By GARY VAN CLEAVE
Special to Great Bend Post
OTIS - A new era is beginning for Otis-Bison Cougar football. They have the field general to lead them this fall.
“First year of 6-man, but we got a really good coaching staff and an experienced team this year. I’m expecting a winning season and a good playoff run,” Cougar senior quarterback Jake Hoopingarner said.
Hoopingarner leads in more than just the gridiron. He plays a leading role for his school’s local chapter for Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
“We don’t have officers just leaders,” Hoopingarner said. “It’s really important to me, I’m a big believer in Christ and He is a big part of my life. I give all of my glory to Him.”
Leading is something the 5-foot-11, 175-pound baseball pitching standout relishes.
“He’s a really good team leader and he’s really precise and quick with his arm,” sophomore lineman Ricky Martinez said. “He has a lot of potential and he’s a really good athlete in general. He’s the best with pads on and with them off too.”
“A great leader as a senior,” freshman guard Marcus Starr said. “His passes look pretty as starting QB. He’s been a leader for all the freshman and he has improved on his throwing. If we get Jake an open hole, he’s gone. He’ll do great things if you get him an open hole.”
Hoopingarner also plays cornerback, but he will QB only the first two games after injuring his back this summer.
“Pitching in the championship game and something popped, I had a small fracture in one of my vertebrae,” he said.
“I’m almost 100% and I’m playing offense only the first two games, but I’ll be fully cleared hopefully by the third game,” he continued. “It hasn’t hurt ever since I’ve started physical therapy.”
Hoopingarner’s Cougars were 0-9 last year and are 1-17 the past two seasons. They haven’t had a winning season in five years.
“Oh I’m hungry, I hate to lose and I don’t plan on doing that this year,” senior running back Ian Haselhorst said.
The Cougars haven’t won a game since beating Logan/Palco 52-6 on Oct. 27, 2022. Oct. 1, 2021 was the last home game they won when they handled Tescott 72-22.
“As a competitor all you want to do is win and we haven’t done a lot of that recently,” junior defensive back Louis McVey said. “You look at the one-win season and we played multiple games with only nine (players) as an 8 man team. Last year there were games where a 175-pound, 6-foot-1 lanky guy was playing center. We haven’t had enough to field a scout team until this season.”
“Only winning one game the last two seasons is really frustrating coming from my background,” Hoopingarner said. “My brothers won a ton and my dad won a lot in high school as well as a state title. The only thing that I can do is try to encourage my teammates to become better everyday and kind of keep their hopes up.”
Hoopingarner said he plays each game for his brothers, Landon and Seth.
“They both were 8-man all stars and I kind of want to live up to their hype and become a 6-man all star,” Hoopingarner said.
“They always were great examples for me,” he continued. “They were always hard on me growing up and it was really fun watching them play the game. They still come to my games and support me and they give me and the team things we can work on to get better. Really, really amazing guys and football players.”
Hoopingarner hopes to get to play college baseball a year from now.
“I’m a utility player for my (summer) team and I’m an all-around player, but my strong suit is pitching,” he said.
“I’m a very versatile pitcher commanding multiple pitches in my arsenal,” he added. “I’ve thrown several no-hitters and a perfect game last year. I’m a starting pitcher that usually runs deep into the game.”
This past summer, Hoopingarner posted an 8-2 record and 2.30 earned run average while striking out 70 batters. He missed the final three tournaments because of his back.
“I mean it would mean the world to me,” Hoopingarner said of playing college baseball. “I’ve always wanted to play in college and the MLB since I was young. To see that dream start to unfold is truly amazing.”
“He is a guy that will get it done,” summer catcher Caden Dinkel of Thomas More Prep said. “Good command for fast and off speed pitches, also gets a lot of swing and miss on curveball. That curve is his chase pitch, lots of strikeouts with it.”
Senior tight end Logan Maier has played basketball with Hoopingarner since first grade.
“Playing with him has always been an adventure,” Maier said. “He’s always looking for a challenge, supports his teammates even when he’s not supporting himself and gets on his teammates if things aren’t going the way they should. He’s always been an amazing leader for everyone, not just the team but the whole school. All the younger kids look up to him.”
“He is a very good QB, can throw me some dots,” running back Gavin Alloway said. “He has great footwork and knows the game very well. I would say he has great potential.”
Hoopingarner would be the first in his family to play college baseball. His dad, Lance, competed in golf at Fort Hays State.
“I just want the Hoopingarner name to be remembered,” he said. “I would love to make my family proud and my hometown proud as well. I just want to be thought of as the hardest-working, most dedicated person ever known. I would also like to be remembered as a leader or an inspiration for others.”