RUSSIAVILLE — Western football players Bart Shepherd and Dean Shepherd have looked forward to Friday nights in the fall for most of their lives.

“We were ball boys on the sideline at Western when we were 7,” Bart said.

The twin brothers are the sons of Ron Shepherd, a long-time assistant under former Western coach Jim Plummer. They tagged along with their father whenever possible.

“Ever since we were old enough to hold a football, we’ve always been playing,” Dean said. “Dad loves the game and that in turn allowed us to love the game just as much. We were always around it.”

Now, the Shepherd brothers are seniors and captains on a promising squad. Western owns a 2-0 record and is ranked No. 7 in the Class 3A state poll heading into its Mid-Indiana Conference opener against Taylor tonight.

“This team has the potential to do great things,” Bart said, noting it has already accomplished one goal by snapping a six-game losing streak to rival Frankfort. “Our next goals are to beat Cass and to win the MIC crown for the first time in five years. If we accomplish that, we will have accomplished some major goals, and then we have the potential to go pretty far in the tournament.”

The Shepherds received a taste of postseason success last season when they helped the Panthers win their first sectional championship since 1984. It was an especially sweet accomplishment for two players who as ball boys saw some good Western teams falter in the postseason.

The Shepherds give the Panthers a pair of cornerstones as they attempt to build on their ’07 breakthrough. Bart is the quarterback and a defensive end and Dean is a running back and a play-making safety. They offer leadership and experience in addition to strong play.

“They’re bringing a lot to our team,” Western coach Alix Engle said.

Connection on offense

The Shepherd brothers showed their connection during an interview. Twice, one would answer a question and the other would wait for the finish, then jump in to expand on the topic.

They carry that connection over when they break the offensive huddle. Against Frankfort, Bart connected with Dean for a 25-yard gain on a third-and-eight play. And against Eastbrook, Bart found Dean for a 39-yard gain on a second-and-10 play to set up the game-winning score.

Both times, Bart held strong in the pocket and absorbed a hit after throwing the ball. And both times, Dean made a tough catch look easy.

“I know he’s always going to be able to find me with the ball,” Dean said. “If I can find a pocket, I know he can put it there. That’s exactly what he will do, and I’ll do everything I can to catch it.”

“That comes from us growing up together, being able to practice at home,” Bart noted. “We think alike so I don’t really have to look for him because I know he’s going to be there. If I need him, he’s there every time.”

Through two games, Bart has completed 6 of 13 pass attempts for 111 yards. Dean has caught four passes for 80 yards.

Of course, the Panthers are a running team first and foremost. Bart is the triggerman who reads the defense on every play before deciding how best to attack — including which back receives the ball on a running play. Fullbacks Mike Jackubowicz and Jake Askren and the Shepherd brothers are all reliable options.

“I’ve been on the offense for three years now and I’ve never felt more comfortable with a quarterback than this year,” Dean said. “You know he knows how to read the defense and he is just football smart. You can trust him to make a good read every time and make a good choice on what play to run.”

Western is 9-3 since Bart became the full-time starting QB in Week 4 last season.

“Bart is doing things right,” Engle said. “I know he is striving to get better with every practice and every game, so I am looking for his best stuff toward the end of the season.”

Defensive mainstays and leaders

Ron Shepherd is a former defensive coordinator at Western and his sons show his defensive mentality.

Dean is emerging as a playmaker. Against Frankfort, he intercepted two passes and returned one for a touchdown. And against Eastbrook, he made a potential game-saving tackle when Eastbrook went for it on fourth-and-two from the Western 12 with 4:42 remaining. Western held a 10-7 lead at the time.

“Dean understands the scheme, he gets to where he needs to be most of the time and he’s responsible for his job. He is a three-year starter and he brings a ‘been there, done that’ mentality to the table as far as our defensive backfield,” Engle said.

Bart is also a defensive mainstay. He works as a defensive end/outside linebacker. Engle plans to limit his work on defense when possible in order to save his energy for offense, but when the chips are down, Engle will have him on the field.

Offense or defense, practice or game, the Shepherds and their senior classmates try to set the right tone.

“We just have a lot of seniors who play a big role in our offense and our defense. They make a big difference in our play out on the field,” Dean said. “The way we play as seniors out there, we think runs down through the team, and the juniors and sophomores who are in the game will play off that.”

Engle loves that mindset, and everything else the Shepherds bring to the table.

“I couldn’t ask for anything more out of those two,” Engle said. “I am really proud to be their coach.”