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Bostwick Wears Red Hat As Bearcats Bring Energy In Spring Game
By JON DYKSTRA
The Maryville Forum
April 12, 2025
Northwest defensive coordinator Chad Bostwick gets the water cooler dumped on him after the Spring Game on Saturday at Bearcat Stadium.
MARYVILLE, Mo. — There are few items around Bearcat football that carry the meaning of the red hat. Red caps dot the stands on Family Weekend and have quite a presence year round in Maryville in memory of former head coach and defensive coordinator Scott Bostwick.
Bostwick’s use of the red hat was a practical one as the defensive play-caller so his players could see him on the green and white sideline. Rich Wright continued that tradition in memory of his friend when he became the defensive coordinator and eventually head coach.
With Chad Bostwick, Scott’s brother, taking over full-time defensive coordinator responsibilities this season under new head coach John McMenamin, he had a a decision to make — whether or not the red ball cap would become a part of his game-day wardrobe.
Then on the eve of the Spring Game, McMenamin had a surprise for his right-hand man.
“At practice yesterday, John surprised me in front of the team,” Bostwick said. “He handed it to me and he said, ‘you’ve earned this, you deserve to wear it.’ Coach gave it to me, I got to wear it now. It means a lot to me for obvious reasons."
Bostwick’s players certainly think its a good look for the longest tenured member of the coaching staff.
“He deserves it,” senior Shane Fredrickson said. “He works really hard and he embraces the position. Seeing him in that red hat is something he’s always dreamt of, in honor of his brother, so it is just awesome to see and I am happy for him.”
On the field, the Bearcats took a new approach to the Spring Game. As Spring Games across the country have tended to look more like practices than actual competitive football games, the Bearcats went the the opposite way. They implemented a draft to divide the teams evenly.
“It was a lot of fun,” senior Jadon Brady said.
It paid off with a competitive football game that saw the white squad score a touchdown on a Cael Turner to Tyus Jackson touchdown pass with 44 seconds left to deliver the 21-17 win.
While the game was competitive, the real focus of the Spring Game especially with so many roster changes was to introduce the fans to the new roster.
“I was very, very pleased with how today went,” McMenamin said.
Quarterbacks
That roster introduction starts under center where senior Chris Ruhnke is the returning starter in a quarterback room that is seeing competition with the addition of JUCO transfer Mason Shorb and the return of sophomore Hayden Jay.
“It is good to have competition,” McMenamin said. “We’ve got a great competition right now. Chris Ruhnke started last year, has played a lot of games and has gotten a lot of reps under his belt. He just took off this spring. He is very cerebral and understands the offense and runs it very well. It was one getting him and understanding that we have to minimize the critical mistakes that can hurt us. He hasn’t thrown an interception all spring.
“Mason has come in as a transfer and had to pick things up really fast. He has incredible arm talent. The competition won’t be over yet. Hayden Jay came in and did a good job. I thought Hayden played really well.”
All of the quarterbacks had strong moments in the Spring Game as there were no turnovers while battling a strong wind. Redshirt freshmen Zechariah Owens and Turner each throwing touchdown passes in the fourth quarter.
“The quarterbacks have really taken care of the ball well,” McMenamin said.
Running Backs
McMenamin couldn’t ask for a more ready-made leader in the backfield than senior Jadon Brady. After injuries have derailed the Savannah product’s season the past two years. He enters his fifth year on campus as a 2-time captain.
“I’m super excited,” Brady said. “I didn’t know if I was going to come back just because of injuries, but after talking to the coaches, talking to Coach Mac and Berto (Roberto Davis) as well and knowing that things are going to be different. I didn’t come back just for football either. It is for the relationship with the guys.”
Brady gives the Bearcats a versatile weapon out of the backfield with his pass-catching ability, but he says versatility in skill sets is the key to the running back room.
Speedy Dominic Myers had the game’s first touchdown with a long touchdown run. Sophomore Te’Shaun Porter had the second touchdown with a 16-yard carry. Jackson Miller and Julius Bolden also saw plenty of work in the Spring Game.
“I think we all know what we are good at and we can all spur one another on with that too,” Brady said. “Fun competition at the end of the day. We are all going to go out there and give it our all. And that is all we can ask from each other.”
