Four downs with Walton-Verona

A new leader means new beginnings for Walton-Verona.

In June, Gary Pence took the reins, the third coach to do so since the program began in
2008.

Pence makes his way from Union, where he was an assistant at Cooper for nine
seasons, bringing valuable experience with him.

“Randy Borchers (Cooper’s head coach), I believe, is one of the best coaches in the
whole state and one of the things that makes him the best is how organized he is
with everything,” Pence said. “He’s very detail-oriented and has a focus on all the
little things. That’s what I’m trying to bring here. Take care of all the little things and
when you do those right, it will translate to the football field.”

FIRST DOWN — RECAP

Last season, the Bearcats fell short of their expectations and hopes. The team finished with a 4-6 record and missed out on the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

“Last season’s performance was less than what it should have been,” senior Ben
Walton said. “We had a lot of potential and it was wasted due to injuries and guys not
buying in.”

With a fresh coaching staff in place, it’s up to returning players like Walton and
Jonathon Strunk to be the team leaders and to help turn things around.

“It clicked near the end of last season and the leadership perspective kind of hit like
a brick,” Walton said. “A lot of these guys look to me and Strunk. They know me and
they know my family. It was a big transition to step in and see what I can do as a
leader.”

Walton comes back as a running back and linebacker, while Strunk returns as a receiver and defensive end.

SECOND DOWN — OFFENSE

The Bearcats mentality is that a solid offensive line is crucial for their offense to
reach its full potential.

“Up front we should be really good this year,” Pence said. “We have good size and
strength. It all starts with the offensive line. If you don’t have a strong line, it makes
it very hard to do anything.”

The skill positions are promising with Walton in the backfield and Strunk
at receiver.

“I have the size for it,” Strunk said. “I’m tall and outweigh a lot of corners. I’m not very
fast, but I do really want to succeed, not just for my own benefit, but for the team.”

Strunk totaled 197 yards for two touchdowns in 2023.

Along with Strunk, returnees Trace Dalton and Carter Daniels combined for five
touchdowns and 485 yards a year ago. Daniels also recorded four rushing
touchdowns.

Supporting the upperclassmen is a promising group of young receivers that are
expected to make a significant impact as the season progresses.

“When I got the job everyone told me that the freshman and sophomore class was
very talented,” Pence said. “I know some of them got to play varsity last season. One
of our receivers, Michael Oldfield, is really good. He’ll be one of the names people
hear about in Northern Kentucky this year.”

THIRD DOWN — DEFENSE

The defense will be anchored by Walton-Verona’s front four.

“I feel the same about defense as I do the offense,” Pence said. “Up front we have
some depth where we can rotate guys, keep them fresh. It should help us create
havoc in the run game and in the passing game.”

Walton led the team with nine sacks and four and a half tackles for a loss, while
Strunk contributed 13 tackles, five and a half tackles for a loss and one and
a half sacks last season.

“It’s a new playbook and new defense,” Strunk said. “It’s nothing we can’t handle, but
I promise it’s a lot better and we’re going to have a lot of success.”

Another key returner, Carter Daniels, comes back as the team’s leading tackler with
26 stops.

Walton plans to further enhance the team’s physical presence.

“I’ve been lifting with a personal trainer for five years,” Walton said. “I would like to
teach the guys how to lift properly, how to get muscle and power. I’m not fast by any
means but I know how to build muscle. I think I can bring a powerful perspective.”

This isn’t a defense that is starting from scratch.. The Bearcats achieved two
shutouts a season ago.

FOURTH DOWN — GOALS/OUTLOOK

The Bearcats’ have a clear objective: take it one step at a time and make their way to
the playoffs.

“You can’t get too high or too low after each game,” Pence said. “If we just focus on the
next game all the others will fall in line. Once you’re in the playoffs, you never know
what can happen. We’re just trying to build up from there.”

At Cooper, Pence saw the best-of-the best, including teams like Highlands, Ryle and
Dixie Heights. Now it’s district foe Beechwood that is standing in the way.

“When I got this job, everyone said ‘oh man, Beechwood is in this district,’” Pence
said. “That’s where I want to get to. I don’t see it as a bad thing. We’re lucky that we
play in a district that consistently competes for a state title, so we get to see where
we stack up every year and see what we need to do to keep building up.”

Achieving their goals will require more than just on-field performance; it also
comes down to their team chemistry.

“The friendship really plays a big part of it,” Strunk said. “There’s not a single person
on this team that doesn’t get along. We’re all buddies.”

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