EGELSTON TWP. – Having a successful high school football program requires leadership and dedication from all sorts of players, not just the biggest stars.

Brenden Raymond, a senior two-way player for Oakridge, fits that description perfectly.

He demonstrated his leadership last week, when the junior varsity football season ended. The Eagles called up several JV players to the varsity squad for the playoffs, and Raymond made sure the new guys felt comfortable and accepted.

“Raymond made sure to speak up at the end of practice, and he told the junior varsity guys to come see him,” said Oakridge head coach Cary Harger. “He did that so he could get their phone numbers and add them to the team group chat. That’s exactly the kind of leadership we want. It was important to him to add those guys, and that was special to them.”

The dedication factor has never been a problem for Raymond, as he has demonstrated in the weight room.

“I’ve always loved being in the weight room,” he said. “I’ve loved it since freshman year when I started powerlifting and all that. This past offseason, it really became more of a priority and became a bigger deal. I wanted to be the best player I can be, and really worked hard in the offseason to do that.”

Raymond has become an invaluable player on both sides of the ball for the Eagles, who are 7-2 and will play Big Rapids on Friday night in the first round of the Division 5 playoffs.

He’s not the top player on offense or defense, but he plays a big part and brings a lot of positive energy to both roles.

On offense, he’s become the perfect complement to star running back Corey Vanderputte (1,065 yards, 14 touchdowns). He has gained 397 yards and scored eight touchdowns on 70 carries, meaning opposing defenses have to be concerned about multiple Eagles in the running game.

He said his confidence on offense really spiked in the Week 2 game against Whitehall, which Oakridge won 32-19. Raymond rushed for 74 yards and scored three crucial touchdowns in the contest.

“I played pretty good, and I really felt like I was doing the most I could for my team,” Raymond said about the Whitehall game. “That built my confidence up and it felt good to help the team in a big way.”

On defense, Raymond plays cornerback, ranks fourth on the Eagles with 35 tackles and leads the team with five pass breakups.

“I love defense,” said Raymond. “I love how hyped we get for each other when we make big plays. As a defense, you can really shut a team down. When we’re able to do that, it feels great and makes the game really fun.”

Having players like Raymond is why Oakridge has now qualified for the state playoffs for an amazing 17 seasons in a row.

“That’s huge,” said Raymond about extending the playoff streak. “Obviously at Oakridge, winning is sort of a tradition. We don’t like to back down, and to accomplish 17 years in a row is special. We wanted to continue that.”

Raymond is hopeful that by winning a piece of the West Michigan Conference title with Montague and Whitehall this season, the Eagles are mentally prepared for tough postseason play.

“It means a lot,” said Raymond about earning a share of the three-way conference title. “Being in a tougher conference with those teams is always a good fight. Getting a piece of the championship is a special accomplishment. We would’ve liked to win out, but it’s tough to do in this conference.”

Raymond has a big fan in Harger, and he’s earned it with his extra effort.

“He’s one of our captains,” the coach said about the senior. “That role he’s in now came from dedication and leadership in the offseason. He was very consistent in the weight room. We wanted to reward the hard work, and he took on the leadership role in terms of communication.”

“It meant a lot when they named me captain,” Raymond said. “I felt like they saw all the work I was putting in and decided to credit me with being a captain. Having that trust in me and noticing I’ve tried is special. Being a senior captain is really important to me.”