All of Kansas high school football and the NCAA Division I landscape knows of Howard-West Elk’s 6-foot-7, 285-pound senior Isaiahh Loudermilk, the top eight-man recruit in recent state history. Loudermilk, known for his great personality and lack of ego in Howard as much as his sensational talent, holds 13 Division I and two FCS offers.
However, West Elk has plenty of talent outside of Loudermilk. A massive, athletic offensive line, two great running backs and strong special teams has helped the Patriots open 7-0. West Elk, 9-1 in 2013, went 6-3 last season.
After the first several weeks, 15th-year coach Chris Haag didn’t know if the ’15 squad could match the ’13 team.
Now, after a 52-30 win versus Caldwell in Week 3, a Week 5 district-opening 20-9 win against Sedan, and a key 52-6 road victory versus Udall last week, Haag believes this team is ahead of two years ago.
“The way we’re playing, and our physical makeup, I think we have a chance to be a stronger football team this season than we were in ’13,” Haag said.
West Elk, 0-6 all-time in the postseason, has an opportunity to clinch a district title with victories versus Oxford and Central Burden the next two weeks.
“We are fortunate to have some extremely talented football players,” Haag said. “We have some kids who don’t get much notoriety that are continuing to get better each and every week, which in turn is helping us make a complete football team, which we are going to need to be down the stretch here.”
The offensive line is the fulcrum of an offense that has averaged 287 rushing yards a game and 8.4 yards per carry. Haag said the front is the biggest in his tenure. Loudermilk plays left end, followed by 6-1, 265-pound junior William Young at left guard and 6-foot, 285-pound senior Levi Wincher at center.
Junior Kolvin Berry (6-2, 265) is at right guard, and senior John Heinen (6-3, 210) at right end.
“They are exceptional athletes at the same time and move very well for their size,” Haag said. “That’s just made a huge impact for us.”
Senior Armando Gomez has 120 carries for 1,074 yards and 23 scores. Sophomore quarterback Cade Miller has 100 carries for 891 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns.
“They are special football players, but our offensive line has just done a tremendous job to allow those two guys to make the plays they are capable of making,” Haag said.
Miller, also with 185 passing yards with a 3:1 touchdown to interception ratio, has taken over under center after difficult circumstances.
During state track week last May, two West Elk students, Damon Wilson and Reid Russell, passed away in a car accident. Wilson played quarterback and was Loudermilk’s cousin. Russell served as team manager.
“It was such an extreme tragedy, and those two young men will stay with us forever,” Haag said. “We talk about them a lot each and every week, and remember the boys tremendously. We have always preached family and brotherhood in our program, but these boys, I just think there is something special going the way they’ve just really rallied around each other from the tragedy.”
The offense has averaged 50 points a game, while the defense has allowed 18.4 points per contest. However, the Patriots have permitted 29 points in the last four games.
“That has been the big key in our success is how well our defense has started to play here in the last month,” Haag said.
Last season, the offense had 43.8 points a contest, but the defense permitted 35.6 a game. The average margin in 2013 was 47.4 to 14.8.
Early on, Haag thought West Elk struggled some defensively.
The Sedan win helped put West Elk in front for district play. In the first half, Haag believed Sedan outplayed the Patriots, but the defense kept West Elk in the game. West Elk came back and won behind 22 tackles from Loudermilk, 13 from Miller, and 12 by senior Johnathan Andrews.
“We had turned the ball over more than we were accustomed to, and our guys fought extremely hard, and found a way to claw back in it, and win that football game,” Haag said. “I think that gave the young men a lot of confidence, and we changed some personnel around on defense after the first quarter of that game, and since then, it feels like we have just been clicking on both sides of the ball extremely well. I think that’s just a testament to our guys.”
The coaching staff moved Loudermilk from end to middle linebacker. The senior, who still plays some defensive line in four-man fronts, has 74 stops, 21 more than any other player. He’s also collected two sacks, two interceptions and two blocked punts. For his career, he has 244 tackles, 22 sacks, six fumble recoveries, three interceptions and three blocked punts.
When West Elk plays Loudermilk in the middle, it makes it difficult for teams to run away from him. From the end of April to middle of May, a new college coach came by virtually every day. Loudermilk went on his first official visit to Wisconsin last weekend. Veteran Kansas State assistant coach Tom Hayes watched him play in person three weeks ago against Lebo. An Oregon coach was expected to come Tuesday.
“There’s a lot of guys who coach their whole lives and don’t get to experience coaching a young man like him,” Haag said. “Obviously God has given him some great things … but Isaiahh has worked extremely hard to get to where he is right now, too.”
Miller ranks second with 53 tackles and four interceptions. Haag said sophomore nose guard JD Helms (39 stops) has “done an exceptional job.” Young and Berry have played defensive end. Andrews and junior Chase Vandegrift start at linebacker, while Miller and Gomez have played safety. Young has 24 touchbacks on 50 kickoffs.
Versus Udall and standout quarterback Nolan Williams, West Elk permitted 31 snaps for 167 yards and two interceptions in a game that ended by halftime.
“Chase Vandegrift and Johnathan Andrews have played very well at that position the last three to four weeks, and that allows us to put Miller and Gomez back if we run a 3-3,” Haag said. “With those two type of athletes that can run sideline to sideline, I think that has made us a lot better defensively. Isaiahh can basically handle a lot of stuff in the middle.”
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