WAYNE, W.Va. (WCHS) — The Wayne County High School football program reached the playoffs in 2023, nearly defeating the eventual Class AA state champions, and the Pioneers will continue to set their sights high this season under the leadership of head coach Tom Harmon.
Harmon is happy with his new team so far and hopes they will take the next step.
“It’s always exciting at the beginning of the year, especially before anyone has played a game,” Harmon said. “At that point, there’s a lot of hope, but soon enough you get into some battles and hope that what you’ve done before pays off when it’s time to play.”
Coach Harmon has noticed that his team’s confidence continues to rise. The Pioneers call it “swag.” And the swag is on the rise.
“Once you get the ball rolling, it’s like a snowball rolling up the hill,” the coach explained. “You gain a little bit of momentum. I think we maybe turned a little bit of a corner last year as far as our confidence goes, and the things we did in the offseason paid off.”
Veteran wide receiver and cornerback Kade Estep has witnessed the team’s rise firsthand.
“I think we’ll start with the same momentum as last year. We’re building on a good season,” he said. “I think we’ll start on a higher level than we were at this time last year.”
Teammate Ronie Staley, an offensive specialist for the Pioneers, agreed.
“The confidence is up because we did so well last year,” Staley said. “We made it to the playoff game, narrowly missed it against Fairmont Senior and are now coming back from that.”
Coach Harmon explained that there is simply no replacement for the playoff elite.
“We have a couple of guys that had some good game experience last year and were part of a pretty good run toward the end,” Harmon said. “We hope they continue like they did then. We’ll find some new guys to go out there and replace some of the ones we lost.”
Estep told Eyewitness Sports that morale is at an all-time high.
“I see the energy and leadership is really good this year. I think it’s a lot better than the last few years,” he said. “I definitely think that will help us move forward this season.”
The 2024 Pioneers look a little different compared to some of Wayne’s previous teams.
“We’re probably a little more athletic than a typical Wayne team,” Harmon said. “It’s a physical football game. I’m pretty happy with our physicality and the two scrimmages we’ve played. It’s going to come down to the game plans, whether you can execute the game plans and play physical and within your capabilities. That remains to be seen, but right now everyone is in the same boat.”
As the offensive line continues to develop, there are enough weapons available at the skill positions and up front.
“We have three or four guys who have a lot of experience and great games. It’s just a matter of putting them in the right spots and then it’s like an orchestra,” Harmon said.
Wayne opens the season on Friday with Tolsia.
