Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

WEST BRANCH – For four decades the only thing as consistent within the West Branch football program as Butch Pedersen were the expectations the hall of fame coach instilled.

There will be a new head coach at West Branch for the first time since 1983 this fall but the high annual expectations Pedersen built in 40 years leading the program haven’t changed.

John Nestor takes over head coaching duties this fall and while things have been slightly different under the first-year head coach the expectations of success at West Branch have remained.

“After having a coach for 40 yards it’s tough to change but I think he’s done a great job of stepping into that,” West Branch senior Ethan Miller said. “The whole team has really just embraced coach and embraced the difficulty that comes with changes and we have high expectations.”

Nestor takes over a West Branch program known for its consistent success.

The Bears reached the postseason for the 16^th consecutive season last fall, going 6-4 and advancing to the second round of the Class 1A playoffs.

Nestor started the prep work for another success season this summer and has been impressed with what he’s seen from his team.

“I think they’ve handled it well,” Nestor said. “We have a great staff who had to break things down and it was really a systematic approach. That’s why we started when we did this summer and we needed three days a week because we had to implement and when you implement you have to teach it and from teaching then you can coach it. It’s a step-by-step deal and I think they’ve responded well.”

West Branch must replace its top rusher and top eight pass catchers from last season as well as three multi-year starters along the offensive line.

Back to lead the Bear offense is junior quarterback Brennen Dale who passed for 954 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed for 377 yards and 11 scores in eight games a year ago.

“The strength in this team is that right now I can tell they aren’t afraid,” Nestor said. “We will see week one but this team isn’t going to be phased. I think Brennen is going to command the offense. As long as he is in command our guys will follow him.”

West Branch returns an anchor up front on both sides of the ball in junior Michael Montgomery, a three-year starter.

Also back with starting experience on the offensive line are seniors Tate Frantz and Cole Crosthwaite.

“West Branch is always a team that has had success and there is always a standard that we want to get to the dome,” Crosthwaite said. “That standard is what motivates us and really pushes us to improve.”

West Branch has a solid core to build around on defense in juniors Conner Capper and Cooper Gates.

Gates ranked fourth on the team with 39 tackles including 10 for loss and four sacks last season.

Capper had 26.5 tackles with two for loss a year ago.

Gates and Capper along with Frantz (21.5 tackles) and Montgomery (14 tackles) provide the anchors in what should be a formidable front seven.

West Branch will be young but that isn’t something that bothers Nestor.

“I like the fact that we are young,” Nestor said. “Wins and championships don’t know an age. They don’t know if you are a senior-led team or not. It’s not about that, it’s about preparation, it’s about execution and it’s about being a stickler with the details. I’m excited that we are young, I’m going to use that to our advantage.”

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