The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods sprint football coaching staff is a group of strong leaders, directed by head coach Blaine Powell.
But the Pomeroys would not have a 5-1 record and a chance to play for the Midwest Sprint Football League championship tonight without outstanding leaders

 on the team.
One of those captains is center Lane Sluder, an education major who has also coached at the middle school level in his hometown of Sullivan.
"It's an absolute honor really," Sluder said when he was chosen as a captain back in August. "Just really excited to help lead my team, hopefully to a lot of wins. Just looking to set an example, do the right things and always be there for my teammates. I'm looking to go 100 percent every day, whether it's in practice, the weight room or class room."
Sluder has certainly done what he promised, playing a key role in the Pomeroys' highly productive offense and leading the offensive line.
"He started as an offensive lineman for three years at Sullivan. He's a student of the game. He's definitely the leader of the offensive line. He loves the game. He loves being here. Just a great leader," Powell said.
Being one of the players from right here in the Wabash Valley, Sluder loves being on a team with student-athletes from Texas, Florida, Georgia, Maryland and having the chance to get to know them.
"We've got kids from all over the place. A lot of different. I played with the same group of kids at Sullivan since 10 years old. It's been awesome to meet all these new guys. We're rolling. Everybody's focused and knows their jobs," Sluder said.
One key to success for SMWC this season was making the most of the three weeks of preparation prior to the season as everyone came together to learn their roles and learn their new teammates.
"We were going 1,000 miles an hour. Had no time to waste," Sluder said. "We've put in a lot of work."
Sluder's goal is to be a football coach someday.
"I feel like I was put on this Earth to coach football. It's my first love," Sluder said.
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Let's take a look at the other SMWC captains.

Monte May, Safety
Monte May is a freshman safety out of Lawrence Central. He's coming off a two-interception performance at Fontbonne and he's got 51 tackles and four interceptions this season, phenomenal production in a 6-game regular-season.
"Defense wins championships," May said. "Our job is to bring energy and finish off games. We've got to play hard and set the tone."
Powell credits May for helping set the tone in practice.
"Monte' does a great job every day. He's one of the few kids I've coached who never has a bad day on the practice field. He's a great leader, a great teammate …" Powell said.
 
Jake Skinner, Middle linebacker

Skinner has missed some time with injuries but continues to battle through them. He's got 39 total tackles, five tackles for loss and an interception this season.
"We're lucky to have a kid like that who knows what's expected and knows me as a coach and what we do. He's so vocal on the field. He makes sure everybody's where they need to be," Powell said. "He reads (the offense) so fast sometimes I think we ought to put him at safety because he gets there so fast. He is so vocal on the field. He turns everything into a blitz because he reads the offense so well."
 
Jaziah Douglas, Safety
Douglas has been a mainstay in the defensive backfield and as a leader for the Pomeroys since the beginning, as one of the coaching staff's first recruits.
His attitude and approach are infectious.
"From day one, he's been one of the most positive kids I've ever coached," Po

well said. "He wants to do good all the time. He cares about everybody. He cares about the program. His talent on the field is unbelievable. He's a big, rangy strong safety who can cover. He's also good against the run. He's a big character guy for us."
 
Trey Jackson, Defensive End
Jackson, along with Hunter Cardwell, have wreaked havoc on opposing quarterbacks as SMWC leads the MSFL in sacks with 21 behind those two players.
"He's ultimately talented. He could play any position on the field for us. If we can keep him healthy, he's going to be dominant in this league. He's got a great nose for the ball. He's just a great teammate. He's the leader on the defense," Powell said.
Jackson said the leadership on this team has tried to make sure to create a strong culture of hard work.
What makes this team special?
"The bond we've got off the field. We've spent a lot of time with each other. My wide receivers, my quarterback, everybody on the team, they're special to me. They're like my new family. The bond here is different from anything else," Jackson said.


 

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