8 I The Lovell Chronicle J September 5, 2013
BY DAVID PECK
For two years now the
Rocky Mountain Grizzlies
and their fans have been an-
ticipating the future. A tal-
ented crop of freshmen en-
tered high school in 2011,
and several played varsity
as the Grizzlies forged a 2-6
record.
Last season, the Griz-
zlies- with 12 freshmen and
seven sophomores on the
roster - played to a 5-3 reg-
ular season record before
dropping a playoff game at
Lusk.
With more experience
under their belts, the 2013
Grizzlies are looking for-
ward to taking another step
forward. The roster boasts
seven seniors, 12juniors, 10
sophomores and 11 fresh-
men, and the team returns
eight starters on offense and
nine on defense.
"We have a lot of diver-
sity on offense and defense,"
Coach David Hayes said.
"We'll show a lot of different
sets. We're going to be hard
to pin down."
Hayes said the team is
strong in the offensive back-
field and at receiver and
though a bit small still on the
line, except for Lovell trans-
fer Jacob Price, the team has
experience returning.
On defense, Hayes said
the Grizz will be "scrap-
py" and, for the first time in
years, they have depth and
the ability for create a rota-
tion on the line.
"We are very athletic at
linebacker and defensive
back, but we are small," he
DAVID PECK
Rocky Mountain sophomore Cordell McFarlane sprints toward the end zone after picking off a Powell
Panther pass during Rocky Mountain's "week zero" controlled scrimmage Friday night in Powell. Escorting
McFarlane is John Higgins.
said.
Rocky Mountain played
the Powell junior varsi-
ty squad in Powell Friday
night in a controlled scrim-
mage, and although no score
was kept, the Grizz made a
lot of plays on both offense
and defense as coaches be-
gan working a lot of young
players to get them some
experience.
ROCKY OFFENSE
The Grizz return a two-
year starter at quarterback
in the form of junior Kirby
Winland, who has been be-
hind center since he was
a freshman. Winland has
been nursing a sore knee
from a spring patella sur-
gery and is not 100 percent
healthy yet, but he returns
with lots of experience and
maturity, Hayes said, not to
mention talent both throw-
ing and running with the
ball.
Junior Bill Despain,
a starting wide receiver,
is the emergency backup
and played several downs
in Powell Friday, and the
young quarterbacks of the
future are sophomore Cole
Wambeke and freshman
Cole Simmons.
Junior Cannon Sim-
mons returns at running
back, backed by sophomore
Cordell McFarlane. Sim-
mons has progressed from
his freshman year and is
now stronger to go with his
speed and knack for finding
seams in the defense.
Replacing the gradu-
ated Jake Jones at full-
back will be senior TJ Wil-
lis, who has moved from the
line. Willis is a strong block-
er who will also carry the
ball, Hayes said. Junior Ty-
ler Lindquist is the backup
fullback.
The Grizz have talent
at receiver and tight end in
athletic senior Joey Jewell,
"long" and quick junior De-
spain, speedy senior Xavi-
er Mangus and junior tight
ends Caleb Horrocks and
Jordan Arnold. All have
good hands and are good
athletes, Hayes said.
"We have a four-headed
monster if we can use them
right," the coach said.
On the line are newcom-
er Price and four returning
starters. Price (6-3,263)is at
left tackle, sophomore Ben
Estes at left guard, senior
Billy Guenther at center, ju-
nior Anthony Estes at right
guard, backed by sophomore
Shay Bond while an injured
finger is healing, and junior
John Higgins at right tackle.
Also playing on the
line are freshmen Garrett
Vezain and Zac Zier, along
with sophomore Wes Home-
wood - all three young line-
men with size.
DEFENSE
On defense, the Griz-
zlies will rotate sever-
al linemen in Rocky's 4-3
alignment including ends
Higgins and Ben Estes and
tackles Price and Vezain,
along with Guenther, An-
thony Estes, senior Joey
Carroll and Homewood.
Linebackers are Willis
in the middle and Cannon
Simmons and Horrocks on
the outside. Also seeing time
will be Lindquist, Bond and
Arnold.
In the defensive back-
field will be Jewell, Despain,
Mangus and McFarlane,
who returned an intercep-
tion for a touchdown Friday
night in Powell.
Hayes is assisted by of-
fensive coordinator Tobee
Christiansen, defensive co-
ordinator Justin Moss and
line coach Pat Winland, as
well as volunteer assistant
Wes Townsend.
