DAYTON, Ohio — Attention to detail, a new culture and the team putting in the work every practice — those are just some of the key factors for the Beavercreek High School football team as they build a new legacy.

The Beavers won their first conference game in years and are now in the playoffs for the first time ever outside of the pandemic season.

It’s a new day for Beavercreek football and it’s all happening under the new head coach Trace Smitherman.

“We ended up 3-7 yes, we’re in the playoffs for the first time in school history, but if you ask our guys, they want more than that,” Smitherman said.

Just ask senior outside linebacker Cohen Nelson.

“We were so used to like expecting 10 weeks in a season, like expecting to go 2-8, 0-10. During practice, it’s full go. If you’re not going hard, they’re going to take you out. It changes the culture,” Nelson said.

Nelson is a walking example of going hard.  

Early in the season he tore his ACL for a second time — putting goals of playing in college in jeopardy.

“I didn’t feel like I was done," he said. "I didn’t feel content being like ‘it’s time to just hang it up.'"

“I told him, this is all about you," Smitherman said. "This is all about you and your story."

His drive has set the bar high on and off the field. 

“You got to toughen up a little bit, get some tougher skin and just push through adversities that come your way,” Nelson said.

“They see that they can go harder," Smitherman said. "They see that if he can do it with a brace and one leg, they get it done. And he plays almost every down for us."

However, the change in culture isn’t the only thing pushing the team to success.

Smitherman says the attention to detail is the real X-factor. 

“We’ve done a really good job of giving an opportunity to play guys one way. So we two-platoon. We don’t play guys both ways. It’s really been a great deal that way,” he said.

Smitherman says he wants more kids to come out to play.

The more players, the more detail oriented the team can be.

He’s encouraging players to hone in on their craft — from the freshmen team all the way to varsity.

“We don’t have a bunch of guys tired," he said. "There is no excuse. It’s five to the ball and work as hard as you can work and you’re only going one direction."

Smitherman says the team is in the process of learning how to win on a consistent basis.

There’s work to do, but he’s here for it. 

“I love getting it done," he said. "When you see it from the kids actually learning different techniques and different ways to do things, it’s fantastic."

Coach Smitherman was an assistant at Beavercreek for five years before becoming a head coach at three other area high schools.

The Beavers are the 15th seed in Region 2.

They will take on the #2 seed — the Centerville Elks at 7 p.m. on Friday in Centerville.