From the ground up, Westminster Christian has come a long way

What a difference four short years makes.

Zach Aters recalls his freshman year of football at Westminster Christian, the now 200-some-student school that has made tremendous leaps and bounds with its athletic programs since the high school opened in the 1990s.

But starting a high-school football program from scratch is a different animal, especially when most of the team is comprised of gridiron neophytes.

"Looking back on it all it was so weird," says Aters, Westminster's 6-foot-2, 340-pound senior two-way lineman. "We didn't know much about football. Most of us hadn't played before."

Yet in that first season, which included a hodgepodge schedule comprised of whoever they could find to sign on the dotted line, the Warriors went 8-1 playing a non-varsity schedule.

"We were a Class 1A school playing JV teams from schools that are in Class 7A and 8A," says Westminster coach John Davis, the from-the-ground-up architect of the Warriors program.

Three quick years later Westminster has arrived. In that small amount of time the Warriors have gone from scheduling vagabonds to the Class 1A state playoffs. Westminster, thanks to a 6-3 season - the majority of it played in the competitive small-school Northeastern Athletic Conference - will make the 82-mile trek west Friday night for its first playoff game against Polo High School (located west of Oregon and east of Milledgeville in Ogle County). Westminster is the No. 13 seed in the top half of the 1A bracket, while the Marcos (get it, Polo) are the No. 4 seed. Polo (9-0) won the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference Upstate Division title and has given up a grand total of 35 points this season.

"The fact we've only had a varsity program for three years and to make the playoffs that quickly is a pretty amazing feat," said Davis, whose first two varsity teams went 2-7 and 4-5. "We've moved at a miraculous pace here. I don't think anyone would have guessed that if Westminster started a varsity program from scratch in 2013 by the time 2015 rolled around we'd be vying for a position in the big bracket and make it in."

Davis said time has actually been on the program's side. By starting the program from ground zero, Davis has accumulated a core of players who have been together for a long period of time and have gained valuable game reps over the years.

"We're senior-heavy right now (10 of the 20 players on the team are seniors)," he said. "Even though 80 percent of the guys had never played before when we started, they all have played a varsity schedule since the very beginning."

Davis' son, John John, a 6-0, 190-pound junior center and defensive end who already is being looked at collegiately as a Division I long snapper, noted the 2015 product is something the group had hoped for when it started their football journey. "We've grown up and we've gotten bigger and stronger," he said. "We are the team we want to be. We are fitting into the shoes we are supposed to fit into."

Davis' group is led offensively by the likes of running backs Xavier Brown (a junior who ran for a career-best 201 yards against Alden-Hebron in Week 9) and Bobby Scott (senior). However, the Warriors could be without junior starting quarterback Tanner Park Friday. Park injured his ankle in the regular-season finale against Alden-Hebron (two-way lineman Zach Anderson also was injured in that game). If Park is a no-go, junior wideout Scotty Graziano would get the call, Davis noted. "Scotty also is an extremely good quarterback," Davis said. "We have a good Plan B lined up if we need it."

Senior Nick DeMaira (middle linebacker) and Brown (safety) have been key playmakers for the Warriors on defense.

"We all click together very well and know each other very well," said Graziano. "We've in sync with each other."

One concern for the Warriors throughout the season has been depth. With only 20 players on the roster (the school only fields a varsity team and no underlevels), practices are harder from logistical standpoints, injuries can be troublesome and most players have offensive and defensive positions listed in the game-day program, indicating the racking up of frequent field miles. Graziano, though, sees the numerically threadbare roster as a source of inspiration.

"It motivates us," he said. "There are a lot of people who think it's too hard to go anywhere with 20 people. We like to prove people wrong. We like to show people what we are made of."

Graziano added another secret weapon is the team's coaching staff that also features former longtime Hampshire head coach Dan Cavanaugh (he of 1995 Whip-Purs state-championship fame) and former longtime Larkin assistant football and head baseball coach Terry Schabert. "Our coaches help us a tremendous amount," said Graziano. "The staff is amazing. John Davis is the best coach anybody could ask for. They all know and love the game and all they want to do is help us be better football players. They push us to be the best we can be."

Davis noted there is some concern about the future with only 10 players eligible to return (8 juniors and 2 sophomores). He mentioned the future possibility of seeking out a co-op arrangement with another school. "We need more kids to help keep growing this program and continue what we've built," he said.

But next year is next year. In the here and now the Warriors have themselves a well-earned date in Polo Friday night.

"The season has played out like we wanted it to," said John John Davis. "It's showed how successful we can be."

And with hard work and dedication, how quickly success can be achieved.

Mike Miazga has been writing about Fox Valley area sports for more than two decades. Email him at mjm890@gmail.com.