WESTSIDE
WESTSIDE
New coach wants to reload, not rebuild
By Dave Morrison for the register-herald
A Kennedy Award finalist in 2014, Westside’ s Justin Cogar led the Renegades to the semifinals of the Class AA playoffs that year.
His next trick may have been more impressive. Cogar was tabbed head coach in 2023 and reestablished Westside as a postseason player in three years.
Will Daniels wants to keep it there.
Cogar resigned( and is the offensive coordinator at Herbert Hoover) over the spring and Daniels was named head coach earlier in the summer.
He knows he has big shoes to fill. But they come more on the field, like those of record-setting QB Kadien Vance and three receivers who combined for almost 2,000 yards and 24 touchdowns, in trying to duplicate the 7-4 record( the first winning mark since 2017) and postseason berth( the first in a decade) of a season ago.
Vance was a record setter at signal caller, breaking many of Cogar’ s school passing records) in throwing for 2,316 yards and 28 touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 747 yards and 13 touchdowns in earning Class AA first-team all-state honors.
The Renegades triplets at receiver— Austin Bishop, Coltin Lester and Kyler Kenneda— combined for 145 receptions for 1,981 yards.
Westside returns just four starters on each side of the ball.
Bradyn Waldron, a sophomore, will take over for Vance as QB1 after serving as the primary backup last fall.
Last year Waldron rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns and threw
Jim Cook / For The Register-Herald
Westside’ s Bradyn Waldron outruns Wyoming East’ s Brayden Hoosier for a Renegade touchdown.
for 38.
And that juxtaposition isn’ t lost on the new coach. Daniels noted Waldron’ s dad J. J., now on staff, was Westside’ s first 1,000-yard rusher.
It emphasizes the kind of team Westside will field this season. It’ s all about the run game.
Last season Westside averaged just 130.6 rushing yards per game with 21 touchdowns, although when you take the QBs out of that it’ s 50.5 yards and just six overall touchdowns.
Where will rushing come from?
Man transfer Devon Sanders was the Hillbillies’ quarterback last fall. But he wants to be a running back.
He is also looking forward to having a couple big H-backs. Big being the operative word. Jace Repass( 6-4, 290 pounds) and Wyoming East transfer Ashton Blankenship( 6-1,
220). Repass, an offensive lineman by trade, recently benched 315 pounds and squatted 500. Both can go to tight end.
Daniels expects more names to emerge during preseason camp.
On that line Kam York, a three-year starter at center, is back( he was also the team’ s leader in tackles, 98, and sacks, 10).
Logan McNeely and Dalton Browning are also back.
Kaige Osborne( a stater as a freshman in defense), Benji Brown and incoming freshman Malachi King( 6- 5, 300) are all players who will see action on that line.
Braxton Waldron had been part of the four-headed monster at receiver last fall with 10 receptions for 99 yards and a score before an injury ended his season.
The older brother of QB Bradyn Waldron heads the receiver group that will include Ethan Walls, a 6-6, 220-pound senior( four receptions, 22 yards, one TD), Zane Cook( 1-6) and another Man transfer in Kam Perry.
Defensively, York and Ashton Blankenship will be a formidable linebacker duo and the line that includes Repass, Osborne and Browning should be an improved group.
Walls and either of the two Waldrons are safeties and Jodie Zou and Perry are corners. Cooper Hatfield may factor as a defensive back or linebacker.
2025 SCHEDULE
Aug. 29 Sept. 5 Sept. 12 Sept. 19 Sept. 26 Oct. 3 Oct. 10 Oct. 17 Oct. 24 Oct. 31 Nov. 7 at Wyoming East at Mingo Central
Man at PikeView Open Liberty at Independence at Summers County James Monroe Shady Spring
Logan
SOUTHERN W. VA. GAME NIGHT- AUGUST 2025 • 29