Defending state champion Shiner looks ahead
Monday, August 2, 2021
by Mike Forman, Advocate Sports
Photo Gallery | Victoria Advocate Article | Shiner Comanche Football | Shiner Comanche Sports
SHINER — Drew Wenske has known since Ryan Peterson got hurt in the baseball playoffs that he was going to be Shiner’s quarterback.
Quarterback Drew Wenske hands the ball to Doug Brooks during Shiner High School’s first two-a-day drills on Monday afternoon ( August 2, 2021 ). all photos by Howard Esse, Special to the Victoria Advocate
Wenske, a junior, played quarterback on the freshman and junior varsity level and feels he’s prepared for the assignment.
“It’s just a matter of getting reps,” Wenske said. “I’ve been doing it since seventh grade. I just have to trust my teammates that they are going to do their job. I’m going to do my job and just have confidence in them.”
Wenske and the Comanches took the field Monday evening for the first time since winning the Class 2A, Division I state championship at AT&T Stadium in Arlington in December.
“We just try to set a stone to roll forward throughout the year,” said senior Tyler Bishop. “It’s an exciting time. Everybody I talk to is excited. We’re just ready for this.”
The Comanches return brothers Dalton and Doug Brooks, who were the offensive and defensive MVPs of the state championship game, respectively.
But they graduated 22 seniors and will have to rely on some inexperienced players.
“We lost a big senior class,” said Shiner coach Daniel Boedeker. “We’re excited about the guys we’ve got coming up. It’s going to take them a little time to develop and we understand that. We’ve got to make sure we concentrate on the little things early like the footwork and the technique. The blocking schemes will come as we progress along.”
Boedeker is confident in Wenske’s ability to run the offense.
“He definitely needs reps because last year he was a receiver for us,” Boedeker said. “But he did work a little at quarterback. He has that experience. We definitely have a lot of confidence in him. He’s going to be a great leader for us. He’s going to handle the huddle. When things need to calm down, he’s going to be the guy to do that and his teammates will follow him.”
Shiner lost heavily in the offensive line, but Wenske is convinced returnees such as A.J. Patek will accelerate its progress.
“The guys who are returning on the line are really good leaders,” Wenske said. “They’re going to help them out and I think we’ll be good.”
Shiner will have to navigate a difficult non-district schedule before beginning District 28-2A play, but is looking forward to getting started.
“We just keep on going and keep on working,” Bishop said. “We know what our goal is and we know what we have to do to accomplish it. We just go forward.”
|
|
|
|||
|
Shiner's Dalton Brooks shoots a gap in the defensive line during Shiner's first day of drills Monday afternoon.
|
Shiner's Drew Wenske throws a pass during the first day of football drills Monday afternoon.
|
Brothers Doug Brooks and Dalton Brooks move under a platform for leverage practice during Shiner's first day of drills.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
Shiner's Dalton Brooks practices receiving kicks in the Comanches' first practice of the fall football season.
|
Shiner's Doug Brooks focuses intensely on his coaches instructions during Shiner's first full football practice of the 2021 season Monday afternoon.
|
Shiner's head coach Daniel Boedeker rallies up the troops as they begin the 2021 campaign in earnest Monday afternoon in Shiner.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
Shiner quarterback Drew Wenske lobs a pass up for a receiver in the first practice of the 2021 season Monday afternoon.
|
Shiner's football players take the field for the first time doing all kinds of exercises to get ready for the 2021 football season.
|
Shiner's Dalton Brooks walks onto the practice field for the first time in the 2021 season.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
Lineman A.J. Patek will be one of the few returnees from the championship season of 2020 for the Shiner Comanches.
|
Comanche running back Dalton Brooks receives a pitch during Shiner's first fall football practice Monday afternoon.
|
Shiner's Dalton Brooks runs with the ball during Shiner's first day of fall football practice Monday afternoon.
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
The Shiner Comanches take the field for the first time in the 2021 as they will attempt to repeat as Class 2A State Champions.
|
Quarterback Drew Wenske completes a pass to a receiver during Shiner's first day of football drills Monday afternoon.
|
||||
|
Mike Forman is the sports editor of the Victoria Advocate.
Contact him at 361-580-6588 or mforman@vicad.com |
|
Howard Esse is a long-time photo & video contributor to the Victoria Advocate.
Contact him at throdown@gvec.net. |
© Copyright
BaerCom - Shiner, Texas 2021
