After a successful 2016 campaign, Ferndale this year will play with renewed ‘purpose’

As they were preparing for the 2017 football season, Ferndale coach Jamie Plenkovich and his assistants asked their senior leaders to come up with a theme for the season – something that would motivate everyone collectively and individually.

“The fact that they came up with it is pretty cool,” Plenkovich said. “When it comes from them, it’s obviously more meaningful than us just saying something. I think the leadership has done a good job of identifying the path they want to be on. That’s what you want you leadership crew to do.”

So, what did the Golden Eagle leaders come up with? What did they feel was the team’s purpose for in 2017?

Well, as it turns out, a purpose is exactly what they came up with.

“The word we set for our team this year is ‘purpose,’” senior Cole Semu said. “It’s a word we bring up when practice is running dry. ‘Purpose’ is what we’re out here doing it for. It’s what we’re putting all this time and hard work in for.”

Not only is playing with “purpose” a team goal, but it means something different to each member of the team. As senior James Hinson said, “Everyone has their own purpose why they play football.”

“Mine is ‘selfless,’” senior Alex Cleary said. “That’s my purpose. I’ve got to be putting the team in front of myself. ... If I’m starting to get in my own way or make some bad plays or get mad at my teammates, someone like Cole will come up to me and say, ‘Alex, purpose.’ That reminds me, ‘Man, I’ve got to do this right for the team.’”

Last year, Ferndale did a good job of working as a team, as the Golden Eagles finished second in their first year in the 3A Wesco North and won a quad-district playoff game before falling to eventual state runner-up O’Dea in the first round of the state playoffs – Ferndale’s first trip to state since 2012.

A lot of the team’s success can be attributed to a strong, talented group of senior leaders last year.

And that’s something Plenkovich said he hopes he will be able to rely on once again in 2017.

“We’re just in the beginning stages of that journey,” Plenkovich said. “I think they’ve done a good job of taking over for the crew last year and the examples they set. They’ve expanded on it. Every group has a little bit different personality, but we’ve got guys that worked their butts off to get ready for this year in leadership roles. When your best players are your hardest workers, you’re in a good position.”

Though they lost a lot to graduation, the Golden Eagles still have plenty of talent returning.

On offense, Ferndale returns its starting quarterback in Hinson, who passed for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns last year. He’ll have one of his two 1,000-yard backs from last season back behind him with Semu’s return, while Gader Fox and Gabe Zwade are expected to split time at fullback. Ferndale will have several options at wing back, Plenkovich said, and Watiko Leighton had a good offseason and could lead a receiving corps that includes Jared Emmert and Conner Obergotsberger.

Up front, the Golden Eagles have one side of their line back with the return of Mikhail Varetskiy and Geirean Hatchett. Cleary also started at the other guard last year, giving Ferndale three returners on the line, though Carter Colon also saw time at tight end last year. Plenkovich said Spencer Crosswhite has looked good taking over at center.

Ferndale returns both of its defensive ends in Hatchett and Varetskiy, and Fox will allow them to get a breather. Crosswhite and Reid Benson are among a mix of players that will play in the interior. Cleary started all of 2016 at linebacker, while Carter and Zwade will likely see increased roles there this year. In the secondary, Hinson is a three-year starter at cornerback, and Semu returns at safety. Sequoyah Julius also was a starter at corner at the end of the season, while Emmert and Obergotsberger will likely split time opposite Semu at safety.

“I like our group,” Plenkovich said. “I think we’ve got some talent. It’s just a matter of coming together, and I think we’re in the process of doing that right now.”

This story was originally published August 29, 2017 at 5:00 AM with the headline "After a successful 2016 campaign, Ferndale this year will play with renewed ‘purpose’."