West Central's 2015 season was derailed by injuries to several key players. As a result, several younger players got quality playing time. If the Blue Devils stay healthy in 2016, they could be an obstacle for district favorites Don Bosco and Central Community in the playoff race.

2016 SEASON PROSPECTUS: WEST CENTRAL (8-PLAYER)

2015 RECORD: 3-7 Overall / 3-4 District
2015 PLAYOFFS: Did Not Qualify

HEAD COACH: Steve Milder
School Record (Years): 221-141 (39)
Career Record (Years): 235-153 (42)

2015 STARTERS RETURNING (9):
Tyson Decker, RB/LB
Joe Kane, OL/DL
Brady Forsyth, QB/DB
Collin Kane, OE/LB
Dalton Bunn, RB/LB
Alexander Paul, DL
Noah Green, OL
Collin Kime, RB/DB
Jake Kuhens, RB/LB

OTHER VARSITY PLAYERS (7):
Dom Meyer, OE/DE
Ty Ingels, OL/DE
Adam Michels, OE/DB
Preston Shannon, OE/DB
Decker Wirtz, OL
Taylor Hepperle, DB
Adam Dolf, QB/DB

KEY LOSSES FROM 2015 SEASON:
The Blue Devils lost 13 players to graduation. According to Coach Milder, West Central lost a lot of experience on offense, but injuries allowed many returning players quality minutes.

HOW COACH MILDER VIEWS UPCOMING SEASON

Team Strength Entering 2016:
Plenty of experience on defense. Offensively, Brady Forsyth gives the Blue Devils many options with his ability to pass and run. The trio of running backs Dalton Bunn, Collin Kime and Jake Kuhens all have plenty of experience to go with Tyson Decker who was averaged over 100 yards per game.

Concerns Heading Into 2016:
West Central lost six offensive ends to graduation in May, including three-year starter Dustin Gordon. The Blue Devils went from 21 juniors and seniors last year to just 12 this year. The small numbers could be a program if the team has the injuries it had in 2015.

District Outlook For 2016:
The district has changed for West Central. The Blue Devils will no longer have to compete against Turkey Valley and Midland for the district title, but they will face two other powerhouses, Don Bosco and a solid Tripoli squad. Don Bosco and Central Community were both district champs and enter the season as the favorites. The rest of the district appears to be balanced.

Expectations For 2016 Season:
"We must stay healthy. We must be able to run the football more consistently!."

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