By Kelsey Shady
Without a doubt the Mount Vernon Football team had an incredible and record breaking season. We watched as senior Connor Herrmann defied gravity while jumping up to grasp the ball and make an extraordinary catch, we watched junior Tristan Wirfs sacrifice his body to save his teammates from being tackled, we watched senior Carlos Castro kick the ball gracefully through the goalposts, and we watched sophomore quarterback Drew Adams throw the ball as skillfully as a college player.
“I think being involved and winning two state championships, one as a coach and one as a player prior to coming here gave me some background knowledge about things we need to do prior to coming into the contest,” head coach Lance Pedersen said.
“Understanding what things are needed to try to get us to that point, and really when it comes down to it it’s just the small things that make a huge difference.”
Nearly all of the players said their most memorable part of the season was beating Anamosa to go to the Dome, or beating Albia to play in the championship. Thanks to their coach, they were able to have these amazing moments. “I felt like I had to practice each day and perform at a high level each game so I wouldn’t let my teammates down,” senior Connor Herrmann said.
Every single player agreed that the most life-changing part of their season was the friendships and bonds they made with both their teammates and coaches. “It was the best team environment I’ve ever been a part of,” said junior running back Jack Cochrane.
The word they broke down their huddles on was “family” because that’s what they were to each other. “One day after practice that’s how the kids broke it down, we usually said ‘Stangs’ or ‘Mustangs.’ It carried us a long way,” Pedersen said.
Their bonding as a team and as a family was undeniable we could see it when the players were on and off the field. It certainly helped lead to their success. Junior Sam Moore said their chemistry as a team is what motivated him throughout the season.
All athletes set goals, large and small, but the Mount Vernon football team’s goal was simple: To improve, and that’s exactly what they did this season.
“Our goal and my goal everyday was to get better,” Pedersen said, “and if you’re not getting better you’re getting worse you just don’t stay the same.”
This wasn’t a team that just had success handed to them; they went through long exhausting practices, woke up early for lifting while still meeting expectations of their teammates, coaches, and community. Bootsmiller said, “We always went hard in practice to achieve our goals.”
This season was absolutely extraordinary, but the team is not going to give up now. “We were so close to winning it all, we left it all on the field,” said Bootsmiller.
Right now winter sports are in full swing, but that doesn’t mean the team isn’t making plans and setting goals for next season. Sam Moore said he “can’t wait to win the big trophy next year.”
