WAYNE COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — The Spring Valley Timberwolves rebounded in 2024 to reach the playoffs, a goal that hasn’t changed in 2025.

After finishing last season 8-4, veteran head coach Brad Dingess said his team should be solid once again.

"We're coming together pretty good," Dingess said. "We've got a lot of guys back, especially in the box, that's got some Friday night experience. We're a little green on the back end and the receivers. So getting a lot of reps with those guys, trying to figure out what we're going to do there.

"Team-wise we've got pretty good chemistry and we've had some really good practices."

He likes the nucleus back to build for this year.

"Maddox Barron, Marcus Lewis, Braxton Carter up front, Mikey Shy up front, Jackson Rich,” he said. “We return our backs in Miguel Cain, Zeke Lewis, Cam Purdue, Bo Christopher at linebacker. We've got a bunch of guys back that played a lot."

Dingess, who is in his 18th season as head coach, sized up the offense and defense of this Timberwolves' team.

"I think we're going to be physical,” he said. “We're always going to be pretty physical in the past. I kind of see us as more of a smash-mouth team this year. I thought last year we kind of spread it out a little more 50-50. We're still going to throw the ball, but probably not as much.

"Hopefully, we'll be able to do a little bit better defending the run than what we have in the past couple of years,” Dingess said. “We've got a lot of those guys back. We've gotten bigger and stronger so hopefully a little bit better up front.”

Spring Valley defeated East Fairmont in the opening round of the playoffs last year before falling to Fairmont Senior. The goal is always to be in the postseason.

"Get in the tournament and try to win as many as you can and be a tough out,” Dingess said. “We were able to win a game. That was the first time we had in a couple of years, so that was good to set the expectations a little higher."

His players believe they can take the next step in 2025.

"I see us making it pretty far this year," said senior running back Miguel Cain. "We've got a great team coming back. I think a lot of our guys, mainly our linemen, are going to have a great year this year. I'm extremely excited coming off of an injury this past season and I'm feeling great."

The Timberwolves open the season Thursday at George Washington in what will be our Go-Mart Friday Night Rivals Game of the Week.