Unioto Shermans looking to use age as an advantage in 2022

CHILLICOTHE – The Unioto Shermans see their opportunity laid out before them.

It’s taken patience under the guidance of third-year coach Matt Hoops, but the Shermans are ready to make a run for the Gold Ball. The prospect of a run at the SVC Championship becomes more enticing as the regular season looms on the horizon.

“Obviously anytime you go into a new season, the goal is to win your conference,” Hoops said. “That's no different for us. That's what we want to do.”

They’ve built a strong case over the past few seasons. Their roster, once young and inexperienced, has gotten older and received time on the field necessary for building confidence.

That age and experience will prove vital in a competitive SVC littered with young rosters.

Despite losing several cornerstone players like All-SVC defensive tackle Whyat Ward, there are plenty of others ready to fill the losses. Sophomore Marcel James and senior Nolan Fox have caught Hoops’ eye since practices began, and three-time lettermen Nate Morrison is sure to provide necessary leadership both as the center and at defensive end.

“I think what our team is right now is we finally have juniors and seniors on the roster, close to 30 of them, that have played as freshmen and sophomores,” head coach Matt Hoops said. “I think anytime you get that it's an advantage for your football team.”

Not to mention the returning production on offense. Junior quarterback Newton Hoops, who started in eight games last season before his season was cut short due to a collarbone injury, is back to practice.

He’ll have plenty of talent to back him up.

Unioto’s receiving corps, spearheaded by seniors Maddox Fox and Casey Dray, has become of its greatest assets. Fox especially has emerged as a premier receiver, and the weight training he underwent during the offseason put muscle on his bones. Fox gained 20 pounds to prepare for his final season with the Shermans

“Our seniors, we’ve been looking forward to this ever since we've been little,” Fox said. “We're just going to put everything we got into it to get this team better, to make us better and go for the Gold Ball and playoffs.”

The Shermans have spent ample time sowing seeds for success, and they want to reap the rewards.

But experience isn’t everything. A host of returning upperclassmen with time on the field is always a positive, but it does little when fundamentals aren’t down pat. Time on the field can only carry a team so far.

What comes next is ensuring a strong lineup doesn’t squander its potential. Hoops believes that begins by clamping down on fundamentals. Little mistakes are bound to happen on the field, but Hoops wants to keep them contained. A team that runs a tight ship can relieve undue anxiety before the season even begins.

“We're just we've been really spending a lot of time on making sure that we've done the little things right, and the details,” Hoops said. “We kind of don't take those for granted just because they do have experience.”

Luckily for Unioto, its first major test of the season comes in Week One when Vinton County comes to town. The two teams faced off in McArthur last year, and the Shermans were knocked down with a 12-7 loss to begin their 2021 schedule.

The Shermans have counted the days until their rematch with the Vikings. The loss last season lodged in the back of their minds and never went away. They relished the thought of revenge.

Now, almost a year removed from that loss, the Shermans have their chance to strike back. The Vikings are marching into enemy territory, and the Shermans are the ones starting the year off on their home turf.

“We’ve been looking forward to this match since we lost that game,” Morrison said. “As soon as that last second ticked off in the fourth quarter, we’ve been waiting for it.”

The same can be said for the remainder of the schedule. The SVC is as competitive as ever, and the Shermans are looking for an opportunity to pull ahead.

But with a host of upperclassmen that have proved themselves in the past, the Shermans have little to worry about.

“I feel like I think we're pretty solid,” Morrison said. “I think everybody's just gotten a lot better since last season. We've got a lot more connections with each other. So now we know who likes what and what plays we like most, and we just kind of just roll with it.”

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Unioto Shermans looking to use age as an advantage in 2022