players. I knew there was just no way you could field an 11-man football team and try to play a season in our conference, tough as it is, with 15 players,” Smith said.
Smith, who coaches the team with Brent Morris, says the team will have to make minor adjustments to its game.
“The speed of the game is a little bit different,” Smith said. “You have to be a better tackling team, especially open field tackling. It’s pretty wide open. … We have different looks we can give everybody, but not a lot of big changes in the system at all.”
A key returning player will be senior lineman Jay Onesti, a 6-foot-1 nose tackle and offensive lineman who earned second-team all-CWC-10 honors on defense last year.
“He’s a big guy, a senior. He’s kind of the anchor on the line,” Smith said.
Playing next to Onesti on the line with be a pair of sophomores — Jarred Boswell (5-foot-11, 235 pounds) and Jared Rickert (5-foot-11 165 pounds). Also in the mix on both lines will be 6-foot-2, 190-pound sophomore Cody Thiex.
The returning juniors and seniors, who all contributed a lot to last year’s team, will mostly play the skill positions for the Cats.
Brandon Miller, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound senior, and Thomas Kazik, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound junior, will work at quarterback trying to replace graduated senior Tyler Thiex, who was a two-year starter.
Senior Blade Cameron (6-foot, 180 pounds) and junior Chase Nueske (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) will man the important tight end spots. Both will also play linebacker for the Cats.
In the backfield, Bowler/Gresham lost both its top running backs in graduated seniors Sawn Bucholtz and Parker Kessel, but still has some options on the roster.
“We have a lot talent there,” Smith said. “Quentin Rondeau, a senior, and juniors Cody Montez and Zach Olsen will get most of the carries. We have a lot of speed and a lot of talent in the backfield right now.”
Sophomore Tristin Kazik has also caught his coach’s attention and will contribute on defense.
Overall, the coach said his players are buying into the change and can’t wait to open the season.
“The kids are really excited about it. They’re really looking forward to it,” Smith said. “They just want to be on a level playing field with everyone else.”
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