Pigskin preview: Big Reds carry memory of former teammate into new season

CENTERVILLE — What would Ayden Beeson say to his teammates is he were in the locker room this season as part of the Centerville High School football team?

“I’m not sure you can print what he’d probably say to us,” Centerville senior Brady Cisler said with a laugh.

One thing is for sure. If any team is motivated to ‘Be Like Beeson,’ it’s the 2024 Big Red football squad. For many of the returning players like Cisler, the memory of their former teammate who tragically passed away this past summer will be serving as an inspiration as Centerville looks to bounce back from a 2-6 season last fall.

“Anytime we break, we’re going to do it with that motto of ‘Be Like Beeson.’ We’re going to try to honor Ayden the best way we can,” Centerville head football coach Matt Kovacevich said. “He was such a spirited young man that came from being a little freshman on our team that became a really great player that was on his way to try and play college football.

“We use that as inspiration for all of our kids in the weight room and on the football field. Just because you might be small in stature now doesn’t mean you won’t become a really good football player in two or three years with a lot of hard work and perseverance.”

Beeson finished his senior season at Centerville leading the Big Reds on the defensive side of the ball, accounting for 66.5 total tackles including 48 solo stops with 6.5 total tackles for loss. Caleb Murphy, Centerville’s leading returning tackler, was the only other Big Red player to crack 50 total tackles (50.5) and 40 solo stops last season.

Besides the plays made on the field, Beeson was a true locker room leader attempting to keep his teammates motivated before, during and after each game last season. According to Cisler, the Big Red players that return this season will look to carry on the example that Beeson…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/pigskin-preview-big-reds-carry-014700157.html

Author : Ottumwa Courier, Iowa

Publish date : 2024-08-28 01:47:00

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