Wolverines open football season tonight

The Vian Wolverines will open their 2024 football season tonight with a 7 p.m. road game against the Eufaula Ironheads. It also will be the Ironheads’ season and home opener.

Vian coach Gary Willis knows his Wolverines will face a stiff challenge, as usual, from the Ironheads.

“Traditionally, they’re really a tough football team,” Willis said. “We always get into a battle with them. It’s always a very close game. They’re a bigger school (Class 3A). They’re just a really well-coached team. They have a lot of football tradition. They play hard. They have a lot of size advantage on us. We’ve been there before, but those are the concerns.”

Despite any advantage on paper the Ironheads have had at times over the Wolverines, it has not seemed to bother the local squad. The Wolverines have had recent success against the Ironheads.

“It’s just been good, tough competitiveness from our kids,” Willis said. “(Former Vian and current Sallisaw) Coach (Brandon) Tyler had a good record against them, too. I think they got him one time when he was starting a bunch of freshmen. I think that was 16 years ago. Vian has had a lot of success in the past 20 years (against Eufaula).”

Two major factors that need to happen tonight to keep Vian’s success going against Eufaula are intensity and taking care of the football.

“We just need to go play with a high intensity and take care of the football,” Willis said. “If we do those things, and tackle well and protect the football, I feel good about (getting a win).”

In last week’s road scrimmage at Hilldale with Grove, it was a lack of intensity that concerned Willis the most entering this week’s season opener. The veteran coach believes that issue has been addressed this week.

“We didn’t play at the level that we wanted to play at (in last week’s threeway scrimmage),” he said. “That’s certainly been preached by the coaching staff (to the players). We had a very good offensive practice (Tuesday afternoon), and we had another good solid practice (Wednesday afternoon). I think we’ll be ready to go.”

Another positive factor for the Wolverines going into tonight’s game is they are healthy.

“That’s key, especially with a school our size and our lack of depth,” Willis said. “That’s a key priority for us.”

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TO GET THERE — Take Interstate 40 west to Checotah. Take U.S. 69 south to Eufaula.