By Jim Mashek
South Warren High School’s football team has the look of another winner.
Steeped in tradition, the Spartans return 15 starters from last
year’s 10-2 team, including two quarterbacks, Caden Veltkamp and Mason
Willingham. Veltkamp’s arm injury prompted South Warren coach Brandon
Smith to move Willingham from wide receiver to quarterback.
South Warren’s only losses in 2019 were at the hands of
archrival Bowling Green High School. The Spartans visit BGHS on
October 2, a game that could go a long way in determining the Region
1, District 2 champion.
Smith is just thrilled the Spartans are getting a chance to
play, after the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of the season.
“At this point,” Smith said, “just getting a chance to play …
It does kind of put things in perspective. We all know it could be a
lot worse.”
Veltkamp will start the season under center, but the Spartans
will have at least three new offensive linemen. Veltkamp completed 76
of 122 passes for 1,007 yards last season. He threw 16 touchdown
passes and was intercepted just once.
“It seems like all summer, we were just waiting,” Smith said.
Kobe Martin, the Spartans’ rushing leader in 2019, is also back
for his junior year with the team. The 5-foot-8, 195-pound Martin
rushed for 1,167 yards and 15 touchdowns last year.
Willingham returns to wide receiver, where he’ll be joined by
teammates Jason Putman (6-2, 175, sr.) and Avrin Bell (5-8, 165, jr.).
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Nate Neal can play both wide receiver and
tight end,
Jantzen Dunn (6-2, 180, sr.) had 19 catches for 364 yards and
six touchdowns last season, but Smith sees him in a leadership role as
a starting safety in the Spartans’ base 4-3 defense. Bell had 28
catches for 317 yards and three touchdowns in 2019.
South Warren returns two starting offensive linemen, seniors
Seth Hall (6-3, 265) and John French (6-1, 275). Junior
placekicker/punter Eldar Dervisec kicked five field goals and
converted on 37 of 41 extra points last season,
“Your goals and aspirations kind of got lost (during the
pandemic),” Smith said. “Having contingency plans in place is
something we have to be prepared for.”
South Warren opens the season on September 11 on the road
against Warren East.
