<p>A year ago at this time, the Whiteland football team was just coming out of disaster cleanup mode, trying to rebuild its foundation after a disappointing 2-8 season in 2017.</p>
<p>The repair job went well, with the Warriors winning eight games last fall and looking very much like their normal selves again. Now, with their foundation again solid, they’re setting the expectations a little higher this year.</p>
<p>"Our bar is that we want to win state," senior linebacker Jacob Schultz said. "We feel very confident in our players and our position group, and we just want to win."</p>
<p>The confidence starts with a veteran defensive unit that features a third-year starter leading the way at each level.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
<p>Up front, A.J. Beil is back after a junior season that saw him make 67 tackles, 14 of those for loss, along with three forced fumbles and four sacks. Schultz (111 tackles in 2018) anchors the linebacking corps, while fellow senior Jacob Brown (53 tackles and an interception) heads up the secondary.</p>
<p>Whiteland coach Darrin Fisher is excited about having that trio lead the way defensively.</p>
<p>"All three of them are technicians with their technique," Fisher said. "All three of them are extremely physical. You coach simple, you play fast, and all three of them are at that spot where they’re playing really fast, and now they can direct traffic for everybody else."</p>
<p>There is plenty of talent around those players, too. Jaylen Dunlap and Ewan Niccum provide additional experience in the defensive backfield, and Jacob Phillips (10 tackles for loss, 4 sacks) was also a starter last fall. Marcus Havens and Ethan Myers, both starting offensive linemen, will assist on the defensive line as well.</p>
<p>Being surrounded by proven players allows each of them a greater level of comfort.</p>
<p>"It definitely makes my job easier, knowing that they know their job," Brown said, "that I can rely on them and they can rely on me. It definitely creates that trust on the field and off, so having that’s really awesome."</p>
<p>And while last year’s Warriors had to focus so much energy on solidifying frayed relationships, this season’s team came into the preseason in a much better place, which allows for a greater focus on the business of better football.</p>
<p>The buzz word at Whiteland these past few weeks has been "precision."</p>
<p>"Especially with the little things like hand placement and footwork," Beil said. "Just the little things that most people don’t see."</p>
<p>"Staying locked in and focused all the time," Brown added. "Being precise on what I’m doing, where my stance is, how I’m going to execute, what guy I’m going to hit, stuff like that."</p>
<p>With a strong defense and its always-potent rushing offense, Whiteland is feeling good about its chances to break through for its first sectional championship since 2014 — and perhaps more than that. Beil said that the Warriors "definitely feel like we can win them all."</p>
<p>But in the name of precision, they’re not going to get too far ahead of themselves.</p>
<p>"I think one of the things that we’ve tried to do this year with all of us — coaches, players, everybody — is just, let’s be where your feet are," Fisher said. "If you’re in the weight room, have the best lift that you can. If you’re in the classroom, have the best day in the classroom that you can. If you’re at practice, have the best practice that you possibly can. And that has really been our focus."</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="2019 schedule" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p><strong>Date;Opponent</strong></p>
<p>Aug. 23;Columbus East</p>
<p>Aug. 30;at Greenfield-Central</p>
<p>Sept. 6;Decatur Central</p>
<p>Sept. 13;at Franklin</p>
<p>Sept. 20;at Perry Meridian</p>
<p>Sept. 27;Martinsville</p>
<p>Oct. 4;at Mooresville</p>
<p>Oct. 11;Plainfield</p>
<p>Oct. 18;at Greenwood</p>[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title="Scouting the Warriors" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>Coach: Darrin Fisher (15th year)</p>
<p>Last season: 8-3; lost to Bloomington South 34-24 in Class 5A sectional semifinal</p>
<p>Key returnees: DL/TE A.J. Beil, DB Jacob Brown, WR/DB Jaylen Dunlap, OL/DL Marcus Havens, RB Gavin Lutz, LB Jacob Phillips and LB/TE Jacob Schultz, seniors; OL/DL Ethan Myers, DB Ewan Niccum, K/P Dalton Spangler and RB Melvin Taylor, juniors</p>
<p>Newcomers to watch: QB Brant Kunz, sophomore; DL Jakerrey Oliver, freshman</p>
<p>Outlook: Having righted the ship last fall after a disastrous 2017 campaign, the Warriors return a solid group of veterans with high expectations. Beil, Brown, Phillips and Schultz form the backbone of an experienced and talented defense that should be tough to score upon this fall.</p>
<p>Offensively, Taylor flashed star potential as the No. 2 running back last year, and while he’ll step into the lead role, he won’t have to do it himself. The Warriors again have a deep stable of ballcarriers, including Lutz, Dunlap and juniors Dalton DeBaun and Chase Valentine, behind a strong offensive line anchored by All-State candidates Havens and Myers.</p>
<p>"Our defense is probably a little bit ahead right now," Fisher said, "but offensively, we’ve got the right guys in the right spots. It’s just a matter of getting repetition. Our offense is very repetition-based, because it’s speed and timing. Power with deception is what we always classify our offense as, and that deception part comes from repetition."</p>
<p>Notable: Every one of Fisher’s previous four-year players was part of either a conference or sectional champion. The current seniors would need to win one or the other to continue that streak; Whiteland last claimed the Mid-State in 2015 and the sectional in 2014.</p>[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title="Four downs with senior RB Gavin Lutz" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p><strong>1. What’s the most important song on your pregame playlist?</strong></p>
<p>It just came out; it’s by Trippie Redd. It’s called "Riot."</p>
<p><strong>2. "One week at a time" clichés aside, which game on your schedule are you most looking forward to?</strong></p>
<p>Columbus East. The first game always gets me. That, and they’re a pretty good school. We beat them last year, so it’s more of a "Who’s going to win this time?"</p>
<p><strong>3. Which relatively unknown player is bound for stardom this season?</strong></p>
<p>Melvin Taylor, running back. He’s a good man.</p>
<p><strong>4. What word best describes the 2019 Warriors, and why?</strong></p>
<p>I’m going to say precision, because I believe that by the first game, we’ll have everything down. There won’t be any mistakes and everyone’s going to go 100 percent.</p>[sc:pullout-text-end]
