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Fall sports practice opens, Cowboys hit the field |
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Wednesday, 20 August 2008 |
 GO-GO-GO! – Coach Joe Moerkerke yells out encouragement to running back Calvin Ophus during a drill for flankers and backs on Monday, the first day of football practice. The Cowboys open their season with a home game against the Harlem Wildcats on Sept. 5. Kick off is slated for 7 p.m. I-O Photo by Buck Traxler
This season there are 19 freshmen, six sophomores, nine juniors and 12 seniors signed up by the first day.
Head Coach Joe Moerkerke, after the team had gone through some drills was “highly optimistic” about the squad this year and added, “It’s possible, we may pick up a few more kids.”
He noted the Cowboys have some good size on the line. “We want to be the physical team on the field this year.”
A couple of team goals this year include going undefeated, to dominate the other team and to control the offensive line.
While he didn’t want to go into a lot of detail, the coach indicated the Cowboys would be working on a new type of offense. “We have some good speed this year, it’s going to be exciting.”
He also noted that the players are showing a lot of punch and drive.
Conrad opens with the Harlem Wildcats coming in on Sept. 5. They downed the Cowboys in the final game of the season, knocking them out of a playoff position.
Moerkerke said of the upcoming game, “We’re going in like it’s a battle,” adding, “That will be the same for every game, there are no weekends off.”
Right now assistant coaches Bob Bender and Brian Fladstol are helping him.
The student manager, video, and statistics duties will be taken care of by Brach Newmiller, Ashley Greyn, Kendra Pearson, and Megan Breding.
One point of note, the Cowboys will not be playing freshman and JV games this year.
Instead, because of the numbers, all their non-varsity contests will be Froshmore games.
Players out for the Cowboy squad include Brett Bishop, Jamison Byrnes, Sam Carroll, Chase Cork, Kyle Ellis, Alex Finlayson, Tanner Fuson, Nathan Gage, Jacob Gouchenour, and J.D. Hough.
There is Jeff Jerome, Colby Johns, Grant Johns, Geoffrey Johnson, Colter Knox, Trent Knox, Sam Larson, Seab Larson, Aaron Lehnerz, Jordan Lindberg, Cutter Martin, Boyd Matheson, Ben Moerkerke, Josiah Moerkerke, Michael Murphy, Tyler Nelson, and Eric Norby.
There is also Paul O’Brien, Calvin Ophus, Ryan Orcutt, Doug Peters, Brandon Philipps, Nick Pruttis, Joe Ries, Charles Roderick, and Brandon Roos.
Luke Schlosser, Lucas Schultz, William Shirley, C.J. Stordahl, Jacob Stuart, Riley Styren, Blayne Underdahl, Norman Vanderbush, Dallas VanLuchene, Bryce Watterud and Clay Winters round out the team.
On “game day” the Stockman Bank will be sponsoring a tailgate party and hamburger fry before Conrad and Harlem hit the gridiron. Mark your calendar for Sept. 5, and come out for a burger and some football.
Friday nights won’t get much better than this!
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