TR GAMES
It will be Tongue Riv-
er Week for the Grizzlies.
The Rocky varsity opens the
2013 campaign in Dayton
Friday to take on the Tongue
River Eagles at 4 p.m. Sat-
urday, the TRjunior varsity
plays in Cowley at 11 a.m.
Tongue River should be
a much improved team this
year after going 0-8 in 2012,
Hayes said. He said he saw
the Eagles at a summer
camp in Thermopolis and
they have some good talent.
BY DAVID PECK
After dominating Wy-
oming Class 2A football
for the last two years, win-
ning the 2A title in 2011 and
placing second in 2012, the
Lovell Bulldogs are in a re-
building mode in 2013, hav-
ing lost 10 of 11 starters on
offense and eight of 11 on de-
fense to graduation.
The Bulldogs played a
"week zero" game - basical-
ly a controlled scrimmage -
against the top-ranked Big
Horn Rams Saturday af-
ternoon at Robertson Sta-
dium in Lovell. Big Horn
"won" the varsity first half
21-7, building a 21-0 lead on
a one-yard run following a
long pass, a six-yard quar-
terback scramble and a four-
yard run.
Lovell scored late in the
half on an 18-yard touch-
down pass from Beau Green.
to Hyrum Hopkin. Lovell
also scored a junior varsi-
ty touchdown in the third
quarter on a 62-yard pass
from Brandon Teter to Brit-
ton Woody.
"We finally got to play
somebody different," Coach
Doug Hazen said. 'T e had
a real good film session yes-
terday (Monday). We're a
real young team. We have
only six seniors total. We
made a lot of mistakes (Sat-
urday), and we have several
injuries.
"The good news is that
the mistakes are fixable.
We'll focus on details this
week and cleaning up our ex-
ecution and assignments."
Taking over for the
graduated Dylan Hultgren
at quarterback is sophomore
Beau Green, who saw time
last year running the fresh-
man team and backing up
JV quarterback Seth Kite,
who has moved.
DAVID PECK
Lovell sophomore quarterback Beau Green looks for a receiver as he receives
pass protection from fullback Jeff Jameson during Lovell's "week zero" practice
game against Big Horn Saturday. The Bulldogs host Wind River Friday at 6 p.m.
"Beau is an athletic kid
(6-0, 180), and he adds the
dimension of running the
ball more than we have with
quarterbacks in the past,"
Hazen said. "He can throw
the ball, too, and has a good
arm.
"He's just young. He
hasn't experienced a whole
lot. In every game he will
learn something new. As
coaches, we'll break the
game down, limit the num-
ber of reads and make things
simpler for him."
Backing up Green and
running the junior varsity
offense is freshman Bran-
don Teter, a young and tal-
ented signal-caller. Also
playing quarterback are
sophomore Shawn Mollett
and freshman Reece May.
Taking over at halfback
for the departed Dino Col-
lins is senior Dillon Pickett,
who played a lot of football
on. varsity as a sophomore
but couldn't play as a ju-
nior. Hazen said Pickett (5-
11, 190) is a tough runner
with good speed who has
the power to run through
tackles. Speedy junior Cade
Bischoff was the backup to
Pickett but suffered a bro-
ken collarbone against Big
Horn Saturday. That means
sophomore Britton Woody
will step in as the backup
halfback.
Senior Calin McArthur
has been expected to re-
place Nathan Grant at full-
back but injured his shoul-
der in practice and is out for
the time being. Junior Jeff
Jameson moves up to the
starting spot.
Stepping in for Cody
Savage, Austin Ellis and
Ryan Clark at receiver will
be junior tight end Drake
Welch (6-2, 195), a favor-
ite target of Green's on Sat-
urday, backup sophomore
tight end Nic Haskell (6-8,
200) and four wide receiv-
ers who will rotate in: se-
niors Hyrum Hopkin and
Chase Rasmussen and ju-
niors Dylan See and Michael
Brightly.
The offensive line in-
cludes junior Zeke Collins
(6-0, 190) at left tackle, ju-
nior Aaron Monterde (5-8,
190) at left guard, senior
Morgan May (6-0, 205) at
center, junior Daniel Strom
(5-10, 175) at right guard
and senior Tyler Tillett (6-
4,220) at right tackle. Back-
ing up will be senior Josh
Wardell (6-0, 240) and ju-
niors Erik Ferbrache (6-0,
235) and Garet Fowler (6-4,
270).
