KILLEEN, Texas — After a disappointing 2021 season marred with injury, the Shoemaker Grey Wolves are looking to rebuild in 2022 behind an experienced defense. 2021 marked the first time Shoemaker missed the playoffs in three seasons.
The Grey Wolves will be without an exciting pair of Division I athletes in 2022 after Omari Evans (Penn State) and Khamari Terrel (Oregon) each graduated and moved on to their respective FBS football programs.
In their wake, Shoemaker brings back a young but athletic group poised for a bounce-back year.
"I feel like we are way stronger than we were last year," Shoemaker center Wilbert Martin said. "And I feel like we were pretty fast last year, but I think we got way faster this year, because of track and stuff like that."
With as much inexperience as the Grey Wolves have at the skill positions, Head Coach Toby Foreman believes their strength this year will come in the trenches, where they bring back a stable of starters from last season.
"We have depth up front," Foreman said. "More than we have had in a long, long time. We really do have some guys on both sides of the offensive and defensive line that have experience and know how to play the game and are leaders on this team. And normally, when you have that coming on the front, then you normally are a little more ahead of the curve early on."
Shoemaker will have to figure things out in a hurry. The Grey Wolves dropped from Conference 6A to Conference 5A-I in the latest round of realignment alongside Ellison and Kileen High. Their new district, District 4-5A I, has nine teams meaning district play kicks off during Week Three.
2022 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE:
8/26 vs San Angelo Central 7:00
9/2 vs Killeen Chaparral 7:00
9/9 vs Midlothian* 7:00
9/16 at Lake Belton* 7:00
9/23 vs Killeen Ellison* 7:00
9/30 at Red Oak* 7:00
10/7 Open
10/14 vs Waco* 7:00
10/21 at Cleburne* 7:00
10/28 vs Killeen* 7:00
11/4 at Granbury* 7:00
*District Game
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