It’s the start of a new era for the Roy-Hart/Barker football team, but it’s a familiar face leading the way.
Bill Bruning has returned as head coach of the Bulls, his second stint with the program after leading it from 2011-2017. Prior to that, he was Barker’s head football coach from 2007-2010 before the merged team came to be.
He takes over from former head coach C.J. Knight, who is still a part of the program as a member of Bruning’s staff.
“I’m pretty excited,” Bruning said. “Very glad to be back.”
Bruning will look to turn around a program that’s coming off a second consecutive 2-7 season. Fortunately, he will have experience at the helm of his offense to try and do so.
Dual-threat quarterback Tysen McCaa is set to start for the third straight season for the Bulls. The senior led Roy-Hart/Barker in both passing and rushing yards in 2024 and accounted for eight total touchdowns.
“Any sport where you got a guy who has experience at that level, it’s just a calming force,” Bruning said. “He’s seen a lot, he can handle his emotions better. He’s done a nice job in our summer stuff and practices.”
Outside McCaa, the Bulls return nine other starters, many of whom play both sides of the ball.
Senior running back/linebacker Vinny Fazzio, who led the Bulls in total tackles last year with 98, is expected to once again have a big role on the Roy-Hart/Barker defense.
Anthony Adinolfe, Carter Dersarkissian and Joey Reiter are set to be significant two-way contributors as running backs, pass catchers and defensive backs. Linemen R.J. Townsend, Jakob West and John Brigham will also be key contributors in the trenches.
As the Bulls prepare for the season, Bruning is hoping for one major thing: consistency.
“Everybody wants to do well, but we need to be consistent,” he said. “Consistent at practice will be consistent on game night, and they’re willing to put the time and effort into it. With small schools too, you got to stay healthy.”
One of the biggest additions for Roy-Hart/Barker last season wasn’t a player, but it’s making a big impact again this year.
Barker’s new turf athletic complex served as the team’s home field for all but one game in 2024, and having it to prepare for this upcoming season has proved to be a significant boost for the program.
“All the kids love it,” Bruning said. “It’s 10 times better practicing on it. Even if the turf complex is being used by another team, we have so many more athletic fields we can migrate to.”