Prepzone Pigskin Preview 2017

SOUTHERN VALLEYEAGLES
SOUTHWESTROUGHRIDERS
By: Josh Skluzacek
By: Chelsea Croft
The Southern Valley Eagles
football team has a new coach this
year. Darren Tobey, the school’s
superintendent, is expected to
take over the coaching duties
after Bob Frederickson accepted a
job in Coal Ridge, Colorado.
The Eagles finished 2016 with a
record of 3-6, and will return just
two starters on each side of the
ball. Southern Valley didn’t score
in double figures any of their
first three games last year before
finally breaking out, scoring 35 in
a three-point loss at Bayard.
But the Eagles were able to win
their next two games, averaging
40 points while surrendering 21
points per game in the two wins.
Another two losses followed the
wins before they finished the
season with a 58-13 win over
Sandy Creek.
The big problem for the Eagles
this season will likely be depth
and experience. As mentioned
earlier, just two starters return
on offense and defense — OG/
DT Jose Olivas and TE/DE Chase
Becker.
Sophomore Jaden Quinn
could be the team’s starting
quarterback, with seniors Riley
Mustin and Chase Becker his
likely targets. Outside of that,
Tobey and the Eagles will have
to figure out who can step up
and fill the holes in the roster.
The Eagles will open the 2017
season on the road when they
take on Bridgeport on Aug. 25.
Key Players:
Jose Olivas (5’10” 260 lbs) Sr. G/
DT
Chase Becker (6’3” 175 lbs) Sr.
TE/DE
Jaden Guinn (6’ 165 lbs) Soph.
QB
2017 SCHEDULE
8/25 @ Bridgeport
9/1 Hershey
9/8 @ Minden
9/15 Bayard
9/22 @ Gibbon
9/29 Wood River
10/6 @ Doniphan-Trumbull
10/13 Hastings St. Cecilia
10/20 @ Sandy Creek
In 2016, Southwest finished with
a 2-6 record in Class D1 under
the direction of Nick Brost.
Besides going 6-3 in 2015, the
Roughriders have finished
under .500 every year since 2007.
However, the team returns a lot
of starters this year and Brost
is optimistic 2017 can propel
the school’s football program
forward.
“We go into every year hoping
for success, hoping to win more
games than we lose, of course.
But our schedule is really tough,
same as last year. All the teams
that are on our schedule are
going to be very competitive. We
have the potential to be really
competitive in all of our games.
It will just be a few minutes
of each game that determine
whether we win or lose,” Brost
said.
Returning seniors, quarterback
Ryan Van Pelt and backs Logan
Greenlee and Cody Downey, will
lead this year’s offense.
“We like to run the ball and
in the past we’ve always ran
the ball a lot. (We are) really
dependent on our fullback
and tailback to do a lot of the
work for us,” Brost said. “We’ll
probably be primarily a running
team again but we always like to
be kind of multidimensional and
be able to throw the ball and get
the ball in when the opportunity
presents itself.”
After losing every game on the
road last season, the Roughriders
defense is an area of focus for
2017. The team allowed an
average 47 points per game and
scored 31.5.
“Defense is where we need to
have to improve the most off
of last season. We have a lot of
starters returning on offense so
defensively we’re going to look
different than we have in the
past,” Brost said.
Although, the coaching staff
believes the team can pride itself
on the experience from the front
four on defense.
A major change for Southwest
this season is the switching up of
leadership and coaching on the
2017 SCHEDULE
8/25 Sutherland
9/1 @ Overton
9/9 Perkins County
9/22 @ Dundy County-Stratton
9/29 Medicine Valley
10/6 @ Cambridge
10/13 @ Bertrand
10/19 Alma
team.
“We’re replacing a new coach,
so we have a new offensive and
defensive line coach. And so
that will be interesting to see
how that kind of works out,”
Brost said. “So I think that area is
going to be our biggest question
mark going into the season.”
Key Players:
Ryan Van Pelt (6’0” 155 lbs) Sr.
QB/S
Derek Greenlee (6’2” 170 lbs) Sr.
TE/LB
Tanner Brooks (6’2” 215 lbs) Sr.
OL/DL
TEAM FACTS
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Eagles
Class: C2
2016 Record: 3-6
Playoff Appearances: 6
Head Coach: Darren Tobey
Career Record: 4-5
Team Name: Roughriders
Class: D1
2016 Record: 2-6
Playoff Appearances: 7
Head Coach: Nick Brost
Career Record: 13-29
Assistant Coaches: Marcus Bish,
Christian Arterburn
Rehab locations in Arapahoe, 658 Pine Street, 308-962-5402 & Cambridge, 1305 Hwy 6/34, 308-697-4718
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