There is really no secret about it when it comes to Meadow Bridge football. The t-shirts spell it out.
“If it ain’t the Power-I, it ain’t football.”
After a brief spell of using the pass-heavy air raid attack based on personnel, the Wildcats returned to their roots last year by pounding defenses into submission.
While the plan this year is to mix more passing into the game plan, Meadow Bridge will still rely heavily on its powerful ground attack and for good reason.
Last year Kaiden Sims placed his name along side former Wildcat greats like Nicholas Lester, James Mullins, Reney Cordial, Caleb Richmond, Tyler Bennett, Ryan Church, Shane Harless and Jake Parker by toting the rock for just over 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns.
“It feels good,” Sims said about being named among the former Meadow Bridge standouts. “I want to be at the top of every list that I can be. When I first came into high school, I just wanted to play football. Once you start feeling good, you want to do the best that you can. You don’t want to get the big head and be too cocky about it, but you want to keep working. My team makes everything happen. I couldn’t do it without them.”
Ironically when Meadow Bridge head coach Dwayne Reichard fist saw Sims, running back was not his first thought.
“I saw him coming up through middle school and I first thought he was going to be a lineman,” Reichard said. “Coach had him at a running back. Then I saw him move and it was clear, running back was right for him.”
Reichard talked about seeing kids of that size in middle school previously, but often didn’t continue to grow and develop. That has not been the case with Sims.
“He is up there with one of the biggest running backs that I have seen since I have been around here coaching. You don’t often see a lot of kids that are 200 pounds, 6-foot-2 that are that athletic. He has continued to grow and has good speed,” Reichard said. “He reminds me a lot of Jake Parker from years ago. He puts the work in, but he is naturally a big strong kid.”
Built like an old school power back, Sims admits he probably won’t dazzle fans with his shifty moves, but he will lower the boom on opposing defenders.
“I have never really worked on agility and stuff. I am not very good changing direction really,” Sims said. “I can run fast straight forward though. If I can get a little speed, I try my best to deliver a blow.”
The execution of the power running game is naturally only as good as the young men in the trenches. The good news for the 2024 Wildcats is they have an experienced group returning up front.
“It will be a lot of pressure this year,” senior right tackle Jadon Butcher said. “When we come in here the stands will be packed because there is a lot of expectation to bring a playoff season to Meadow Bridge.”
Butcher anchors the lineman core which includes returning starters junior Tucker Pugh at right guard, junior Ashton Davis at left guard and senior Charles Bragg at left tackle.
The new kid on the block is sophomore Nick Hammons who will move into the center position.
“Charles is a big dude and is really hard to get around. He 6-7, 340 pounds. Tucker Pugh is really quick and he gets low and just drives you,” Butcher said. “Nick is like me, 6-foot-1, just a big dude with long arms. Ashton is stronger than a horse.”
Butcher, who has started since his sophomore season, played center last year, but likes the move to the outside where he will carry some heavy responsibility this year.
“I feel like my biggest strength is being able to read the defense. I can see what is going on and call out the adjustment,” Butcher said. “It is big responsibility and some weight on my shoulders, but somebody has to do it. I am glad to do it. I feel like I have a little more freedom at tackle.”
Trip Roles and Bow Wykle will fill up the I-formation behind quarterback Braydon Thomas who will take some of the load off of Sims this year.
“With this team, we feel like we are best in the traditional Power-I stuff,” Reichard said. “However, we feel like we can do some Air Raid stuff too. We want to go in and out from being a spread style and being under center.”
If Meadow Bridge is to make a return visit to the state football playoffs, Sims will have to be a huge part of the equation again this year. The junior standout is convinced the guys in front of him can make that happen.
“I trust everyone of them 100 percent. They will do anything to protect me and protect our quarterback,” Sims said. “Every game, you just know they are there for us and we have really good team chemistry this year. We all grew up together and hang out together outside of football. I trust everyone of them with everything with me.”
Meadow Bridge opens the season Friday night at Van.
