The official word finally came from Platte County on its new football coach, and it offered me a chance to do a little gloating.

I touted the positives for Bill Utz since Chip Sherman first vacated one of the most visible coaching positions in the state. Not that any of the other candidates interviewed wouldn't have done a great job, but my original experiences with Utz back in his Mid-Buchanan days left an indelible impression on this young reporter.

Despite only a few brief encounters in Faucett, Utz remembered my face and name every time I made a stop in Platte County, as he served the past three seasons as an assistant under Sherman. His personality breeds confidence, and his 26-55 career head coaching record creates an unfair ideal of his success if you don't know the situation.

Utz took over a Mid-Buchanan program not just in a lull, but a permanent lull. This was a team that never had a winning season. EVER.

That's not just a difficult concept to fathom; it seems a near impossibility.

Not only did Utz lead the Dragons to a winning record, the most wins in school history and the first playoff appearance and victory, he came within seven points of achieving another almost unthinkable accomplishment.

In 2004, Mid-Buchanan jumped from Class 1 to Class 2 and with the move entered a district with Cameron (dropped down the same year), Class 1 power South Harrison (moved up the same year) and Bishop LeBlond. Coming off that first playoff appearance, expectations were high in Faucett, yet they seemed unrealistic.

When I went to interview Utz for a season preview that year, he quickly shed all of my questions about the difficulties of competing in a bigger class.

Utz's rhetoric reflected where his team came from. I guess when you've seen the worst, you don't fear a challenge.

That 2004 Mid-Buchanan team was far from perfect but played Cameron within seven points in the district finale. That's the same Cameron team with juniors Drew Newhart, Eric Anderson, et all, and came within a few extra points of the state title. The next year, Cameron went 14-0 and decimated every team on its way to a state championship.

Just like Utz built Mid-Buch from nothing to contender in his six years, he has another building project in front of him. There's no denying how high the expectations are for the orange and black.

Despite four playoff appearances in five years, the Pirates want another state title. And that's Utz's next construction project.

Turn this consistently good team back to championship-caliber ... and soon.