"Our bread and but-
ter plays will be the same,"
Hazen said. "We've added
some things and taken some
things out."
DEFENSE
Lining up along the front
of Lovell's 4-4 defense will
be ends Strom and Welch
and tackles May and junior
Nash Jolley (6-0, 220). Back-
ing up will be Wardell, Fowl-
er and junior Rego Moreno
(5-9, 195). Strom saw quite
a lot of time last year, Hazen
said.
Inside linebackers will
be returning starter Mon-
terde and Rasmussen on the
outside and Pickett (start-
er two years ago) and Col-
lins on the inside. McArthur
was a returning starter was
starting this summer until
the shoulder injury.
Hopkin returns at one
cornerback to bring experi-
ence and hitting. Brightly
is the oth rcorner. Bischoff
had the nod at starting safe-
ty until his collarbone inju-
ry, and now Green or See
will step in.
Welch is the kicker and
punter, backed by Brandon
Teter.
"We're so young," Ha-
zen said. "Big Horn came
out faster than we were.
They are a very good team
and will be one of the best in
2A. I hope we will improve
and be at that point as peo-
ple step into new roles.
"We will improve. I
think people will be amazed
at the growth the kids will
make by the end of the year.
We've been spoiled the last
couple of years."
HOME OPENER
The Bulldogs will host
the Class 1A Wind River
Cougars in their regular
season and home opener
Friday at Robertson Stadi-
um. Kickoff is scheduled for
6p.m.
The Cougars were 2-6
in 2012.
The following week,
Friday, Sept. 13, the Bull-
dogs travel to Pinedale to
take on the Wranglers.
COMML N "Y CA _EI DAR
Friday, September 6BHC School District No. 1 Board, 2nd Tues-
Lovell Farmer's day, board room, 7 p.m.
Market, Queen Bee BHC School District No. 2 Board (Lovell), 2nd
parking lot, 4:30 Monday, board room, 7 p.m.
BHC Treasurer at County Annex, fst and 3rd
pm
Calendar brought to
you this week by
LOVELL
234 E. Main
Lovell, WY
307-548-2217
Thursday each month, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Big Horn Basin chapter of Gold Prospectors
Aeeoclatlon of America, Skyline Cafe in
Powell, 2nd Tuesday, 7 p.m., 754-5921.
Big Horn County 4-H Leader's Council, 1st
Monday, Extension Office on Hwy 310, 6:30
p.m.
Big Horn County Weed and Pest monthly board
meeting, 2rid Tuesday, 12:30 p.m., W&P of-
rice at 4782 Hwy. 310, Greybull.
Byron Lione Club, 548-7543.
Cancer Support Group, 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.,
NHCC multi-purpose room.
Cowley Riding Club, 3rd Monday, 7 p.m.,
307-664-2235.
Lovell Area Chamber of Commerce general
membership meeting, 3rd Monday, noon,
place tba.
Lovell Bulldog Booster Club, 3rd Wednes-
day, Big Horn Federal Hospitality Room, 7
pm.
Lovell Library Family History Time, every
Monday, 1-4 p.m.
Lovell Library Stow Time, every Tuesday,
10:30 a.m.
Lovell Riders, Inc. meeting, lstFriday, 7 p.m.,
cell 548-9918 for location.
Lovell Town Council, 2nd Tuesday, Town
Hall, 7 p.m.
Lovell Woman's Club, 2nd Wednesday, Big
Horn Federal Hospitality Room, 1 p.m Con-
tact Deanna Wagner, 548-7793.
Narcotics Anonymous, Mondays at Big Horn
Federal at 8 p.m., contact Katie at 307-254-
3953.
North Big Horn County Health Coalition, 3rd
Tuesday, noon, rotating locations, 548-
6410.
North Big Horn Hospital Hometown Healthy
Living, 1st Tuesday, 7-10 a.m., Lovell Com-
munity Center. All other Tuesdays at NBHH.
Ostomy Support Group meeting, 2nd Tues.
day, 6 - 8 p.m., North Fork room, West Park
Hospital in Cody.
Pindroppers Quilt Club, check Mayes Fabric
for details.
TOPS @ WY16g, every Thursday, St. John's
Episcopal Church basement in Powell, 6
p.m. 664-2394
Tri-Mountain View Masonic Lodge, 2nd
Thursday. dinner 6:30 p.m., lodge meeting
7:30 p.m.
WyDOT Driver Licensing Facility open in
Lovell every Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Call the Lovell Chronicle at 548-2217 to list
your club here.
