Injuries not an option for Union City

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August 23, 2012

Injuries not an option for Union City

By Dan Walk Meadville Tribune The Meadville Tribune Thu Aug 23, 2012, 05:00 PM EDT

UNION CITY — Injuries can be a detriment to some of the best football teams. Younger, inexperienced players have to fill in for the wounded, and that usually leads to less-than-desired results.

For the 2012 Union City football team, injuries will not be an option.

The Bears currently have 22 players on their roster, including 10 who will start on both offense and defense. There will be one situation on the offensive line where a player will be spelled. That’s 12 players filling 11 spots on both sides of the ball.

Simply put, the Bears cannot avoid the fact that football is a collision sport. But they are doing all they can to keep their most experienced players on the field.

“Our biggest fear right now is the injury bug,” first-year head coach Randy Gunther said. “The other teams know that we’re very close to being one injury away from not being able to play. There just aren’t any other bodies.

“That being said, these guys know they can’t get hurt,” Gunther said with a laugh. “Barring something serious, hopefully we’re going to be able to make it through.”

Not only will the small team be an issue once the regular season arrives, but it is a problem on the practice field.

“The difficulty starts at practice, trying to put bodies in places where they probably shouldn’t be playing but just so we get any sort of look,” said Gunther, who spent last season as an assistant under then-head coach Joe Sanford. “We kind of have to put them wherever we can.”

The thought of forfeiting games due to a few significant injuries may be in the back of the coaches’ minds. But to the players, thinking about getting hurt will be the last thing on their minds.

“You can’t go out there thinking you’re going to get hurt because then you worry and don’t play to the best of your ability,” sophomore quarterback/defensive back Brody Mangel said. “You just have to go out there and just do your job and hope for the best.”

Based on last year’s numbers, Union City expected more players to come out this season. Instead, senior Jarred Brooks and sophomore Jarod Proper moved out of town and senior Tim Vargo, who was the Week 1 starting quarterback last season, isn’t playing football this year.

Mangel took over for Vargo behind center a few games into the season. He’s back and more prepared to be the team’s leader.

A few other key returnees for Union City are senior Josh Reinke, a second-team all-region wide receiver and defensive back, offensive/defensive linemen Storm McDonald and Gage Michael and offensive lineman/linebacker Shane Russell. Reinke may also by the team’s punter, kick returner and punt returner.

There is a positive to the Bears’ small squad. It has been very easy for the team to come together.

“We’ve had a pretty tight-knit group of people,” said Reinke, who takes over as the team’s No. 1 running back following the graduation of leading rusher Kyle Hetrick. “Over the summer, we’ve been lifting. I think we’re pretty close. It’s pretty important when playing football — you have to have togetherness. Everyone gets along.”

Considering a dozen players may be on the field for almost all 48 minutes of each game, one of Gunther’s focuses during camp has been conditioning. The hope is that the 2012 Bears will be in better shape than last year.

“We’re just going to play until we wear out. That’s kind of been the motto,” Gunther said. “We’ve conditioned a great deal and they know it. ... But four quarters is a lot different than conditioning. Regardless of where we’re at, we’re just going to have to last until we can’t. It’s that simple.”

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Injuries not an option for Union City

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