The GPHS Caveman football team has gotten off to its best start since 2008.  At a glance, huge road wins over perennial powers Sherwood and Sheldon and an overall 3-0 record (we also beat Newberg HS at the friendly confines of Ingram Stadium) have helped the boys to a top four ranking in the state’s RPI.  Why is this important?  Realistically, having this high ranking in week four of the season isn’t crucial, but as the autumn leaves drop and we get closer to the month of November and the OSAA Playoffs, the RPI is how all 32 class 6A football teams fall into their brackets.  With a new playoff format for 6A football, the top four teams from each of the six leagues will get automatic bids.  The remaining eight spots will be based on said RPI ranking (the next eight will go).  Possibly more critical for Grants Pass is the fact that the brackets are drawn out according to the teams’ RPI. This means favorable playoff match ups and home field advantage for the top teams in the state.  A top eight finish all but ensures three home playoff games.  Can you imagine a Friday night at Ingram Stadium three weeks into November?  What an electric atmosphere for our student body and community!  Enough prognosticating though, let’s look at how these guys have gotten to this point!

The Caveman are coming off of a 7-4 2013 season that saw them win their first round playoff game 54-7.  This was followed by a crushing loss up north that kicked them out of the OSAA Playoffs.  Where did they go from there?  Well, with many of the same student-athletes returning and two tremendously athletic and hard working classes of kids filling out the roster, the boys began building the 2014 edition of Caveman Football as early as January.  Working their tails off in Advanced Strength Training classes at GPHS, attending self-regulated weekend workouts, going to other combines and mini camps and of course, competing in other sports.  This was followed up with spring football, a trip to the Southern Oregon University Team Football Camp, the Steens Mountain Senior Trek and more summer workouts in the weight room and on the field.   And then football season started!

Our football program works with a foundation built on four verbs:  Trust, Prepare, Execute and Compete.  Many of you have seen the acronym TPEC around town.  These actions guide our movements.  We look to build trust in each player in terms of themselves, coaches, teammates and our system. This trust starts from within.  This means that we believe in these things at ALL TIMES.  We Trust that we will make the plays to win a game.  We prepare for all situations that may come up.  This preparation is physical and mental.  To execute means to know our individual jobs and carry out this assignment for a full 48 minutes in a game. If each contributor executes their task at a high level and correctly, we believe we will be victorious.  And finally there’s compete.  To compete is a word with a lot of grey area.  There is no clear cut definition of it.  We talk about competing being the culmination of the other three verbs.  Only when we truly trust, we have prepared tirelessly and we each execute our job can we truly talk about competing at the high level needed to do battle. 

There is no mention of individual players in this write-up.  Certainly, we are 3-0 due to some great performances on the gridiron.  To win football games, you have to run fast, hit hard and catch the ball.  You have to throw passes, get solid kicks and block your tail off.  These boys have done that on three Friday nights in a row, with many more to come.  Come out and watch them do it.  We can promise you will not be disappointed. But as you watch them, keep in mind the work they have put in, see if you can see the TPEC principles in action, and mostly, cheer your hearts out for the Blue and White!