Wide Receivers
Senior Luke Mathews is coming off a Second-Team All-MIAA performance in a historically loaded MIAA at receiver. He is the leader in a receiver room that is breaking in a lot of new talent, but talent that looked good on Saturday.
One of the new weapons is 6’3, 217-pound junior Erwin Nash who’s frame came in handy as Owens hit him for a touchdown. Tyus Jackson, redshirt freshman, had the game-winning touchdown. Redshirt freshman Karsten Pate also found the end zone on an end around.
Senior T.J. Williams-Bey has also been a storyline of camp with his speed adding to Andrew Bradley’s on the outside. Williams-Bey had a touchdown taken off the board with a holding penalty. Sophomore Maximo Filion made several key catches as well, working the middle of the field.
“Our offense has added a lot of key pieces and been a great challenge for us all spring,” safety Shane Fredrickson said.
Tight Ends
There are also a lot of new faces at tight end, but seniors Gannon Gragert and Chas Carlgren, and junior Andrew Waltke bring experience to the room.
Southeast Missouri State transfer Braden Thompson adds more experience to the room.
Offensive Line
McMenamin’s first group to compliment this spring has been the offensive line with offensive coordinator Collin Prosser also coaching that group. On the field, senior Wes Merriman leads the group from the center spot.
“O-line overall this spring really did a good job,” McMenamin said.
The interior group returns a lot of experience with Ewan Mills and Harrison Merriman being experienced starters at guard. The tackles are less experienced, but sophomores Jack Gogue and Pierce Wand have some reps as they return.
Defensive Line
Roberto Davis has a big task in front of him as the new defensive line coach for a group that Rich Wright has led for years. Bostwick has been impressed with how he’s hit the ground running, switching to the defense from running backs coach.
“He is a big energy guy,” Bostwick said. “Juice. Every day, he brings it. The D-line, it is contagious with them. … It has been great to have a guy with his knowledge. He played the position and learned a ton from Coach Wright over the years, who is arguably the best D-line coach in the country. He learned a lot from him and is now getting to put his own little flavor on things.”
The group has a veteran core with seniors Clayton Power and Nile Schuett. Jacob Stockard, Cooper Berry and Grant Berry add experience off the edge.
Developing the depth of the defensive line room will be key going into the fall.
“Every year for us, we need depth up front,” Bostwick said. “We are building it. We’ve got some good young guys. … Defenses at Northwest that have always been good, we’ve been good up on the D-line. That is going to be a key focus."
Linebackers
The second level of the defense is the most experienced group on the roster with First Team All-MIAA linebacker Carter Edwards flanked by senior Ben Einess and Parker Bowen.
“They are all totally bought in,” Bostwick said. “The leadership from those guys is outstanding. … They are taking ownership of this team.
“Having Carter back and Parker and Ben Einess, those guys are going to be three seniors at the linebacking group. It is very comforting for me just having those dudes be out there.”
Edwards provided the scariest moment of the Spring Game when he went down with a knee injury in the first half. He was eventually helped off the field, but was able to walk around the sideline and get on the exercise bike — telling his teammates that he was fine.
Defensive Backs
The spine of the defense continues to be strong on the backend with senior Shane Fredrickson and sophomore Holden Zigmant returning as the starting safeties.
“Having Shane and Ziggy back, those guys are experienced,” Bostwick said. “You can’t put a price on that. Those two guys are very smart football players and they can get us into whatever we need to from a check standpoint.”
Fredrickson says he and Zigmant have a great connection.
“Having Holden by my side through it, we went all last year,” Fredrickson said. “We are like Yin and Yang out there."
Cornerback is a spot where the team experienced a lot of attrition, but Stephen F. Austin transfer O’Shea Davis has brought a veteran presence to that group.
“It has been a really impressive camp for the cornerbacks,” Fredrickson said. “We have some new additions who I think are really going to make a big difference for us. We have some guys who are getting a shot who haven’t gotten a shot before and are making plays. We are flying around.”
Specialists
Long snapper Will Berendzen and returner Dominic Myers bring experience to the special teams group, but the kicking positions will be new this season.
Redshirt freshman Kaden Kiernan had a strong day with a long field goal to end the half and converted on all five of his extra points. Redshirt freshman Jacob Bell battled the wind with his punts, but uncorked some long ones as the game went on, with his best being the final punt of the day.
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