Pettry, Weaver leading Tuscola football into 2026

TUSCOLA, Ill. (WCIA) -- Tuscola football saw its season come to an end last fall right here on this field after an upset loss to the 12th seed Nokomis in the first round of the 1a playoffs. That result has motivated these players all offseason. "I mean, we all feel like we should have won, but we didn't play well enough, so yeah, we got to improve and got to be ready to play every game," quarterback and defensive back Jon Pettry said. Probably the biggest piece back -- figuratively and literally -- for the Warriors is offensive and defensive lineman Brayden Weaver. The 6'6" 290 lb junior has been busy this summer, attending lineman camps in four states and picking up his first division one scholarship offer from Florida Atlantic. "That meant a lot to me as a sophomore going into junior year," Weaver said. "I was really surprised I got that. The first one means the most, of course, so it was a big deal around my family." Head coach Andy Romine expects big things from Weaver's third season of varsity football. "A flip has certainly switched," Romine said. "He's more violent with his hands." "He's more explosive off the football, and he's kind of developed the mentality like some of our better offensive linemen have had." Another guy Romine has lots of confidence in is third-year starting quarterback Jon Pettry. "We're going to go as Jon goes," Romine said. "There's times where when things got off schedule last year, we made some mistakes as a staff and in games, but he's had an unbelievable summer. He's thrown the ball really well." "He's made tremendous decisions." Tuscola opens up the season at Warrensburg-Latham the Cardinals led by a first-year head coach, so Romine and the Warriors aren't totally sure what they'll see from their opponent in week one on August 21. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.