The Lake Today

The Osage Indians have a lot riding on this Friday’s game against Warsaw and they are feeling the pressure.

It’s Homecoming for the Indians, and as any coach will tell you this week is always a challenge to keep the players focused on the job at hand with all the celebratory activities going on. Ramping up the emotional tachometer, it’s also Senior Night, the last time the seniors will suit up on the home field for a regularly scheduled game.

For Osage, they are also in the rare position of this being the last chance to end this season of challenges with a winning record, but they’ve got to beat Warsaw to do it.

The Wildcats have only two wins thus far, upsetting Versailles 44-43 with less than 20 seconds on the clock and again snatching a 24-14 victory courtesy of Southern Boone just two weeks later. The Wildcats have had it tough this year, but you can never count out Wildcat Quarterback Jimmy Eierman.

The Wildcats are young, but they are not to be dismissed. In fact, just two weeks ago they led the Blair Oaks Falcons 15-12 after the first quarter having caught the Falcons off-guard with their pre-game planning. Quarterback Eierman and wide receiver Brad Jelinek have been the big guns for the offense all season and they continue to perform and get results. Like Osage, Warsaw’s size is deceptive with only five linemen over 6 feet tall, 220 pounds. They look to be small, but with Coach Markway’s weight room philosophy, they are strong, fast, and getting better every week.

Markway took over the football program earlier this year with a clear focus in mind: a good strength and conditioning program in a small school can change everything very quickly. He made sure he got his best athletes on board and the rest of the team followed suit. They are more disciplined and more focused on the details and fundamentals this year and that is going to start to change their winning potential.

Osage is coming off a huge upset last week against Hallsville, falling to the other conference Indians 28-23. While it’s no secret that the Indians put their game in the hands of dual-threat quarterback Bo Dean to move the ball either with his pin-point firing in the air or under his own power running the option, Osage also has to be able to get their key players on the field.

This has been a wild season for injuries for the Indians and opponents never know what configuration is going to show up from week to week. There have been at least three players on crutches every week with another 2-4 with week-to-week injuries varying from stomach flu to displaced shoulders. It’s been a challenge to say the least, but if they can manage to get the experienced players on the field for Friday night, they have a much better chance of Dean pulling off the magic that he’s so capable of doing.

It’s never good to assume that any game is ‘in the bag’ and with the inconsistency that Osage has had this season it’s even worse to assume it this week, but Osage has the tools to put their record at 5-4 and improve their chances at advancing in districts. Dean will need to bring his best game this week and his favorite targets in Dylan Jeffries and Colin Samuelson along with Jake Ulmer and Taylor Margetts will need to be at the ready. Fortunately for the receivers, Dean can and will get the ball to them as long as they can get in position, making it a great time to be a receiver for the Indians.

Comparatively both teams lost to Blair Oaks, Hallsville and California. Both beat Southern Boone and Versailles, but Osage defeated Eldon while Warsaw lost to the Mustangs at home. There’s the difference – Osage is undefeated at home this season and they certainly don’t want to break that streak this week. Overall, Osage has outscored the Wildcats 242-151 this season, but the points allowed have been closer with the Indians allowing 261 to Warsaw’s 291. That could be a problem.

Tyler Winn, Jake Ulmer, and Matt Rechenmacher have made a big difference for the ground game of the Indians giving Dean a couple of options besides himself to run the ball. Both are effective in providing protection as well, as are a number of other starters, but that’s where the injuries have hit the hardest.

A lot of talented yet surprised sophomores have seen Varsity time this season and it’s been with mixed success. Again, if they can field the right combination of healthy players – the Indians can win just about any matchup – but that hasn’t happened much this season. Osage has the tools; they just need to be able to get them on the field.

