Heights is ready for some football

Trevor Steiner didn’t think this day would ever arrive. Cancelations. Restrictions. Terminations. Steiner, Wisconsin Heights’ football coach saw it all — and didn’t think his Vanguards would see the field during the 2020-21 school year. So when Steiner and his team were able to begin their alternate fall season last week, they were all on Clour Nine. “Up until a month ago we were not sure we would be able to play football because county health officials were not allowing exceptions to breaking the close contact rules,” Steiner said. “We were reluctant to put the kids in a football game when they had no exposure to contact at practice. Luckily, the county lifted some of those restrictions and that opened the door to us having a season.  “I would describe the kids as excited, obviously, but also relieved. Relieved that they will get the opportunity to play a season that they thought most of the year they would not get to play.” It was mid-March, 2020, when the WIAA canceled the remaining games in the girls and boys state basketball tournaments. Shortly thereafter, spring sports were canceled, as well. The WIAA proceeded with fall sports — and also gave schools the option of postponing those sports until the spring. The Vanguards picked the fall-to-spring plan, but Steiner & Co. were left in limbo for several months as Dane County kept things locked down. Finally in early January, Wisconsin Heights’ School Board gave winter sports the green light to begin. That also ensured the fall to spring sports season would take place. Steiner knows, though, this fall-to-spring season will be packed with challenges. “This has been the longest year, ever,” Steiner said. “It’s impossible to effectively describe all of the emotions during this past year. I’m appreciative of the effort to make this happen, but it is a huge sacrifice and it will not be as easy to pull off. I have warned everyone that this is anything but normal.   “We have soccer players, lacrosse players, track athletes, baseball players, and probably even golf players, all of which will be playing during the next two months. Every program and coach is going to have to have some give for the kids. And I’m really concerned about them.   “They went from no activities for months, to now every activity. Most will be dual sport athletes, a few will be tri-sport athletes. We need to make sure that athletics remain a healthy enhancement to their academic experience.” When we last saw the Vanguards, they were enjoying a magnificent season in which they went 7-2 overall. Considering 75% of the state played football in the fall, many of Heights’ usual foes aren’t on the schedule. Instead, the Vanguards will play five games, beginning on March 26 against Oakfield. But Steiner believes his team has a chance to do some big things. “We have several players returning this year that had a heavy hand on last year’s success,” he said.   Connor Herrling, Dakota Lueck, Jon Holcomb, Jaeger Schonneman, and Bailey Wolf all return to anchor the Vanguards’ offensive and defensive lines.  “That’s huge edge to have that kind of experience up front,” Steiner said.  Linebacker Hudson Smith should be ready for a big year. Wideout/defensive back Everett Buol is also back and poised for big things. Basketball standout De’Shawn Barsness has joined the team and will play both wide receiver and defensive back. Lathan Parman and Preston Herrling have also established themselves as potential threats on both sides of the ball. “Honestly my hope, my goal is to have a healthy roster to compete for the five scheduled games we have this spring,” Steiner said. The Vanguards — and the other teams playing an alternate fall schedule — caught a break with the weather. Heights enjoyed temperatures in the low-60s during the first days of practice.  And after a year of constant hurdles, this was one time the Vanguards — and everyone else playing spring football in Wisconsin — had something go their way. “We were fully prepared to practice indoors for at least the first two weeks, and out of nowhere we had a major warming trend and we melted all of the snow off the practice field,” Steiner said. “Luckily there was not much frost, and about the only thing that will keep us from using the field is torrential rain.   “We could certainly get some more cold, cold and wet, and we’ll have to learn to work with it. I felt that the biggest obstacle to practicing these early days would be the surface of the field.    “We’ll have to be patient, smart, and open minded to be willing to practice on different areas of the field every night. We have to keep in mind that if we tear it up now, it will not recover before August.”