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North Callaway senior Jordan Delashmutt does it all for the Thunderbirds, including leading the team in rushing this season.

Lessons learned well: How to win,

how to lead for Thunderbirds​

Sept. 20, 2018

KINGDOM CITY, Mo. --- Adam Reno might well be the MVP of the North Callaway football team this fall.

And Reno graduated last spring.

"Adam Reno's work ethic is definitely still evident with the team we have this year," Thunderbirds head coach Kevin O'Neal said. "He's a kid who worked his tail off in the offseason ... he wasn't ever a vocal leader, but he led by example.

"These kids who are seniors this year definitely learned from his leadership."

It's what you call making a lasting mark on the program ... and Reno wasn't alone.

"That whole senior class --- especially Austin Edwards, he was a big part of that and another All-State player for us --- but those two guys (in particular), the way they studied film, their work ethic during practice and giving it all they had on Friday nights, they were our leaders."

That leadership last year helped produced new leaders this year.

"This year's senior class (eight players), led by Jordan Delashmutt, they got a lot of playing time and were a big part of what we did last year," O'Neal said. "They've stepped up and been the leaders of this year's team."

Other leaders of this T-Bird pack include seniors Dawson Wright, Mark Isgrig and Chet Cunningham.

"We've still got a lot of work to do," O'Neal said, "but I think we're headed in the right direon."

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THE 5-11, 215-POUND DELASMHUTT leads the team in touchdowns and rushing yards .... and total yards ... and solo tackles, assisted tackles and tackles for loss.

What have you done for me lately?

Starting at running back, Delashmutt is picking up where Reno left off, as he's rushed for 478 yards (10.9 avg.) and seven touchdowns in four games. And in all of those games, the starters have played sparingly in the second half.

"Jordan and Adam are both hard runners, they both hit the hole hard," O'Neal said. "Jordan doesn't quite have the speed that Adam had, but he has a little bit more power."

Joining Delashmutt in the backfield is senior Dakota Brush, who's rushed for 219 yards (6.1 avg) and six scores.

"Dakota is kind of our lightning guy ... we kind of have thunder and lightning back there with those two guys.," O'Neal said. "They're a good mix to kind of replace Adam Reno, who was a little bit of both."

Last year's starting quarterback was only a sophomore, Tully Thomsen, but his family moved to Oak Grove and the search for his replacement was on.

Enter junior Jaden Henry, who's filled in admirably.

"He's stepped into the role and done a nice job," O'Neal said. "It's unfortunate we lost (Thomsen), but Jaden was excited about the opportunity he had, he worked hard during the offseason, and he's done a very good job of leading our offense."

Henry is 17-of-26 for 450 yards, with eight touchdowns and only one interception. In last week's 52-22 win over Wright City --- and when North Cal opened up the passing section of the play book --- Henry was 7-of-9 for 208 yards and two touchdowns --- in the FIRST QUARTER.

"I'm very pleased with the way he's thrown the football this year," ONeal said. "Last week was the first time we opened up the passing game a little bit and he's been very accurate, so far."

It's all about balance.

"Offensively, we obviously want to set a tone up front with our run game," O'Neal said. "We want to be a hard-nosed football team and control the line of scrimmage. But anytime you can pass the ball effectively, that makes the  defense have to defend the entire field."

The top receiver is Wright, who's caught eight passes for a whopping 215 yards and five touchdowns. On the offensive line, as well as the defensive line, the anchor is Isgrig (5-11, 220).

"He's absolutely the anchor," O'Neal said. "He's a lot like Adam --- he doesn't talk a whole lot, he leads by example."

Rounding out the offensive line, a group O'Neal says is "really jelling," are senior Cody Watson, juniors Will Jeffries (6-2, 255) and Ben Bondurant (6-3, 205), and freshman center Zeke Gillman (5-10, 170).

Freshmen starters on the line aren't that common, even in Class 2.

"He's earned that spot," O'Neal said.

Mainstays on the defensive line are Isgrig and Jeffries, while Brush and junior Mason Wortman are a pair of talented defensive ends. But just like with the offense, the defensive conversation starts with Delashmutt, who has 38 tackles (24 solo) and five tackles for loss for a defense that's already held two teams to negative yards rushing.

"Jordan's the guy who sets the front for us," O'Neal said, "he's the leader of the front six."

Going deeper, Wright at safety is the leader of the secondary.

"He's a huge force for us back there," O'Neal said. "Our secondary is pretty solid right now."

As are the rest of the Thunderbirds, who enjoyed an historic season last year when they went 11-2 and won their first district title and moved to the quarterfinals, both for the first time in six years.

"We can go as far as this team is willing to work for," O'Neal said. "That's the biggest thing they probably learned from last year, that you have to continue to improve each week, you can't ever by complacent, you can't ever be satisfied.

"I think last year's team helped set that tone."

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O'NEAL'S PATH IN LIFE seemed to be set at an early age and now, he's enjoying the journey down that path.

"It was my goal when I was 17 to be a high school coach, and I always wanted to come back and coach at North Callaway," said O'Neal, 42, who's in his fifth at the helm of his alma mater. "When coach (Mike Emmons) decided to retire --- and he was my mentor --- I wanted to make sure I instilled the same values he instilled in his players.

"The life lessons you learn in football are invaluable. He built this program and hopefully, I can continue to build it."

Beating South Callaway and winning back the Callaway Cup last year --- and snapping a seven-game losing streak to the Bulldogs in the process --- was a big step in continuing to build it.

Then, beating the Bulldogs again in the district championship game was even bigger.

"Those were huge wins and our kids were excited about that, for sure," O'Neal said. "The whole offseason, we'd bring the Callaway Cup out and sit it in the weight room. Our kids know that South Callaway will be gunning for us this year to get that back, we just needed to make sure we worked hard in the offseason to keep it at North Callaway."

Besides the impact Reno and Edwards made last year, there's something that made an even bigger impact on the team.

Winning.

"We had more kids than we've had in a long time in offseason lifting and workouts," O'Neal said. "They know what the expectations are now, to finish on top of the conference and win district championships.

"We're building a program and with the success we had last year, these kids definitely know that."

Expected to win ... what a great problem to have.