Vinall, Bulldogs stress physicality on defense

While Cache’s football team hasn’t had the type of season it was hoping for, the Bulldogs can still see a pathway to the playoffs but that will take some key wins over the course of the next three weeks.

For senior linebacker/wide receiver Ben Vinall there is a sense of urgency for the Bulldogs and the first important game comes tonight at home against Bridge Creek.

“Our mental attitude has been tested because we had some key injuries and we were not as physical as we needed to be and our tackling wasn’t as good as it takes to win in this district,” the 5-10, 165-pounder said. “Mentally we are in a good place but we have to lock in and execute better.

“We are getting better on defense with each game. Earlier in the season we just weren’t playing the type of physical defense we needed. Now everyone is understanding their assignments better and our tackling has improved and that was something we just weren’t doing earlier in the season.”

For Vinall, his path to finding love for the sport of football started in the second grade and included an attitude adjustment.

“When I first started getting involved with the program, I wasn’t excited about lifting,” he said. “But as I learned that it was something I had to do to become a better player, I developed of love of working on the weights. It takes time to build the strength to be an asset for the team and to work into the lineup.”

And it wasn’t just the weight work that Vinall needed to improve his skills.

“I developed a love of watching a great deal of video and those hours of time I spent helped me learn so much about the game of football,” Vinall said. “I am now able to look at video of our next opponent (Bridge Creek) and see what they are trying to do on offense. I noticed their running backs run hard and they have been breaking a good number of tackles.

“That is why Coach (defensive coordinator Eric) Gibson has really been stressing tackle drills. We just have to get back to the basics and work hard on form and just being more physical.”

While fall break has given the Bulldogs a break from the classroom, Vinall is still thinking about the future and the work it will take to reach his career goals.

“My favorite class is math; I’m a numbers guy,” he said. “I am thinking about either being in the business world or possibly getting into the medical field where I am thinking about a career in radiology.”

Currently Vinall is taking college algebra and English Comp 2 this semester and will add other college courses next semester.

In his spare time Vinall enjoys playing NBA 2K with his friends, but he made sure to check out video of Bridge Creek to be ready for any challenges the district opponent might show against the Bulldogs.

When it comes to his favorite foods there was no doubt in his quick answer.

“My mom Kari makes amazing chicken enchiladas,” Vinall said. “They are a little spicy but they are my favorite food.”

While the Bulldogs have a core group of senior starters, the team is also benefitting from several younger players including a great leader.

“Our defense has really benefitted from the leadership of Case Hardzog,” Vinall said. “He is really a vocal leader and is always trying to get everyone pumped up and ready for anything. We have seen Bridge Creek using running plays about 70 percent of the time.

“However, we have to be prepared for anything because in these district games teams are going to try anything that might help them get a win. We will be ready for whatever they try against us because this is a very important game if we want to realize our goal of making the playoffs.”