What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope
What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope
OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE LINEMEN on this year's Haxtun Bulldog football team are pictured front row (l-r), Wyatt Goodwin, Zach Fryrear, Joseph Helfer and Jaxsen Schram; middle row (l-r), Jack Feik, Tate Michael, Seth Seger, Ryan Davis, Bret Kanode, Brandon Nall and Avian Calderon; back row (l-r), Mason Bornhoft, Kristopher Hadeen, Keegan Colglazier, Jerron Turney, Maclin Tempel, Brock Miller, Jake Tori and Gehrig Thompson.
2022 HAXTUN Bulldogs are pictured front row (l-r), Wyatt Goodwin, Braden Plumb, Kanin Koberstein, Coleman Firme, Joseph Helfer, Zach Fryrear and Avian Calderon; second row (lr-), Zach Statz, Colin Cone, Chase Goddard, Tate Michael, Kaiden Schelling, Corbin Andersen, Carter Lock, Gage Helgoth and Aidan Starkebaum; third row (l-r), Josh Wright, Bret Kanode, Ryan Davis, Michael Gerk, Grant Statz, Kailin Kelley, Brandon Nall, Ryland Wolff and Seth Seger; back row (l-r), Jaxsen Schram, Jack Feik, Mason Bornhoft, Kristopher Hadeen, Brock Miller, Maclin Tempel, Jerron Turney, Keegan Colglazier, Jake Tori, Kyle Fryrear and Gehrig Thompson. The Bulldogs are coached by JD Stone, Marc Bornhoft, Andy Wernsman, Garrick Biesemeier, Cameron Ham and Kyle Wilson.
The boys of fall are back! Thirty-eight players on this year's Haxtun Bulldog football team have been putting in the work over the summer and since the start of practice last week and rightfully so, the team has a lot to defend. As the 2021 8-man State Champions, the Bulldogs know the taste of victory and are looking for more.
Head Coach JD Stone and his staff of assistants have been working with this year's team since last season ended. The boys have been in the weight room since just after Christmas and over the summer, the group of Bulldogs attended team camp and the Chadron State College football camp in prep for this season. Haxtun kicks off the 2022 season in an 11-man contest with the Dragons in Holyoke on Sept. 2.
Six seniors lead this year on the gridiron including Michael Gerk, Kyle Fryrear, Jake Tori, Gehrig Thompson, Maclin Tempel and Jerron Turney. In addition to the senior leaders, the team returns seven starters between offense and defense and 21 returning lettermen. On offense, the Bulldogs bring back Gerk, Fryrear, Tori, Thompson and Tempel. On the other side of the ball, Gerk, Tempel, Zach Statz and Kailin Kelley bring their expertise from last season.
"We graduated a great group of young men off of last year's season, not only as athletes but as leaders," Head Coach Stone said as part of his primary goals to kick off the 2022 season. "We have to fill those holes."
In addition to Stone, this year's coaching staff also includes assistants Marc Bornhoft, Andy Wernsman, Garrick Biesemeier, Cameron Ham and Kyle Wilson.
In their run for the State Championship last year, the Bulldogs marked a perfect 13-0 season and notched the Haxtun's eighth State football championship.
Stone said he is looking forward to defending the team's title and getting this season underway. "It will be a lot of fun getting everyone's best every week."
Haxtun athletics have signed a two-year contract with Fleming and Holyoke, Stone said. "Our kids have a lot of fun playing those games in basketball and volleyball, so why not play them in football. We will set it up so that whoever's field we play on we will play the home team's game, 6, 8 or 11 man. It should be a lot of fun, a huge gate for the home team and next to no travel," he said.
Haxtun will face off with Holyoke at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2 at the home of the Dragons for the 2022 opener. The schedule will then take the Bulldogs to face Holly and Mancos on the road before this year's home-opener with Fleming on Friday, Sept. 23.
Reader Comments(0)