OAKVILLE — New coaching staffs always harp on changing a team’s culture in the offseason. That process usually takes some time, often into the regular season.
If you ask any of Oakville-North River’s senior football players about the culture change, it’s done. That box is checked.
In Sharpie.
One may see a 5-4 record for the Acorns in 2024 and think things went swimmingly from the start of fall camp through early November. While there’s nothing wrong with a two-win improvement from the season prior, veteran players know some things were missing, seemingly minute things separating them from a real shot at the playoffs instead of watching from the outside in.
Early this summer, Camren Bowes and his new coaching staff have created an environment that feels different, players said. Practices are organized, players are held accountable but given tons of opportunities to bond and have fun, and drills are detailed and specific.
It even comes down to extremely small details, like wearing matching uniforms in practice and perfecting how to clap out of a huddle, the latter of which Bowes said took 35 minutes to get to a satisfactory level on day one of fall camp.
“Our practices are way more structured and just more disciplined,” senior Ben Kimbrel, who has been on the team since he was in eighth grade, said. “We’re learning way more with drills and learning how to play the game more.”
The eight-man Acorns have plenty more reasons to be confident heading into 2025 than their structured practices and drills. ONR’s offense will put up points in bunches, despite losing renowned wide receiver Daniel Rodas.
His do-it-all brother Gio returns to lead the offense at quarterback, but the senior has too wide a skill set to be pigeonholed into one position, Bowes said.
“I know his experience and background is at quarterback, but watching film, he’s a Swiss Army knife kind of guy,” he stated. “You can plug him anywhere: at tight end, receiver, quarterback, running back, anywhere. He has that attitude that’s focused on the team. He’s going to do whatever’s best for the team. He’s one of the fastest kids on the team, too.”
The running back duo of Kimbrel and Lewis Koser will be feared in the Southwest 1B League. Parents of athletes on opposing teams can blame the duo for having to wash an excessively dirty uniform Friday nights after they send their children tumbling to the dirt helplessly and repeatedly on inside zone runs. Acorns are known for having tough shells, and defenses will have a difficult time cracking Kimbrel or Koser, who both can maul over any opponent on any given snap.
ONR’s defense fell apart late in the year against Naselle and Quilcene last fall, but the Acorns hope to also be physical on that side of the ball this year, led by Kimbrel at linebacker, Evan Schlesser on the defensive line and freshman standout Lykaios White Eagleclaw at defensive end.
The Acorns seniors don’t want their final season to pass by without some postseason success. Rodas called last season “mid” and wants the team to elevate to a championship standard this fall.
“I’ve been here five years. I’ve wanted a state championship since my eighth grade year, but we’ve always fallen short,” he said. “We’re coming back strong, and we’re going to make a difference. We’re going to depend on our older guys to lead these younger guys into victory. These guys want to win and want to thrive.”
