Waldron football celebrating 10 years of competition

The tenth year of football in the Waldron community will be celebrated Saturday as part of the kickoff to the third year the small southeastern Shelby County school has fielded an 8-man high school football team.

The Mohawks will host Indiana Deaf Saturday at 7 p.m. in their season opener. Eight-man football is in its third season as a grass roots program in the state of Indiana. It is billed as a viable option for small schools that struggle to field enough participants to play traditional 11-man football.

Waldron also will host Dugger Union (7 p.m. Sept. 7), Traders Point (7 p.m. Sept. 21) and Rock Creek Academy (6:30 p.m. Oct. 5) this season. The Mohawks are at Rock Creek on Aug. 31 (2 p.m. kickoff), Traders Point on Sept. 14 and Indiana Deaf on Sept. 28.

Those five programs and the Tri-State Crusaders, a competitive organizational team comprised of homeschooled as well as public and private school students from northeastern Indiana, will compete in a postseason tournament beginning Oct. 19 with a championship game on Oct. 26.

Waldron has 20 players on its roster this season but just two seniors – quarterback Walker Dodson and fullback Tyce Hinchman. More than half of the roster is freshmen and sophomores who have come up through the local developmental program started a decade ago.

“We lost some kids we expected to play, some decided not to play,” said Waldron coach Corey Barton, who has spearheaded the youth program since day one. “There were thoughts of having an undefeated season. We will have a good year if we have coached the freshmen up. Expectations are still high.”

Joining Barton, who serves as Waldron’s offensive coordinator, on the 2024 coaching staff are Chandler Miller, the defensive coordinator, Ben Crosby, Bean Denison and Jack Atwood.

Waldron’s junior class of Hunter Dodson, Joey Worley, Troy Atwood, Domanick Bonar and Brayden Smith will be counted on for their leadership.

This year’s roster also includes its first girl, freshman Abby Lockridge.

“We’ve had girls in the youth program but this is the first high school girl we’ve had,” said Barton.

Several of the 2024 8-man programs met Saturday at Decatur Central for a preseason jamboree. Barton liked what he saw from the Mohawks and got a first look at Indiana Deaf, which has less numbers on its roster this season and lost a dynamic quarterback to graduation.

“I want to see more of what I saw in the jamboree,” said Barton. “If we execute and play our game, execute what we worked on (in the offseason), we should be fine.”

The theme for Saturday’s event is “White Out.” All former and current players and coaches in the youth program have been invited as part of a celebration of a decade of football in Waldron.

“If I went back, I’m sure we talked about a 10-year plan,” said Barton (photo with Waldron youth players at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis). “Early on, I said I would throw in the towel if we didn’t make it beyond sixth grade. Now we’re in our third year at the high school.”

The youth football program currently has nearly 50 kids playing at the elementary level and nearly a dozen at the junior high level.

“Every year is a different challenge, whether its numbers or logistics,” said Barton. “You have to stay flexible and open to change.”

In addition to the White Out theme Saturday, there will be a Senior Night and Homecoming celebration on Sept. 7, a Powderpuff game for high school girls on Sept. 21, and a “Pink Out” event on Oct. 5.

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