AUGUSTA — Building a winning program is never an exact science.
Hard work and a strong gameplan are generally key components, but sometimes the secret ingredient that takes a team to the next level is a little bit of luck.
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For the Cony High School football team that good fortune came to them in the form of junior Benaiah Willhoite.
“He’s been a blessing for us,” Cony coach Robby Vachon said. “That’s for sure.”
A home-schooled student from Augusta, Willhoite elected to come out for the team this season after watching the Rams play last fall in their march to the Class B championship.
“I wanted to come out last year but my dad told me to wait just one year and just to watch,” Willhoite said. “I came out and I watched, and I was like, ‘yup, I want to do this.'”
Given his performance over the past three games, the Rams are certainly happy to have him.
Since being inserted into the lineup at defensive end three games ago, Cony (4-2) is 3-0 and Willhoite has put up some impressive numbers.
In three games, he has 31 tackles, six sacks, two blocked punts and a fumble recovery. In this past Friday’s 40-13 win over Hampden he was an absolute force, finishing with 10 tackles, four sacks and two blocked punts.
“We plugged him in for the game against Lawrence and he just shined,” Vachon said. “He really took to it and that’s a hard position to play as well. He has some natural athletic ability and he uses it.”
Willhoite has presented a bit of a different challenge for Vachon and his staff in that he is so athletically gifted, but so new to the game of football as a junior.
“This is a first time for me, having a kid like this that’s been so green but yet so talented athletically,” Vachon said. “What I like about him is he loves the game. He can’t wait to play on Friday night, he can’t wait to get to practice. He’s a bundle of energy.”
Like with any new player, there was an adjustment period for Willhoite as he got accustomed to playing football at a public high school. As far as other sports go, Willhoite said he has done mixed martial arts for three years but nothing like what he has done since he began playing football this summer.
“It was definitely different,” he said, “It was new at first, but I really I didn’t face anything (as far as challenges). I just tried to keep my head down, fit in and play to the best of my ability that I can.”
The first-year player has certainly done that since joining the Rams and his teammates have taken notice.
“At first he didn’t really talk that much, he was pretty quiet,” senior defensive tackle Elijah Tobey said. “If there was ever any sass then he’d start to dish it back. Once we saw that he started to communicate more and we realized that this kid is really nice. He’s pretty cool.
“Then he stepped it up on the field and coming to a new place that’s a good way to make a name for yourself.”
Willhoite has made his presence felt over the past few weeks and Vachon believes that this is only the beginning.
“He’s so active in the weight room I think he’s just going to continue to grow,” Vachon said. “Every game he gets better because he learns a little bit more about the game.”
Willhoite and junior Dylan Tudeen — who had six tackles and three sacks in the win over Hampden — have helped strengthen a major area of need for the Rams since taking over on the defensive line. Over the past three contests, Cony has given up only 11 points per game, as opposed to just over 37 in their first three.
“Benaiah and Dylan Tudeen, they’ve really stepped up and we’ve been able to stop the passing game,” Tobey said.
Going forward, it may not only be defense where Willhoite makes a difference. He has had some reps at wide receiver and Vachon believes it is a position he could thrive at with some more seasoning.
“He’s played some wide receiver a little bit, but he’s so new where we wanted him to focus on just one side of the ball,” Vachon said. “Eventually down the road, he’s a two-way player. He’s gifted, so hopefully he can make that adjustment and make that transition for next year.”
Evan Crawley — 621-5640
ecrawley@mainetoday.com
Twitter: @Evan_Crawley
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