When the first of August rolls around, the certainty that takes place is that another Bridgeport High School football season is about to begin. And another certainty is that a senior that has never played football for the Indians – or a senior that has not been a regular contributor – is going to step up and make a difference.

 

BHS Coach Josh Nicewarner knows that. In fact, he’s known it for years as a player, an assistant coach and even as the head coach.

 

When his team took the field for the first day of practice in August, there stood senior John Wilfong. While the name certainly is a familiar one to those that follow BHS athletics, it’s not for football. Wilfong, as many know, was a Class AA all-state first team basketball player for the Indians last year. In fact, he led the Indians in scoring and is going to be counted on this year to hopefully help the Indians get back to Charleston.

 

Yet, there he was that first Monday. Soaked from head to toe in sweat in the hot morning August sun that is only compounded by the artificial surface the covers Wayne Jamison Field. His presence wasn’t a total surprise as Wilfong worked out with the Indians’ football team during the club’s three-week June practice session.

 

As for whether or not Wilfong will be a surprise for the Tribe this year, well, that remains an unknown. What is known is that possibility exists and whenever teams in the past have had the benefit of a guy like Wilfong. Someway, a first-year player that’s a senior or a senior that’s getting their first substantial playing time will make a huge difference. It might be Wilfong this year or it might be someone else that I haven’t mentioned.

 

I look back to John Koon during his senior season. Honestly, by the time the season ended I’m not sure if I’ve ever watched a kid become so good at his position and make such a huge impact on a team by the time they were a senior.

 

Last year, you had Ryan Sprouse come out for the first time and he saw plenty of playing time from the start of the year all the way through the state title game. I remember seeing players like Bobby Oliverio and Chris Liebig do the same thing and, in their own way, make an impact on their respective teams whether it was on just one play or several.

 

“We’ve come to the world of one sport athletes, but by the time they’ve matured and they’re 17 or 18 years old they realize maybe they’ve missed an opportunity,” said Nicewarner. “I can tell you that we’re happy to have those kids.

 

“We’re happy to have John this year. I know what a great basketball player he is and I’ve heard that he was a good football player when he was younger,” Nicewarner continued. “We’re excited about what he brings to the table and excited that he brings competition to the team.”

 

Nicewarner said for as long as he can remember there have been kids that fit the Wilfong role. He said if I asked around, I could certainly find more than what I’ve already listed.

 

He’s right. So I made one phone call to Mark Trippett; a man I consider the unofficial historian of Bridgeport High School football and asked for his support in naming a few players. And let me be clear in saying that I know I have forgotten many names and Trippett admits he probably left off some names.

 

With that qualifier in mind, Trippett gave me a list of names dating back to 1970 of first-year players. Take a look and, please, add names of those you believe need mentioned in the comments section below.

- 1970: Bruce DeGroot, a 6’2, 180 pound tailback that Trippett said moved to Bridgeport his senior year and helped BHS finish 8-2.

 

- 1972: The name Barry Myers is well known, but Trippett says his senior year was first year he started. How’d that work out for the 1972 state champs? Not only was he an all-state selection, but he was the Hunt Award Winner as the state’s top defensive player.

 

- 1972: Joe Pecarro was listed at 5’10 and 150 pounds, Trippett said, but made a huge impact moving here his senior season. Trippett said he was part of a great defense that state title year and could have been tailback if not for some guy named Steve Stout.

 

- 1975: Greg Ross didn’t play his junior season and his senior year proved to be his first year of varsity football. The team went 7-3 and the tight end/safety earned multiple postseason honors on a 7-3 team.

 

- 1979: Here’s another familiar name – Charlie Fest. Mentioned primarily due to his dominance after playing spot time on defense as a junior, he moved to tailback his senior year, made all-state and helped lead BHS to a 13-0 and state title season.

 

- 1986: Billy Reep’s first year proved to be pretty good. As a senior, Reep was a safety and one of the top defensive players on the 12-1 state championship team.

 

- 1994: Another first year player that moved to Bridgeport was a defensive lineman named Mike Wilson. Let me be the first to say that he was an absolute unblockable beast after making the move to the city from Punxsutawney, Pa.

 

- 2000: Starting tailback Brian Berry, said Trippett, played very little his junior season and was huge in Bridgeport’s 14-0 state championship season.

 

- 2004: Nicewarner, himself, mentioned the impact that Cody Thrasher made coming out of nowhere during this particular campaign. Thrasher saw little varsity action until his senior season when the team went 9-3 and he made first-team all state.

 

- 2005: Tommy Marion played just his senior year and he had a dominating campaign on what turned out to be a 9-2 team. Marion was considered by many to have a “high motor” on the field.

 

- 2005: Just like his father, Justin Trippett went from little playing time to a jack of all trades. He played end on offense and defense, while holding down the punting duties and kicking off  for the Indians.

 

- 2012: Cullen Cutright went from little playing time to major impact. The tight end/linebacker helped BHS finish 9-3.

 

Okay, that’s what I’ve got. Now it’s your turn. Talk about others that made senior year contributions after either not playing at all, playing very little or moving to Bridgeport. The floor is yours.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo is of John Wilfong during a recent practice, while Charlie Fest is shown in the second photo and Barry Myers in the third. Bottom photo, by Ben Queen of www.benqueenphotography.com, shows John Koon in a sport he dominated while at BHS before joining the football team his senior year. Fest and Myers photos courtesy of BHS Journalism Department and Mrs. Alice Rowe.