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The Weimar Wildcat varsity football team made a name for themselves in Head Coach Wade Griffin’s first year by playing a physical, ground-and-pound style that was built to wear down their opponents. The result was an offensive attack that was much more effective than their 2021 season as they had several big running performances and increased their win total by one to 3-7 in 2022. This season, Griffin and the Wildcats will be looking to make a much bigger jump to finish higher in the district standings and attempt to secure a spot in the UIL postseason.
A big improvement in their record is well within the realm of possibility as many of their losses from last season were within 10 points as each game featured just a few plays that went against the Wildcats that eventually decided the game. While Weimar had their moments of success and impressive play, they were undermined at times by mistakes that were difficult to overcome.
“We want to be a more consistent team,” Griffin said, “We showed signs a lot of times last season but could not always finish plays and games the way we needed to. We think with the work our guys have put in, we will be better and more prepared to do that.”
The preparation that the players and coaching staff have put in during the offseason are major reasons for hope that the Wildcats will be able to make a big jump in the district standings. Many players will be returning to varsity from last year hoping that the improvements they have made during the offseason show themselves on the field. However, with improved ability comes increased expectations. The standards for Wildcats across the board are increasing in Griffin’s second year at the helm as they look to take the next step. The upperclassmen are being challenged to grow from their experiences last year to build on what was successful and improve areas of difficulty.
One of the experiences that they hope will continue into this season is the impressive rushing offense led by a committee of runners. The Wildcats project to rely heavily on the running attack with many of the same runners returning as well as an experienced and improved offensive line that controlled the trenches last season as well. The offense may feature more of a passing attack this season with Coach Griffin hinting that last year’s quarterback, Huxton Kloesel, will benefit from his experience last season as he becomes more familiar with the offense. Every returning player will be hoping to use their experience and their training to perform at a much higher level in the upcoming season.
“I am very proud of the work our kids and coaches have put into this summer,” Griffin said, “We are in a great spot physically and mentally. We have a group that really enjoys being together, and we are excited to show people what we are all about.”
The Wildcats have worked hard this summer to improve and hope to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
