Football: Now is the time for BOLD Warriors – West Central Tribune

OLIVIA – The goal of the BOLD football team is simple: beat Minneota.

That’s easier said than done. The Vikings are the defending Class A state champions. Minneota has also shut out the Warriors’ seasons three years in a row, including twice in the Section 5A championship game.

With ten starters on offense and nine on defense, BOLD is hoping for a breakthrough this season.

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“Our top players are seniors now and have played in a lot of championship games in the regular season and playoffs, but they haven’t held up,” Warriors head coach Derek Flann said. “To be remembered at BOLD, you have to win those games.”

“That’s our only focus at the moment. We want to play well into November.”

Seven of BOLD’s offensive returners have been in the starting lineup for over three years. The most experienced of that group is wide receiver Hudson Vosika. Vosika has been in the starting lineup for five years and was the district MVP last season. He is also a four-year starter at cornerback.

“Hudson has totaled over 5,000 rushing and receiving yards and 68 TDs in his career,” Flann said. “He’s one of the best athletes around and can do so many different things on offense, defense and special teams.”

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Senior Jack Gross returns at quarterback and safety. He has been a four-year starter and was twice named All-District as a QB. Gross is also the team’s kicker and hits 85 percent of his PATs. Wideouts Vosika and junior Owen Baumgartner and senior tight ends Mathew Jacobs and Will Penkert account for 90 percent of the team’s receiving yards.

“Jack was a dual threat for us last year as both a runner and a passer,” Flann said. “He also started as a safety mid-season. His football IQ is a real asset to him and our team.”

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In the backfield, Gross is supported by experienced running backs Kaden Fischer and Brady Kiecker. Kiecker also starts as an outside linebacker.

Vosika, Gross, Fischer and Kiecker all had 100-yard rushing games in 2023. That’s thanks to an offensive line that has a total of 110 career starts. The O-line consists of senior Owen Flann (starter for four years), senior Carson Serbus (starter for three years), senior Jacob Remer (starter for three years) and junior Emmitt Flann. The quartet weighs an average of 248.75 pounds.

Owen, Serbus and Emmitt also play on the defensive line, with Owen and Serbus in their fourth year in the starting lineup.

“Owen made over 200 tackles in his senior year and 15 career sacks,” Flann said. “Carson has made huge strides in his game in the last year and can cause a lot of chaos in the middle of the field. He has made over 100 career tackles.”

Junior Hayden Edwards is back at middle linebacker. Edwards, Brady Kiecker and Jacobs will try to fill the void left by graduates Tate Sheehan and Austin Kiecker.

Baumgartner will move from defensive end to strong safety.

BOLD will face Minneota in Week 3 when the Warriors travel to KP Kompelien Field on Friday, September 13th.

“These guys want to win the district and the section,” Flann said. “But to do that, we have to beat the defending state champions.”