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Coach, team spend time in spotlight
By RANDY GONZALES
Hays Daily News
When the New York Times comes to town, you know you have hit the big time.
The Smith Center prep football team, known throughout Kansas as one of the best programs in the state, gained national acclaim this season -- and quite by accident.
The Redmen set a national high school record with 72 points in the first quarter in an eventual 83-0 win over Plainville in the opener of the Class 2-1A playoffs.
The Associated Press ran a small wire story about the record, adding the fact that Smith Center had outscored opponents 740-0 at the time.
"It was a national record -- we had no idea that was going on," 30th-year head coach Roger Barta said. "We didn't know what to do that game."
That was one of the few times Barta, his coaching staff, and players were caught off-guard this season. Smith Center eventually did give up a point, but wound up outscoring the opposition 844-20, winning a fourth straight Class 2-1A state title in such dominating fashion that Barta has been selected Coach of the Year on the 24th annual Hays Daily News all-area football team.
But this year, along with the success on the field, will be remembered for the glare of the national spotlight. The New York Times ran a front-page story, the Denver Post, USA Today, Sports Illustrated and ESPN were among other national media outlets that spread the word.
"Every year is a special year, special kids," said Barta, who won his seventh state title overall at Smith Center, and has his Redmen on a 54-game winning streak. "We really got hit with a media blitz.
"I thought the kids handled it pretty well, the community handled it pretty well," Barta added.
It started with the New York Times story. Then it was like a wildfire.
"A guy - Joe Drape was his name - out of The New York Times, he came in here," Barta said. "You never know what a reporter is going to write; I thought he was a super guy, wrote a super article.
"It kind of took off from there; it wasn't so much about football, but about the community," Barta added.
In the penultimate game of the season, an overflow crowd at Hubbard Stadium watched Smith Center finally give up a touchdown, to St. Francis. Barta downplayed giving up a score.
"I've coached football 39 years," Barta said. "It's always the goal to shut the team out.
"This year, we knew somebody was going to score on us," Barta added.
Barta would be the first to tell you that his assistant coaches have played a key role in the team's success though the years. Dennis Hutchinson -- who has been at Smith Center longer than Barta -- coaches both the offensive and defensive lines. Hutchinson's son, Brock, is the defensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Tim Wilson coaches the line and defensive ends, while Mike Rogers coaches the defensive secondary and also is the running backs coach.
"I've been blessed with great assistant coaches, we've got great kids, our community supports our kids," Barta said.
St. Francis coach Tim Lambert, who was the starting quarterback on one of Barta's title teams, has found success running the same wishbone offense he learned at Smith Center. Lambert agreed that Barta's assistants are part of the Smith Center success story.
"It's his assistant coaches," Lambert said. "That's one thing I learned from him. He said you've got to let your assistants coach -- you can't do it all."
Senior lineman Brayton Gillen, one of three Redmen on the Super 11, said Barta puts it all together, year after year, inspiring players to become better.
"I attribute about all of it to Coach Barta," Gillen said. "He is a great coach, but even better, a great teacher."
If it was left up to him, Barta would just as soon not have had all the newspapers and TV stations buzzing about town this fall. But he reasoned if it helped get a player a chance to get more publicity, and get a chance to play in college, then he would do it. It must have worked, because at least eight seniors on this team plan on playing college ball.
"It was a national blitz," Barta said. "We told the kids to enjoy the ride. Part of the reason I went through it was to get the kids some exposure."
It's quieted down a little now. No national news media poking about.
But come late summer, it will be time to check out pads again. Time for another edition of Redmen football. Standout seniors will be gone. Somebody will take their place.
"We're going to start over again, I guess," Barta said. "We think they're ready to go.
"It's up to them."
Sports editor Randy Gonzales can be reached at (785) 628-1081, Ext. 137, or by e-mail at
rgonzales@dailynews.net.
