Warrior Football aims for bounce back season under new coaching staff

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - The Warrior Football team went 3-8 last season and are looking for a rebound year under their new coaching staff.

Central High had eight losses last season, and only defeated one league opponent, a 25-13 win over Grand Junction High. However, four of their eight losses were by eight points or less.

A new coaching staff is leading the Warriors this season, looking to turn more of those close losses from last year into victories. The new head coach for the Warriors, is a familiar face to Western Slope Football, Ryan Whittington. Before the Warriors were calling Whittington Coach, he was an assistant coach at Colorado Mesa University as well as Delta High School, and Head Football Coach at Rifle High School.

“You know just super excited to be out here playing, you know? Just be out on a football field with these guys you know the kids been working really hard and super susceptive to what we’re bringing to the table with the new coaching staff,” Coach Whittington said.

When asked about what he has seen so far from the team he is inheriting, Coach Whittington pointed out the determination the team has shown the coaching staff already in the young season.

“I think their work ethic is the one thing that sticks out to me right now, they are really hard workers, obviously there is things we’ve got to fine tune, but their work ethic has been tremendous so far.

But it’s not just the coaching staff that needs to get acclimated to the team, but also the players getting used to the new staff. The senior warriors especially are in an interesting situation, getting used to a new coaching staff that had been with them for most of their football careers.

But the Warrior seniors we spoke to said they have already taken a liking to the new staff and what they are building towards.

“We’re looking good, and we got a whole new coaching staff, and first all of our seniors were nervous, you know, going into our senior year,” Senior Left Guard Zach Knowles said, " But so far so good.”

“He (Coach Whittington) pushed us to be better than what we had, and I feel like we’re going to have a good season this year,” Senior Linebacker David Gonzalez said.

The Warriors open up their season taking on the team that they started, and ended their season against last year, the Fruita Monument Wildcats on Aug. 24.

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