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Colfax football cranks up after ‘09 run to title game

Senior quarterback Alex Teade, left, and sophomore lineman Cole Neu take a turn at the water spouts Monday during the pre-season’s last two-a-day Colfax football practice. They are among 37 recruits who have been grinding out the long practices in the hot sun.

Colfax football, which wrapped up the 2009 season in the Tacoma Dome 2B championship game last December, cranked up for the new season on the hot turf of the Colfax practice field. Coach Mike Morgan and crew are working with 37 recruits and expect to reel in three or four more when harvest season wraps up.

Now starting his 13th season as head coach, Morgan has a lot of talent back from the 2009 club that went all the way to the 2B championship game. He also starts with nine seniors from last season gone.

“When you think about last year, you realize we had an experienced line of mostly seniors who made a lot of things happen for our skill position players who were mostly in the junior class,” Morgan said.

That means the skill people are back for their senior year campaign, but the Bulldogs need to build up the line to approach last year’s performance level.

Assistant Coach Jason Cooper gets a ride on the Bulldog blocking sled.

“When you lose three all-state linemen, you just have to go to work,” Coach Morgan said.

The all-staters were Sam Mellor, Ryan Conrad and Tyler Morse. They and others powered a line which fueled the Colfax campaign through the regular season and the playoff rounds.

Colfax last December made its fourth trip to the state title game. They bowed to Adna’s Pirates 32-24 after staging comeback run late in the game. The Bulldog charge, which came within two points, stalled out when Quarterback Alex Teade was knocked out of the game with a concussion.

Teade returns as a senior this year and will be one of the most experienced QBs in the league. Since starting as a sophomore, Teade has rolled out a 23-2 record.

Coach Morgan said the Bulldog practice routine has been changed this year with an eye on what happened in the final minutes last December in the dome. Junior Justin Berarducci, number-two quarterback, now gets about 40 percent of the practice reps to keep him tuned to the offense in the event he gets the call.

Berarducci will also be part of an experienced group of receivers who will return. Others veteran who are expected to be back on the receiving end for Teade are Kellen Morgan, Damon Buck and Brandon Heiser.

Two running backs who saw action last year, Tyler McNannay and Alvin Lee, will also return. McNannay, a senior, also returns with his kicking skills which lit up the state charts last year.

Two junior members of last year’s veteran line, Tuffy Hickman and Austin Neu, return as seniors.

“They are now providing a lot of leadership and push for the younger guys who are moving into the positions,” Coach Morgan said. Hickman, already the object of college recruiters, figures to be one of the dominant lineman in the league.

Aaron Arneson, Cole Neu, Brent Conrad, Lonny Ellis, John Mellor and Kyle Miller are among underclassmen who will move into those line positions.

“I think the thing we need right now is a little experience,” Coach Morgan said.

The Bulldog coaches have 20 sophomores and freshmen in the practice lineup.

Lone change for Colfax coaching lineup this year will be the departure of defensive coach Terry Asbjornsen. Assistants Tony Carter, Craig Culbertson, Jason Cooper and Mark Brown are all back in action. Phil Morgan has been moved to Asbjornsen’s slot.

Volunteer coaches helping this year in practice sessions include Justin Carstens, a WSU student from Kettle Falls, and Cole Groom, a former Colfax resident who has returned to the area from Prosser.

The Bulldogs wrapped up their two-a-day practice sessions on Monday. They will line up for a blue and white scrimmage Saturday morning at 9:30 followed by a family barbecue for players and parents at Schmuck Park.

First league action will be the jamboree Sept. 3 at Ritzville.

 

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