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Postseason has become expectation for Spartans

Waynesville football coach Glen Burchfield has guided the Spartans to three straight playoff appearances, including Saturday's Division IV match-up at Clinton-Massie. Staff photo by Scott Hayes

Photo by Scott Hayes Waynesville football coach Glen Burchfield has guided the Spartans to three straight playoff appearances, including Saturday's Division IV match-up at Clinton-Massie. Staff photo by Scott Hayes

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By Scott Hayes, Staff Writer 12:06 PM Thursday, November 5, 2009

Waynesville High head coach Glen Burchfield likes to use a ladder as a metaphor for his football program.

Each season is a rung on the ladder and he implores the Spartans to advance higher every year.

Since Burchfield took over the program in 2003, the Spartans have steadily climbed to new heights.

After back-to-back 4-6 records his first two seasons, Waynesville went 6-4 and won the Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division in 2005. A seven-game win season followed, then in 2007 the Spartans qualified for the playoffs.

Last year, for the first time in school history, Waynesville won a playoff game.

This season, despite graduating 16 seniors and moving up to Division IV, the Spartans are once again in the postseason.

“We lost a lot of talent. Replacing all those kids and getting back to the playoffs was a tall order,” Burchfield said. “But the team never stopped believing. They kept working harder and harder. The situation that presented itself was more difficult, but they were ready for it.”

Five coaches remain on the staff that started seven years ago.

“That’s important to keep that continuity,” Burchfield said. “We’ve added key pieces like defensive coordinator Chip King this year who meshed right in and kept it going.”

The continuity extends to the players. Six current seniors have been varsity contributors during all three playoff seasons.

That includes record-setting running back Seth Millar and quarterback Cory Young — the linchpins of the Spartan offense.

“Getting to the playoffs is something that’s expected around here now,” Young said. “We don’t think we’ll be successful, we know we’ll be.”

Things didn’t look rosy a month into the season. After two losses, Waynesville’s playoff hopes were dim.

“It wasn’t devastating, but it was frustrating because we felt we had played poorly,” Burchfield said. “The kids showed a lot of resolve to make it back.

“When you make it to the postseason a couple years in a row, kids start looking at the big picture and lose sight of that week’s opponent. We went back to focusing one week at a time, and by week nine it came back to us. That’s just how things worked out over the last five weeks.”

Thanks to that change in approach, the Spartans are back where they believe they belong.

“It’s a special feeling,” Burchfield said. “During trick-or-treat last Saturday people were high-fiving me and excited about this week’s game. There’s a buzz in the school building and the community uses it as a rallying point.”

“My favorite part is that we’re practicing while most teams are turning their equipment in. There’s just something special about it,” he said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4526 or shayes@coxohio.com.

How to go

Who: No. 8 Waynesville (8-2) vs No. 1 Clinton-Massie (10-0)

What: Division IV, Region 16 quarterfinal

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Clinton-Massie High School

Tickets: $9 at the gate, $7 pre-sale, available at the high school, LCNB or Ellis Hometown Marketplace

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Spartan fan- I was wrong It was 6 touchdowns.
I have a feeling that Massie is going to have their hands full with Kenton. And if they get bt Kenton, Massie's season will end against Alter!

Terry
12:31 AM, 11/8/2009

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Spartan fan not all dreams come true and this one will DEFINATELY not. 1. This isn't the first game of the season. 2. The game will be played at Massie this time. 3. Massie is bigger and stronger in the lines on both sides of the ball. 4. Massie is just as quick if not quicker then Waynesville. 5. Massie plays a tougher schedule than Waynesville 6. Massie's defense gives up only 5.3 ave pts per game. 7. Massie's senior class has NOT ever lost to Waynesville and they wont start tonight!

Terry
2:51 PM, 11/7/2009

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Well Terry, maybe I am dreaming but dreams do come true!!!!!
Spartans know how to play ball and may the best team win!

spartanfan
8:05 AM, 11/6/2009

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Spartanfan you are dreaming and your nightmare willcome true saturday night. Massie by AT least 2 touchdowns!

Terry
7:39 PM, 11/5/2009

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Good Luck Spartans!!!! And don't be so sure about their season ending this weekend.......They have a lot of talent and can absolutely beat Massie.

spartanfan
3:42 PM, 11/5/2009

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