Most teams would fold after a 70-point defeat, but Charleston football responded differently.
The team moved on so quickly, said head coach Brian Halsey, that the Trojans (1-5, 1-2) didn’t watch the film from the Mt. Zion game.
“Everybody’s upbeat,” Halsey said. “They’re having fun. They’re giving us everything they got.”
Junior running back Treylin Couch echoed this, saying the mentality has been good this week and players have been working hard.
This is a team out of playoff contention, too.
Now, these final three games will be used as building stones for next season. Something that is needed for an inexperienced squad.
“We got some kids that should be playing freshman football,” Halsey said. “We got some kids that should be playing [junior varsity] football. They’re for right or wrong, good or bad, getting thrown into the varsity mix, and it’s new to them. It’s a big boy’s game, and they’re going to have to adapt.”
Gaining more experience and continuing to build a strong culture are two key areas Halsey is focused on riding out the end of this season.
“We’re changing a culture, not just within football, we’re trying to change a culture within the school,” Halsey said. “It’s going to be an ongoing task till we get kids out and disciplined and tough enough to play.
Halsey said part of changing the culture is teaching toughness and discipline for not only football but life in general. With now being out of the playoff race and in the middle of a tough stretch, this remains a big emphasis to carry into the off-season.
Charleston’s (1-5, 1-2) next opponent is Taylorville (3-3, 2-1), which is coming off a 50-6 win over Mattoon.
Leading the offensive stampede under center is junior quarterback Isaac Repscher.
Repscher has 1229 passing yards and 14 passing touchdowns on the season. His yards are good for 19th in Illinois and 2nd in 4A, according to Maxpreps.
Another key player for the Tornados’ offense is senior running back Owen Matteer. He has 332 rushing yards on the season. Last year against Charleston he ran for 154 yards just in the second half alone.
While Charleston offensively is coming off a scoreless game, it had one bright spot. Couch rushed for 123 yards against Mt. Zion.
He will be a player to watch as he continues his strong Apollo Conference start with 677 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.
“We want to try to build and have some momentum going into the offseason,” Halsey said.
One way to do that is by hindering the playoff chances of a conference opponent tonight.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. in Taylorville.
Bryce Parker can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].
