2020 36 Blitz: Western Hills Wolverines

FRANKFORT, Ky (WTVQ) – The last few seasons, serious talent has been rolling through Western Hills. In 2017, Quarterback JLen Youngblood’s senior class led the Wolverines to 8 wins. In 2018, led by Kentucky’s Mr. Football Wandale Robinson’s class, the Wolverines notched 7 wins. Last season, with those guys gone Western Hills was young, they ended up with only three wins, but now they know what it takes.

“You know going from JLen Youngblood’s huge class, they were really good,” said senior WR Jason Rogers. “And Wandale’s class of course they were really good all those wide receivers and lineman that really helped us. We’re sort of undersized so we have smaller players. We just gotta know we have big shoes to fill and step up our game a lot. Just approach the game a little bit harder and come with it.”

Fortunately the way football works, inexperienced sophomores and juniors getting early playing time, translates to experienced juniors and seniors hitting the field this season taking what they learned last season and putting it into play.

“It was huge because I got to perform what I cold did and show everybody what I could do,” said junior QB Dylan Engler.

“It’s good. It gets you a feel for how fast compared to middle school. How fast the game is,” said senior linebacker Jacob Fields. “And gets you some more experience your important years, your junior and senior year.”

As the Wolverines enter the 2020 season, they will once again be tested early and often. Last season not only were they young, but they played new opponents in a new district due to realignment. This year though those guys aren’t new and players will know what’s coming.

“The biggest thing is hopefully have some success with the early season and build up,” said Western Hills head coach Don Miller. “Obviously, we’re in a tough district with DeSales, CAL, Mercer and Henry. You got two of those guys that are probably in the top 5 of 3A. We got our work cut out. They understand that. We’re going to work hard and hope for the best.”

And to beat the best, the Wolverines know what it will take.

“Teamwork is really what it comes down to and stuff like that because in the heat of the moment you always want to point fingers and blame the other person,” said Rogers. “But then you really gotta dig deep and see that the solution to all your problems is coming together and playing as one because when you play as one it’s easy to play the game of football and you have more fun. Usually the best with teamwork are usually the people who win and get farther in the game.”