Stanley, Cadott (WQOW) -- News 18 Sports caps off its two-a-day previews of area high school football teams with stops at Cloverbelt Conference rivals Stanley-Boyd and Cadott.
Stanley-Boyd was the third place team in the conference last season; the Orioles were 6-2 in the Cloverbelt, 8-4 overall. Head coach Jeff Koenig and his staff have to replace a number starters, but Koenig says he likes what his guys have done so far in practice.
"We've got real low numbers this year which is a little different for us," says Koenig, "but I'll tell you the guys we have are really working hard, and are really committed to getting better. We're a little undersized this year, but we've seen some quickness at our scrimmage and practice and hopefully we can rely on that as the season progresses, but they're working hard and pushing the tempo for us. "
The Orioles advanced to Level 3 of the WIAA Division 5 playoffs last season, but with many key players having graduated, Koenig says Stanley-Boyd will need production out of some newcomers.
"We have a lot of perimeter people returning on the offense," says Koenig, "defensively we have a couple corners, one linebacker, and two defensive linemen coming back, but we have a lot of youth on this team, we have seven seniors this year and all of them are playing and putting everything they can in there, and we've got a lot of sophomores and juniors and even some freshmen out here that are really stepping up and trying to fill the void."
Cadott went winless in 2008 and 2009; the Hornets won one game in 2010, and two last season. Second-year head coach Perry Myren says his team may be young, but they'll compete hard every week.
"We're a little inexperienced," says Myren, "and then we play in a real, real tough Cloverbelt conference, and every week we're probably the underdog. But I think our kids work real hard and if we continue to do that and stay away from injuries I think we're going to surprise some people down the road."
Myren and his staff have a lot of holes to fill on both sides of the ball, but the head coach says his players have come ready to work .
"We've got 25 to 30 kids out there that come to practice every day and give us everything they have," Myren says, "and as a coach, that's all you can ask for, I look at these kids and I think, and I see some of the best people that our school has, in the entire school. They're a wonderful group of kids and they work hard every single day, they give us everything they've got, and it's been a real pleasure so far."
Cadott will host Stanley-Boyd, Friday night.
Stanley-Boyd took 3rd in the Cloverbelt Conference last season
Cadott hopes to continue improving under head coach Perry Myren
