Greenwood strong safety Gunner Ruppert, left, makes a tackle last season against Indian Creek.
Daily Journal file photo
It wasn’t until an October loss at Franklin that Gunner Ruppert carried the football for the first times last season.
Consider it a tuneup for what’s ahead.
Ruppert, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound junior for Greenwood, was the squad’s leading tackler with 106 as a sophomore strong safety. He now looks to excel on both sides of the line of scrimmage starting with Friday night’s opener against visiting Seymour.
“I’m ecstatic. It’s a big step up, for sure,” Ruppert said. “Endurance is a big thing, and that’s something I’ve worked on a lot over the offseason.
“Hopefully my hard work pays off, and I can perform to the best of my abilities.”
The Woodmen started coach Justin Boser’s initial season strong with three consecutive victories and then passed its first two Class 4A sectional tests before losing at eventual state champion East Central with a regional berth on the line. After graduating quarterback Brock Riddle’s 2,900 yards and 32 touchdowns through the air and 95% of its production on the ground, the team now needs Ruppert to carry a far greater workload.
“Gunner got some carries later in the year,” Boser said. “I try not to overload our youngsters, and we had two pretty good backs too. I would say he’s going to be productive for us on both sides. Hopefully his tackle numbers are down because the guys in front of him are making more tackles.”
Ruppert did notch a carry as a freshman, a 5-yard gain in a Week 4 loss to Mooresville. Last season, he waited until Week 8 but still netted 73 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.
The junior’s leverage makes him an outlier among prep running backs. And after running the third leg for Greenwood’s state meet-qualifying 4×100 relay last spring, no one is about to question his burst.
Ruppert’s defensive instincts also play a role in his ability to see what the opponent is doing in an attempt to stop the Woodmen offense. On four occasions last season, he finished with double-digit tackles, including 12 apiece against Perry Meridian and Whiteland.
“Over my football career, I feel I’ve had great field vision,” Ruppert said. “But there are definitely challenges being a tall running back.”
Last season actually proved to be a departure from the norm for Ruppert, who was a two-way player every football season from bantam league all the way up to his freshman year.
Two of his classmates, quarterback Ayden Houseman and tailback Anthony Scaramazzo, are also expected to factor in greatly to what Greenwood does offensively, as is sophomore fullback Ajay Weathers.
SCOUTING THE WOODMEN
Coach: Justin Boser
Last season: 6-6, lost at East Central in Class 4A sectional title game
Who’s back?: WR Josh Carroll, WR Jeremiah Carter, DE Brady Cave, DB Waveland Goodrich, OL Alex Kramer, OL Alex Skinner, DE Ethan Reed, DE Carter Swain and DB Dom Williams, seniors; OL/DL Carson Andres and RB/SS Gunner Ruppert, juniors; WR/DB Daveon Jones and OL/DL Andre Watson, sophomores
New faces to watch: WR Parker Doolin, OL Ezekiel Faulkens, QB Ayden Houseman, LB Tyson Jones, LB Ethan Lobb and RB/LB Anthony Scaramazzo, juniors; DB Deston Heichel, WR Benjamin Hommell and LB Ajay Weathers, sophomores
What to expect: Despite numerous graduation losses, Boser remains confident the Woodmen can remain competitive. The offense, which threw the football 43% of the time in 2023, breaks in Houseman, who saw spot duty as a sophomore while taking part in one-third of the team’s games. Ruppert will play more running back after focusing exclusively on defense last season, while Carroll, who grabbed 15 receptions as a junior, leads a group of receivers that also includes Carter, a state finalist in the long jump last spring.
Ruppert’s team-best 106 tackles were followed by three players who have since graduated. Expected to pick up the slack are, among others, (43 tackles), Andreas (39) and Cave (35). Three consecutive home games to open the season will be a plus as Greenwood will attempt to further define roles and build momentum in familiar surroundings.
2024 SCHEDULE
Date;Opponent;Time
Aug. 23;Seymour;7 p.m.
Aug. 30;Indian Creek;7 p.m.
Sept. 6;Martinsville;7 p.m.
Sept. 13;at Mooresville,7 p.m.
Sept. 20;Plainfield;7 p.m.
Sept. 27;at Perry Meridian;7 p.m.
Oct. 4;at Decatur Central;7 p.m.
Oct. 11;Franklin;7 p.m.
Oct. 18;at Whiteland;7 p.m.