2012 Osage Indians Football roster

1 - Mueller, Robbie, 12, K/K, 5’11, 175

2 - Heiser, Justin, 10, WR/DB, 5'7, 135

4 - Dillon Cooper, 9, QB/LB, 5'8, 140

5 - Bo Dean, 11, QB/S, 6'1, 195

6 - Henry Vandonsell, 9, QB/RB/S, 5'8, 140

7 - Joe Franzeskos, 10, RB/LB, 5'8, 160

8 - Adam Barb, 9, WR/DB, 5'8, 160

9 - Russell Williams, 9, WR/DB, 5'6, 135

10 - Collin Samuelson, 10, WR/DB, 6'2, 165

11 - Bobby Partridge, 9, WR/OLB, 5'1, 101

12 - Tyler Jones, 12, WR/OLB/S, 6'2, 170

13 - Jace Marcola, 11, WR/LB, 5'9, 170

14 - Austin Riley, 10, QB/DB, 5'10, 140

15 - Donald Hudlemeyer, 12, RB/DE, 6'1, 220

16 - Adam Hill, 12, TE/OLB, 6'2, 200

17 - Taylor Margetts, 12, TE/LB, 6'2, 185

18 - Jake Ulmer, 10, RB/LB, 6’, 212

19 - Leeland Scott, 10, RB/S, 5'9, 155

20 - Brad Russell, 10, RB/OLB, 5'5, 140

21 - Austin Courisky, 9, WR/OLB, 5'5, 120

22 - Chase Chittenden, 9, WR/DB, 5'7, 110

23 - Robbie Jolley, 9, RB/OLB, 5'6, 130

24 - Tyler Winn, 12, RB/DL/LB, 5'9, 225

25 - Matt Rechenmacher, 12, RB/WR/OLB, 6', 170

26 - Trent Ekstrom, 9, RB/WR/DE, 6', 150

32 - Seth Crooks, 11, RB/WR/OLB/S, 5'10, 180

41 - Jeb Robertson, 10, TE/OLB, 6', 160

42 - Dylan Kennedy, 11, TE/LB, 5'10, 190

43 - Colin Adelman, 10, WR/LB, 5'9, 152

44 - Gavin Hearst, 9, RB/OLB, 5'10, 150

45 - Jonathon Williams, 10, RB/OL/NG, 5'7, 225

50 - Thomas Elmore, 9, OL/NG, 5'9, 210

51 - Jette Nichols, 10, OL/NG, 6', 205

53 - Dustin Kennedy, 10, OL/DL, 5'8, 180

54 - Brian Urwiler, 12, OL/DE, 6'2, 180

55 - Michael Henley, 9, OL/LB, 5'8, 160

56 - Quentin Robinette, 9, OL/LB, 5'7, 125

57 - Brandon Gaylord, 9, OL/DL, 6'2, 148

58 - Travis Baker, 10, OL/DL, 5'7, 170

59 - Michael Crosby, 10 OL/LB, 5'9, 155

60 - Thomas Wise, 9, OL/DL, 5'9, 160

62 - Josh Parker, 9, OL/DL, 5'8, 145

63 - Brandon Westbrooke, 10, OL/DL, 5'11, 162

64 - Scott Brannon, 10, OL/DL, 5'11, 225

65 - Gabriel McDowell, 9, OL/DL , 5'7, 140

66 -Kaleb McDowell, 11, OL/DL, 6'1, 230

67 - Aidan Williams, 11, OL/DL, 5'10, 200

68 - Chaz Kempf, 9, OL/LB/DL, 5'8, 165

70 - Landon Vossman, 9, OL/DL, 5'9, 180

72 - Sam Smith, 10, OL/OLB, 6'1, 180

73 - Alex Weatherspoon , 10, OL/DL, 6'3, 220

74 - Sam Bartron, 9, OL/DL, 5'11, 185

75 - Dustin Gentry, 10, OL/DL, 6’, 195

76 - Brandan Ahhee, 12, OL/DL, 5'10, 235

78 - Brock Dowling, 10, OL/DL, 6', 210

79 - Brock Smither, 9, OL/DL, 5'10, 170

81 - Tanner Berg, 10, WR/DB, 6', 160

82 - Dylan Jeffries, 11, WR/S, 6'2, 170

84 - Jacob Bartron, 11, WR/DB, 5'11, 155

86 - David Rossman, 12, WR/DB, 6'1, 170

87 - Brandon Pierce, 9, WR/DB, 5'8, 145

94 - Shane Sabourin, 9, OL/DL, 5'8, 150

Head Coach: Dan Henderson

Assistant coaches: Nathan Daines, Joey Denney, Brock Ezard, Glen Shepherd