Pioneers Aim for Playoffs with Challenging Road Ahead

NORMAL, Ill. – Just before the start of the season, University High head coach Brody Walworth shared his expectations for his team. Now four games in, with the Pioneers sitting at 2–2, Walworth reflected on his squad’s performance and growth so far.

U-High opened the year with a statement win over Manuel in Week 1 before dropping back-to-back games against Bloomington Central Catholic and MacArthur. Last week, the Pioneers bounced back in a big way, shutting out Lincoln 47–0 to even their record.

Coach Walworth noted that while the team has shown flashes, consistency remains the focus moving forward.

“I think the main thing right now is focusing and trying to execute better,” Walworth said. “We feel like we’re just a handful of plays away from being 4–0, but we aren’t. We really had to come to grips with that and look in the mirror to make sure we’re doing the right things at practice. We feel like we have a good squad, as long as we keep getting better. We need to focus on our execution — especially in the fourth quarter.”

Walworth also spoke about his message to the team during its two-game losing streak.

“Stick together  that was the main message,” Walworth said. “When you lose two really close games you had a chance to win, it can be easy to start pointing fingers or being mad at the coaches or whoever. But the message was to hang tough, stay true to our values, and believe in each other. We’re going to get it fixed, but we have to be ready to work.”

To reach the postseason, teams typically need at least five wins. At 2–2, U-High will need three more victories in the second half of the season to qualify. The Pioneers have five games remaining, including tough matchups in the next two weeks against Rochester (3–1) and Glenwood (4–0).

Walworth said his players must embrace the challenge.

“We need to challenge and fight. We have a good team, and these are the types of games you should want to play in,” Walworth said. “If you’re scared to play against a big-time team, then you’re not going to be able to make a good run in the postseason if you have the wrong mentality. We have a good team, and games like this are an opportunity to prove it.”

The Pioneers will play Rochester this Friday, with kickoff set for 7 p.m.

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