La Grange Seventh Graders Wrap-Up Football Season

This year’s 7th grade football team experienced many ups and downs throughout the season. From a slow start of 0-3, to beating Bellville for the first time in over 11 years, and then hardly having enough players to finish the season against Smithville.

“I know everyone has had to deal with all the issues this year, but we felt like adversity hit us hard,” commented Coach Tom Walker. This small group of Leopards has fought through a number of issues this season, but injuries and quarantine nearly depleted this bunch. As a matter of fact, the Wednesday before the Smithville game, the team only had 12 active members able to compete. This prompted the coaching staff to have to borrow a couple of players from the other middle school squad to ensure they would be able to finish the game.

“I get it when people in the stands don’t understand, but we are always looking out for the kids” Walker said, “so we borrowed three players.” Despite the tough play from all the remaining Leopards, they ended up losing a close one to Smithville 14-6, completing a 1-6 record for the season.

“As wins and loses go, it wasn’t the year we wanted,” said Coach Magness, “but we grew each week as a team, and that’s a good thing for a program.”

As we close this football season and move inside, to the court, we want to mention each of the players and their offensive positions. Beginning with the single largest group on the field, offensive line. Without great effort up front from these young men, no offense would move forward. Charly Palomino, Matthew Olvera, Kash Wessels, Landon Muesse, Parker Weishuhn, Dylan Kutchka, Ethyn Wilson, Erick Guevara, Gavin Pietsch, Jose Lopez, Raul Mancera, and Jose Soto. Receivers are next with Samuel Hernandez, Collin Muesse, Kaleb Hensley, and Josejuan Campos. Next are the Superbacks, or Fullbacks, Nahqi Wilson and Ayden Gunter. Tightends Jeffrey Cabrera and Brayden McCoy. Tailbacks Ramon Ortiz, Ryder Price, and Conner Amick. The hybrid position, which means sometimes a runner and sometimes a pass catcher, Graham Youens and Mason Kleiber. And finally, the quarterback of this team, taking a large majority of the snaps this season, Oliver Gunn. “All of these young men did a really good job this season”, said Walker, “they are small in numbers, but very coachable, which is a great team quality.”