The Westminster Wildcats are turning over a new leaf after a challenging 1-8 season last year, followed by a 47-16 blowout loss in the first round of the playoffs. New coaches, 24 new freshmen, and even brand new turf on the football field are among the changing factors for the Cats this year.
Cory Snyder has taken back the helm for the Westminster Wildcats, bringing a renewed sense of hope for the coming season. Snyder previously coached the Wildcats for 14 seasons in the past, with five of those years as head coach. Under his leadership they reached the state semifinal round in 2015 after an undefeated regular season. His prolific resume also includes leading them to three district championship wins.
“[Coach Snyder] has a definite command of the locker room. The whole team clearly respects him,” said Sean Gross, junior.
Snyder’s influence gave the football program an immediate jumpstart. There are 24 new freshmen this year, as opposed to last year’s seven. This influx of players should help the team, providing both depth and another layer of competition for starting roles.
The Wildcats offense will be led this year by incumbent senior QB Shep Nye. Nye is coming off a year where he threw for 10 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, but he projects to have a better slew of receivers than last year, as well as an upperclassmen-heavy offensive line which has only improved. The ground game will be a 1-2 punch with two senior running backs, Chris Heard and Josh Avery. Elite two-sport athlete, Caden Collison, will lead the receiving core with Isiah Warren, Matthew Hayes, and Ridge Cathcart projected to get time on the perimeter. Colby Alpert will remain a strong option at tight end, with Peter Kats and Stavros Affentoulis as quality depth options behind him.
The Wildcat defense is a different story altogether, giving up 45 points per game last season. They will run a 3-4 defense, clearly anchored by 3-star defensive end Joe Anderson. After Joe Anderson at defensive end, however, there aren’t many roles locked in place. The cats have a smattering of solid defensive players, but the defensive lineup as a whole lacks a definite shape. Peter Kats, Ridley Jowdy, and Brock Benes appear to be the leaders for the starting roles at the linebacker position. The secondary hasn’t fully taken shape yet, but it appears to be a mix of as many as 15 players, with names like Xander Deverger, Cole Andrews, and Cal Leighton catching the eye.
The Wildcats figure to run a high octane offense with a dangerous rushing and passing attack. They played in their first jamboree Friday, August 18th at Parkway West. They went 2-1, beating Parkway West and St Charles West, and losing to Ft. Zumwalt East. The jamboree looked promising for the cats and the season ahead.
