Front, from left, Brett Gaines, Blake Stone and Blake Weishaupt; middle, from left, Trenton Spears, Chris Hamby, Lucas Wells, Darrius Clark and James Futia; back, from left, Gavin Rose, Anthony Lane and Shiloh Shoppel.
The East Alton-Wood River Oilers, led by head coach Joe Parmentier, approach the 2014 season embracing new challenges, new concepts and a new schedule.
The Oilers are entering the Prairie State Conference in ‘14, hoping to make a statement in their new conference. The PSC now comprises EA-WR, Marquette Catholic, Metro East Lutheran, Mount Olive, Bunker Hill, Nokomis, Kincaid South Fork and Pawnee. Pawnee is also new to the PSC in 2014.
Preparing for a season against fresh competition could be seen as difficult, but the Oilers are welcoming the challenge with an optimistic outlook as well as a new offense and defense to master.
“We’re watching a lot of film, seeing what other teams have done before,” EA-WR head coach Joe Parmentier said. “To get ready for our first game against Columbia, we watched last year’s film and are breaking it down with our players and putting our own game plan together.”
The Oilers’ seven returning seniors have played a vital role in welcoming in a large freshman class that has gained a lot of experience through the Junior Oiler football program that began four years ago.
“Our seniors have worked extremely hard to get this team going,” assistant coach Dan Smith said. “They have shown tremendous leadership and have taken on that “big-brother” role with all the guys. Family is what this program is all about.”
Faith, family and football has become the motto for the Oiler football program.
“Family is what it’s all about,” Parmentier said. “Even if we don’t win a single game this year, these kids are learning life lessons that will stay with them.”
One key to EA-WR’s new program is the in-house competition for positions on the field.
“We have depth; two deep in every position, and in some cases three deep,” Parmentier said. “That is something we’ve never had before and so we’re taking our time in giving assignments. Everyone is working really hard and they will all get good playing time this year because of that depth.”
Coach Parmentier won’t name predicted standout players for the 2014 season, saying the entire team has worked too hard to leave anyone out of that list.
“Unless someone comes out the first week and has a 200-yard game or our offense just blows everyone away, we’re not going to name an individual,” Parmentier said.
The Oilers are coming off of a 3-6 2013 season and only have six wins over the last two years, but the team finds itself thinking ahead to playoffs with the thought that a 5-4 year could be a reasonable reach in 2014.
EA-WR opens the season at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, playing host to Columbia.
EA-WR 2014 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Aug. 29, 7 p.m. Columbia
Sept. 5, 7 p.m. at Centralia
Sept. 12, 7 p.m. at Mount Olive*
Sept. 19, 7 p.m. at Bunker Hill*
Sept. 26, 7 p.m. Marquette*
Oct. 3, 7 p.m. Metro East Lutheran*
Oct. 10, 7 p.m. at Pawnee*
Oct. 17, 7 p.m. Kincaid South Fork*
Oct. 24, 7 p.m. at Nokomis*
*denotes conference games
EA-WR 2014 FOOTBALL ROSTER
Seniors
Name HT WT
Darrius Clark 5-3 183
James Futia-Ward 5-7 123
Brett Gaines 5-9 192
Anthony Lane 6-5 357
Gavin Rose 6-2 266
Shiloh Shoppell 6-1 334
Trenton Spears 6-0 244
Juniors
Cody Blacklock 5-7 139
Chris Hamby 5-7 190
Darian McLemore 6-0 190
Blake Stone 5-9 148
TJ Summers 5-6 164
Blake Weishaupt 5-9 213
Lucas Wells 5-9 156
Sophomores
Josh Battles 5-9 152
Logan Brawley 5-6 119
Dreyton Daughterty 6-0 179
Robert Holtorff 5-7 152
Bob Howell 5-8 145
Brett Nicolini 5-9 175
Caleb Osborne 5-8 170
Devin Preston 5-7 145
Alex Taylor 6-0 325
Jacob Vassos 5-9 224
James Weller 5-7 160
Freshman
Daron Austin 5-6 212
Joey Barnerd 5-8 188
Ethan Dona 5-7 169
Chandler Eckhoff 5-2 136
Justin Englar 5-7 125
Detric Greenlee 5-1 131
Hunter Hall 6-0 135
Tyler Hamby 5-4 150
Austin Hammond 5-6 106
Taylor James 5-6 143
Kevin Kearby 5-7 127
Zac Kincaid 5-9 176
TJ Lawson 5-5 122
Blake Nieworth 6-0 167
Tommy Sarich 5-10 143
Chris Staggs 5-6 118