Whiteland receiver Gunnar Hicks returns after making 20 receptions last season for 462 yards and five touchdowns.
Daily Journal file photo
Gunnar Hicks won’t forget the anticipation he experienced while standing in Lucas Oil Stadium’s northeast tunnel last November.
The Class 5A state championship game was moments away, and members of the Whiteland football team were about to run facemask-first into the approving roar of thousands of Warriors fans.
“It was a very surreal moment. Just very overwhelming,” remembers the senior wide receiver, whose squad ultimately fell short against Valparaiso in a 35-31 classic. “It was a fun experience. Very cool.”
Those few hours represented a bold new universe for a program silently raising the bar.
The goal for coach Darrin Fisher’s current ball club is to not only make it back to downtown Indianapolis at a time when Thanksgiving leftovers are still a thing, but to take home the 5A championship trophy.
By no means will it be easy.
Whiteland graduated an outstanding collection of seniors from the 2022 squad; moreover, the incentive opposing teams have to defeat the Warriors has never been more prevalent.
Fisher, now in his 19th season, knows this collection of players is up to the challenge.
“It’s really not what you’re capable of, it’s what you’re willing to do to get there,” said Fisher, who has a 130-73 record in charge of the Warriors, a mark that includes seven Mid-State Conference and five sectional titles. “This group has done a really good job of putting their effort into that process.
“They’re forging their own identity right now.”
With the opener at Jeffersonville coming up next Friday, Fisher is able to mentally slot a handful of players into this or that starting position.
However, the competition for most spots remains fierce — including at quarterback, where juniors Ethan Engle and Oliver Taylor vie to lead an offense that brings back talented playmakers in Hicks (20 catches, 462 yards) and junior ball carriers Maalik Perkins (429 yards rushing) and Slate Valentine (587 yards, eight touchdowns).
Defensively, Jordan Palmer made 85 tackles as a freshman linebacker, third-most on what was a senior-laden team. The ultra-quick Perkins, also a cornerback (39 tackles), and senior safeties Kaiden Davidson and Andrian Kolleigbo (31 tackles) are back to lead an experienced secondary.
Senior lineman Scott Harden was a starter in the trenches last fall, contributing 46 tackles.
As for those who have been waiting in the wings as former second- and third-teamers, Fisher and his assistant coaches have a saying they use during practices that goes as follows: Make us play you.
How quickly the light bulb comes on depends on the individual.
“There are so many guys in the mix, and our young players are elevating themselves to that standard,” Fisher said. “It’s fun. From a coaching standpoint, it’s a way different challenge from last year.
“Our dudes are competing right now, and I like it. In our first scrimmage in June, there were some different guys out there because they made us play them. They know it’s their job to make the coaches play them.”
Fisher goes on to say he believes the Warriors are going to win. He just doesn’t know how yet.
Those are the puzzle pieces that will be put together as the season progresses. What transpired last season most assuredly is going to be one of the primary factors.
“I would say our mindset has changed a little bit,” Hicks said. “We set ourselves to a higher standard because we know how good we can be. We go out there and play hard, play tough and play aggressive.
“Last season gave us a lot of confidence.”
SCOUTING THE WARRIORS
Coach: Darrin Fisher
Last season: 12-2, lost to Valparaiso in Class 5A state championship game
Key returnees: FS Kaiden Davidson, DL Scott Harden, WR Gunnar Hicks and SS Andrian Kolleigbo, seniors; WB/CB Maalik Perkins and RB Slate Valentine, juniors; LB Jordan Palmer, sophomore
Top newcomers: WR/DB Noah Garcia, OL/DL Jaxon Fleming, OL/DL Cayden Holder, OL/DL Marc Oliver-Nonez, OL/LB Chris Parham, OL/DL Aaron Picchetti, FB/LB Alexander Ulloa and WR/DB Cullin Wilson, seniors; QB/DB Ethan Engle, OL/DL Kaden Fleming, FB/LB Conner Grismer, OL/DL Jonah McIntosh, TE/DL Carlos Ogega, OL/DL Santa Sandhu, OL/DL Ayden Shaffer, WR/DB Ji’Von Smith, QB Oliver Taylor, RB/DB Brody Williams and OL/DL Kaden Willoughby, juniors; OL/DL Abe Gonzalez, WR/DB Dane Kunz and RB/DB Clayton Ratliff, sophomores
Outlook: Whiteland has playmakers on both sides of the line of scrimmage, starting with Perkins, who opened last year’s Class 5A state championship game with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Valentine and Hicks are proven commodities as well, though significant losses along the offensive and defensive lines has created ample opportunities for some Warriors to step in and begin making contributions of their own.
Last season’s 12-2 record marked the program’s most victories in one season, eclipsing the 11-win squad of 2008, and the 10-win ball clubs of 1999 and 2006. Whiteland has now won at least seven games in 10 of the past 17 seasons.
2023 SCHEDULE
Date;Opponent;Time
Aug. 18;at Jeffersonville;7 p.m.
Aug. 25;Kokomo;7 p.m.
Sept. 1;Decatur Central;7 p.m.
Sept. 8;at Franklin;7 p.m.
Sept. 15;at Perry Meridian;7 p.m.
Sept. 22;Martinsville;7 p.m.
Sept. 29;at Mooresville;7 p.m.
Oct. 6;Plainfield;7 p.m.
Oct. 13;at Greenwood;7 p.m.
