MUNCIE, Ind. — Practice didn't officially start until 4:15 p.m. At 4:05, there were already a number of Muncie Central football players in a full sweat.
It was two days before the start of the 2020 Indiana high school football season. For more than a week, Central knew it wouldn't be playing since its home opener against Delta was canceled due to a COVID-19 case on the Eagles' team. The Bearcats' rescheduled game was canceled, too, and they weren't able to scrimmage against another team the week before.
But, two days before the season began, they were on their field running offensive plays.
"This is probably the first year where we come out as one," senior quarterback Max Pittman said of the pre-practice workouts. "Everyone goes out into their individual groups before warmup and does what their coaches tell them."
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In the past, there might have been a handful of guys who'd come out to practice early. Even then, that was just to run a couple of routes or throw the football around before they officially got started.
But this — having an offense and defense on the field with a sideline full of guys with helmets strapped before practice even began — was different.
It's just one example of the culture shift Central started to see last season under the direction of now-second-year head coach Darrick Lee. Last year, the Bearcats finished 0-10. Central lost five games by 10 points or less, including a one-point loss to Greenfield-Central in the sectional opener.
In a way, a season like 2019 has helped the Bearcats coming into this year. It provided a spark for guys like Pittman, senior Michael Lowe and junior Shoka Griffin, along with others, to work out together during quarantine. And the way Lowe — who enters his third season as a starter — sees it, a winless season can prove "if you really love football or not."
"Some people wanted to quit," Lowe said. "So, the people who came back, who stayed this year, you see that (they) actually want to play. Basically, we got rid of all the negative energy last year and now we got people who want to actually play and work and I can see the potential we have this year."
Potential. That's a word that Lowe, Pittman and Griffin, who was 22nd in the state last season with 1,638 rushing yards, used when describing this year's team.
This season, Central welcomes back a number of players in Griffin, Lowe and Pittman along with senior Da'Marion Walker, juniors Woodrow Elliott, Triston Whitney and others. Lee pointed to guys like Griffin, Pittman, Lowe and Elliott as those whom he expects to have big seasons. He also pointed to an experienced defense and a number of freshmen who have been competing for varsity minutes.
"The freshmen, they want to learn, they want to work," Griffin said. "Half those freshmen want to compete for a varsity spot. They're capable of doing it, they'll try to outwork you if they can."
Freshmen aren't the only ones coming out to play, either. Several seniors, like basketball player De'Mar Woods-Haskins, are among those ready to make an immediate impact for Central this season.
Coming into this year, Lowe said that he's trying to work so that those underclassmen won't have to go through the type of losing seasons he went through. Central hasn't had a winning season since 2016 and it hasn't won a sectional since 2006. But this team is as determined as ever following a season like 2019.
"Those close games, we want to win them," Lee said. "It’s not enough to just say that we were there, it’s not enough to say that we were almost there. I know last year it was like, ‘We’re almost there. We’re almost there. We’re right there.’ Now, it’s time to kick the door down."
Lee added: "We’ve got a good group of guys and I’m telling you that we are definitely going to get back to what Muncie Central football should be. That’s being competitive, being aggressive, being physical and utilizing our athletes because we’ve got some guys out here, we’ve got some weapons that will really help us get to the next level."
But before Central can get back to its winning ways, there's one thing it has get out of the way first.
"Our main goal is getting past to win that first game," Griffin said. "... We’re going game-by-game and we want to win every game we can possible.”
Ever since COVID-19 wiped out its first game of the season, Central has had its eyes on Yorktown, a team it competed with for a half last season before letting up a pair of defensive touchdowns.
"We’re just preparing for the game next week," Griffin said prior to Yorktown's 48-0 win over Anderson. "We’re just taking this week as another preparing week to get ready for Yorktown.”
Robby General covers East Central Indiana high school sports at The Star Press. Contact him via email at rgeneral@gannett.com, on Twitter @rgeneraljr or by phone at 765-283-8864.
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After a winless season, Muncie Central football wants to 'win every game we can' - The Star Press
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