Wade Vogan's arms are both sticking out, fist clenched as he yells to encourage his team.

The first-year Moniteau football coach is just being himself when he led the team in Warrior jacks last Friday after the game.

“I want to show the kids that I'm fighting the battle with them,” Vogan said. “I'm there from the beginning to the end of the game.”

The Warriors christened their first-year coach with a 22-14 win over Punxsutawney.

Success can't be judged by one week — or season— but Moniteau appears to have found the right coach.

Warriors running back Josh McBride appreciates Vogan's fire.

That's what made McBride come out for summer football workouts after missing the previous year.

“We never had that in the past,” McBride said. “He wants football to be more than an August to October sport. He wants it to be year round.”

Beating the Chucks doesn't make Moniteau the favorite to win Class AA in District 9.

Nor does it make the Warriors favorites to win the Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference Large School crown.

What it gives Moniteau is a much-needed first step toward stability in the program.

Skiver said about six or seven kids attended summer workouts before the 2013 season.

That rose to between 14-21 this summer.

Opening with a win added some payoff.

“It does wonders,” Warriors quarterback Cody Skiver said. “People at school were congratulating us. The school seemed more upbeat because we won.”

Vogan is the Warriors' third head coach in three years.

Only three coaches in Moniteau history have led the team for five or more seasons.

Jeff Campbell (2006-12), Jay Wagner (1973-77) and Rick Lewis (1968-72) are the longest-tenured coaches.

McBride thinks Vogan can stabilize the Warriors.

“We flushed last season down the drain,” McBride said. “It's a new program, a new coaching staff. We put last season behind us and started new.”

Vogan, a Sharon native, showed during the summer that he could get things rolling.

He is active, enthusiastic and put together a camp for youth players with former Sharon teammate and NFL defensive back Marlin Jackson.

Moniteau's schedule gets significantly tougher starting Sept. 26.

The Warriors will play the defending District 9 AA (Karns City) and A champions (Clarion) in back-to-back weeks.

Success shouldn't be judged by one week.

It should be evaluated by an entire body of work.

Vogan deserves the chance to build his program.

He's already inspired his players.

“We need to practice hard and keep our heads up,” Skiver said. “We can't think because we have one win that we're the best. We want to have a repeat performance.”

Josh Rizzo is a sports writer for the Butler Eagle.