Wheelersburg senior class determined to write their own chapter in storied program
By: Ty Carpenter
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WHEELERSBURG, Ohio (WOUB) – At practice and on the field, the message from head coach Rob Woodward is clear: compete every day. For the Wheelersburg Pirates, winning is not just a goal — it is tradition.
“There’s a lot of hard work and blood and sweat that has been put into this field,” Woodward said. “We bring that up with our players and we nurture that community drive, year after year after year with our guys that really allows them to understand they’re playing for that name that’s on their chest.”
That name boasts 22 consecutive winning seasons, eight SOC-II titles in the last decade, and a state championship in 2017.
Last season, the Pirates struggled early with an 0-3 start before rallying to go 6-1 the rest of the regular season, heading into the playoffs with a 6-4 record. With the momentum, it seemed like another state championship run was on the horizon. However, they would fall short in the regional final, in a crushing 55-0 defeat to long-time rival Ironton.
For Woodward, the setback is part of a larger story.
“I’ve seen a grind that was put together in 2015, 2015, that led to 2017,” he said. “All of that was just making guys hungry for their opportunity… A base that was set up in the seasons before. We’ve had that in ‘23, ‘24.”
The hunger is strongest in this year’s senior class — a group that was thrust into starting roles as only sophomores. The early experience has built a tight chemistry.
“A lot of guys had to step into roles at a young age, and that’s created a lot of experience and a lot of chemistry between us, because we’ve played on the big stages together,” said senior running back and linebacker Elijah Brown. “I think this is one of the closest senior classes that I’ve seen since I’ve been in football and Wheelersburg’s program.”
Brown, who led the team in both tackles and rushing yards last season, will not be alone.
While the team graduated 14 players last year, many key positions return. Senior wide receiver and defensive back Kenyon Evans comes back as the team’s leading receiver and tallied 62 tackles with eight for loss. At quarterback, senior Braylon Rucker also returns, after accounting for 19 total touchdowns against just four interceptions.
“We all know as a group we want to make our last year count,” Evans said. For him, the team’s goal is simple: “Win and advance. Win state. That’s the main goal.”
The expectation of a state championship weighs heavy on this team, but quarterback Braylon Rucker says they are up for the challenge.
“It’s pretty easy with the guys around me, I don’t really see it as pressure,” Rucker said. “I just go out there and play the game I love to play.”
For the Pirates, the drive is fueled not only by personal ambition, but also by a powerful connection to their community.
“Coming out of the locker room is always an adrenaline boost because you know the community is behind you,” Brown said. “Each one of these guys has parents in the stands, their grandparents in the stands, and they’re here to play for their community.”
“It drives us. I mean, it’s what’s got us out here on these hot summer days getting ourselves conditioned and ready,” Woodward said. “We got a community that we play for… They’re not out here playing for themselves as individuals. They’re out here playing for their brothers and their teammates, and then ultimately for their community.”
With experience, numbers and motivation, Wheelersburg’s seniors are determined to write their own chapter in a storied program.
Their first test will be on Aug. 22 for the season opener at Kipp Columbus.