With just two games remaining in the season, the JV Black football team holds a record of 7-1 after beating Hutto 28-0. The team carries a strong point differential of +188 up to this point.
“We’re all friends,” junior wide receiver Brody Haag said. “I feel like the chemistry’s there, so we just enjoy playing for each other, and we have fun doing it.”
The team’s only loss so far was a close 28-21 defeat to Dripping Springs in the first game of the season. Since that point, the Vipers have won every single game by at least 16 points. This includes four games where the team has won by at least 28 points.
“I really think we just got it together as a team,” sophomore defensive back London Koester said. “[The Dripping Springs game] just helped us to put a chip on our shoulders, and then we just started fighting a lot better after that.”
Typically with JV teams, the roster is always being moved around due to players being moved up and down from varsity. For example, junior starting quarterback Collin Williams has been rotating between varsity and JV, leading to junior Shaw Poinsett taking the position for JV during the weeks Williams is on varsity.
“We have good players all across the board,” sophomore defensive back Elijah Wheeler said. “Everyone learns the same stuff, so we have good replacements to cover every position that we need even if someone gets moved up or down.”
Despite having constant movement on offense, particularly at the quarterback position, the offense has averaged 35 points per game, while last year’s JV Black team only averaged 25 points per game.
“I feel like the chemistry between me and Colin [has helped us be successful], because Colin’s a new quarterback and we’ve gotten some good chemistry early on. I feel like that’s helped a lot,” Haag said. “And then we got some really good offensive linemen. They’re really big, so they can block really well for a long time.”
In order to continue consistently winning games, both sides of the ball aim to perform at a high level. The defense has also held up their end of the bargain, only allowing just over five points per game over their last five games.
“I think our whole defense as a group just plays very physical,” Koester said. “And we just don’t let them into the end zone very often.”
Unlike at the freshman level, JV practices at the same time as varsity and does most of the same drills, including going up against varsity in these drills.
“I feel like since we practice with varsity on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for an extended amount of time, it definitely pushes us to play better in front of the coaches, ” Haag said. “Then, playing that better competition throughout the week prepares us on Thursdays to play easier competition.”
Even though playing on JV could be seen as a disappointment for some, certain players have used that time to develop their skills and prepare to start on varsity the following year. This includes two-year varsity starters Miles Teodecki and Parker Cecil, who were on JV their sophomore year, followed by being starters on varsity this year and last. Now, they are both committed to play at the collegiate level.
“It helps because the first time you get put on JV but not varsity, immediately you are kind of bummed,” Wheeler said. “But knowing that you can still become a big player and one of those players that the team relies on, I think it really motivates you to do really well.”
Even though the team has a strong record right now, they cannot get complacent with two games left. The JV Black team lost to Round Rock last year in their final game of the season, but this year the team is making sure to keep their focus up on the final stretch as they finish the season against Round Rock again.
“I think if we all keep doing what we’re supposed to do and we know our place and our role, [we can have a nice end to the season],” junior offensive lineman Lucas Graff said. “If we play together as a team and keep the effort to the maximum, we’ll finish the season pretty strong.”
There has been a common theme for the JV Black team over the past few years, as the team has a combined record of 33-3-1 since the beginning of the 2022 season. For their next game, the team hits the field against Westwood on Thursday, Oct. 30.
“I think the culture of Vandegrift football is to expect to win, and that’s not just varsity. That trickles down to the JV and the freshman team as well,” Graff said. “We always enter every game with a mindset that we don’t just want to win — we have to win.”
