Grove High School’s Will Dunaway is ready to help lead the Ridgerunners into a new football season, fueled by years of shared experience and a relentless competitive drive.
“One thing I love the most about this team is the chemistry we all have, I’ve played with most of these guys since little league and I have full trust in anyone on that field to make the play and I know they have that same trust in me.”
He lines up at running back on offense and outside linebacker on defense, a combination that lets him impact the game in multiple ways.
“I play RB and OLB. I love RB because of the big plays getting into space making people miss but I also love to lower my shoulder and fighting for that extra yard and at OLB I love that I can come down and set the edge for inside linebackers but also help my guys in the secondary.”
His mindset is shaped by a dislike of losing and a determination to keep pushing until the final whistle, even while he looks for ways to refine his game.
“I think one of my strengths is that I don’t like to lose, nor do I like giving up if there’s any chance that we can win, I’m not going to stop until that final whistle. One thing I know I can work on is letting the play develop just a bit longer. If I can get that down I feel like, I’ll have a pretty good season this year.” Grove’s offseason has helped set that tone. “Spring went pretty good. Started a little slow but now that it’s summer me and my teammates are firing on all cylinders.”
Dunaway draws inspiration from those around him, starting with one of his longtime coaches. “A person who inspires me is one of my coaches, coach Ward. He’s been by my side supporting, teaching and showing me how the be a better athlete and a better man since 7th grade I’m glad to call him my coach.” He also points to former teammate Deringer Hollenbeck as a model for hard work. “The former teammate that left an impression on me is Deringer Hollenbeck. He really showed me that nothing comes easy and that you have to really have to work hard for what you want.”
Outside of football, Dunaway wrestles and is working toward getting back into track, building a multi-sport foundation that supports his football skills. Looking ahead, he hopes to attend school to become a lineman after graduation.
For now, his focus remains on Grove and the season ahead, driven by a message he shares with his teammates. “My message to the team is to work hard and trust in one another and that we all need to be on the same page.”
