Not a lot of people would have ever imagined the 2005 Bureau Valley football team would have won the state championship heading into the season.
After all, it graduated 12 players from the state runner-up team, not to mention its head coach. It lost eight starters on offense and nine more on defense, including two-way stalwarts Brad Monier, Preston Jones, Ben Doty, Josh Coyle, Jeremy Marlowe, Eric Blackert and Spencer Yates.
But the Storm proved the cupboard was hardly bare. The Storm simply reloaded under new skipper Dave Moore, the longtime assistant coach, and won every game they played that year.
Fourteen games up and 14 games down. IHSA Class 3A State Champions.
We called them here at the BCR, the Perfect Storm.
Bureau Valley will recognize the 2005 Storm for its 10th anniversary during halftime of Friday’s Senior Night festivities.
Moore, who moved to coach at Princeton from 2008-11 and remains as driver’s ed teacher, said the 2005 team lived out their motto of having unfinished business from the year before.
“Heck, those kids were hard to replace. There were a lot good kids in that class (2004 team. We did have a lot of juniors that played on that (2004) team and had varsity experience. It was a matter of putting kids in the right spot,” Moore said.
No one was put in the right spot better than Garret Barnas. The junior, who was tailback his sophomore season for the 2004 state squad, emerged as the Storm’s new play-maker at quarterback. He rushed for 1,033 yards and 19 TDs and threw for 1,502/15 more.
The Storm’s QB was surrounded by a wealth of talent with the likes of two-way starters in junior Nathan Black (FB/LB) and seniors Reid Nodine (RB/DB) and linemen Dan Braasch, Kevin Thomas Shawn Wager (G/DL) and John Roberts.
Other starters for the 2005 Storm were juniors Josh Wilkinson (RB), Ben Nolden (G), Ben Durham (DB), Jesse Willstead (LB) and seniors Michael Grieve (WR), Patrick Smith (WR), Jake Foster (LB) and Matt Morman (S).
All these players needed was a chance to perform and perform they did.
The 2005 Storm rolled through the Big Rivers Conference championship, knocking down all opponents in their path on the way to a 9-0 league slate.
They opened the playoffs with wins over Paxton (45-6) and Rushville-Industry (28-14) in their own backyard. They hit the road to defeat ROWVA (22-14) and to the deep south to tackle southern Illinois power DuQuoin (33-14).
Back in Champaign for the second straight year, the Storm brought home the first place trophy this time defeating, Tolono Unity 34-7.
They were the first state champion in any sport for Bureau Valley, which opened its doors in 1995-96, and the last in Bureau County history.
“Our kids payed with a it of heart,” said Moore, who is excited to see his old players Friday. “From our first game to our last game, you saw the team improve each week. By the end of the year, we were very good both offensively and defensively.”
Baby Bruin: Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Happ on the arrival of their first child, James Joseph, who was born Saturday, Oct. 10, in Pittsburgh. James’ father, of course, is big-league pitcher J.A. Happ.
After a stellar stint with the Pirates since his arrival by trade, the 32-year-old lefty looms as an attractive free agent to many a team seeking a quality veteran pitcher, especially a left-hander. Perhaps, the Chicago Cubs, his childhood favorite team, will come calling.
Both father and mother (the former Morgan Cawley) were standout athletes at St. Bede.
Tip of the cap: I know many a happy Cubs fan and I tip my Cards cap to you and your team. The best team at this time certainly came out on top. Those young Cubbies can sure hit.
As a Cardinals fan, I can tell you baseball in October is fun. We’ve had our time in the sun, now this is yours. Enjoy the ride. I’ve heard from several Cubs fans who were there Tuesday, some in the park and some mingling around outside just to soak in the experience. I don’t think they’ve calmed down yet.
So good luck to all my friends who bleed Cubbie blue. Well, as I’m writing this, I just got one of those good-humored, shall we call them, texts from my lovely wife. Maybe I’ll have to change my mind about that.
Kevin Hieronymus is the BCR Sports Editor. Contact him at khieronymus@bcrnews.com.