Few get to experience the feeling of perfection.
The Dodge City High School junior varsity football team is one of those few this year.
They went 7-0, achieving the perfect season, giving the Red Demons so much to look forward to next season.
"I'm very happy that we won every game," DCHS JV coach Dustin Fergerson said. "We had so much fun doing it. It was fun to call the plays and know they would be executed, and these kids were fun to be around.
"They knew when to be serious and when to have fun."
Fergerson and others had doubts about this season. Especially since most JV teams are built around sophomores and juniors, and this season, most of the DCHS juniors are on the varsity team.
Also, with several sophomores coming onto the team after a 1-6 freshman campaign, no one was sure what to expect.
But they proved everyone wrong.
"Everyone should know that our success came from our team unity," quarterback Jared Helfrich said. "Without our teamwork and incredible effort from the linemen up front, this wouldn't have been possible."
Fergerson credits junior team leaders Helfrich, as well as wide receivers Josh Ginther and Nick Brady. Helfrich, who threw for 24 touchdown passes, was without a doubt a team leader, according to Fergerson.
"The team listened to him," Fergerson said. "He knew when to take charge and was in no way bossy. He is a good kid and people want to follow his lead."
Sophomore Todd Middleton is one the coaches will be watching next season. His big plays on defense were a big contribution to the winning season.
"Our coaches always expected a lot out of us," Helfrich said. "That made all of us expect a lot out of each other, and we knew we could do it."
Fergerson said the juniors will be stepping up to varsity next year. It will finally be their year after all the hard work. He said several of them were on JV this year so the seniors could shine. He has no doubt that these juniors will easily be able to fill in on varsity next year.
Both Helfrich and Fergerson are looking forward to the momentum this gives them for the offseason.
"This is a new kind of excitement," Fergerson said. "It will give them a lot of momentum in the weight room and preseason workouts."
Helfrich said he is excited about the opportunity to go to quarterback camps and to working hard with the team in the offseason.
"I think if we hard, we'll have a good season next year," Helfrich said.
Fergerson said he agrees.
"We know now that they can compete," Fergerson said. "We know they will find success at the varsity level."
With all the excitement and optimism, look out for the 2010 Red Demon varsity football team.
The JV outscored their opponents in a big way, 315-122 over the seven games.
DODGE CITY —
