West Branch High School has endured a 22‑game losing streak that dates back to 2023, a drought that has hung over the program for years.
Enter Kenn Vandevander, the newly hired head coach who is reshaping the Warriors with a fresh staff and a focus on physical conditioning, including a weightlifting program that has already produced seven players who can bench more than 1,000 pounds.
A New Era for the Warriors
Vandevander’s roots in the region run deep; he spent a decade coaching at Tyrone High School under John Franco and helped build the youth football pipeline from 2005 to 2016.
The turnaround effort has drawn former Tyrone assistants Jason Wilson, Troy Smith, Thad Graham and John Gressler, who have joined Vandevander on the sidelines, bringing a blend of experience and local knowledge.
Mark Mitchell, a Tyrone graduate who now serves as superintendent of West Branch, has voiced strong support for the program’s direction, underscoring the community’s belief in the coach’s vision.
The cultural shift emphasizes mental toughness, hard work and full team buy‑in, a philosophy that showed up in an 11‑on‑11 workout against District 6 power Bellwood‑Antis, where the Warriors displayed markedly improved competitiveness.
The immediate goal is simple: secure the team’s first win of the season and use that momentum to chase a District 6 championship, a target that the senior class is eager to achieve before they graduate.