Central Oregonian

Fall sports stories to watch for

Lon Austin

Are you ready for some football?

Not only has the NFL finally resolved their labor dispute and resumed playing football, college football has already started practicing, and high school practice begins on Monday.

First-year head football coach Ryan Cochran is excited about the prospects for Crook County High School football this year. The Cowboys lost 20 seniors from a team that just missed the playoffs a year ago.

Although there are only a handful of players with significant varsity experience, Cochran is pleased with what he has seen so far. To begin with, the team has speed — lots of speed. Hunter Bourland, Tyler Rockwood, and Alex Greaves are all sprinters on the track team, and all three have run under 4.6 seconds for 40 yards. In addition a number of seniors have come out for football who haven’t played for the last couple of years, improving the team’s athleticism and depth.

This year’s Cowboys will feature a very different offense from the last several years. The team will run a spread option offense to take advantage of their speed. It promises to be a much more wide open, exciting, high-scoring style of football from what Cowboy fans have seen for the last several years.

The first chance to see the team in action will be next Saturday, Aug. 27, at the annual Blue and Gold Scrimmage.

Cowboy football is not the only team that Crook County fans should get excited about. The Cowgirl volleyball team has won five straight state volleyball championships and should still be a contender again this year.

The team returns a solid nucleus from last year’s championship team, including four players who played on a Rimrock Volleyball Club team which finished in the top ten at nationals.

Unfortunately for the Cowgirls, Marissa Pope, one of the Cowgirls top hitters, is still recovering from a knee injury suffered at the state basketball tournament a year ago and is not expected to play this year. However, the Cowgirls should still be strong. Makayla Lindburg has looked dominant in the middle, while setter Kelsi Kemper returns for her senior season. Libero, Braiden Johnston, and outside hitters Kirsti Kelso, Hannah Troutman, and Annie Fraser also return.

In spite of all the experience, the Cowgirls will still be a young team with just four seniors expected to make the roster.

The Cowgirl’s chief rivals this year appear to be Sisters and Banks, who finished second to the Cowgirls a year ago and return their entire roster.

The CCHS cross country team also has a chance at a very successful season. Last year, the Cowgirls qualified for the state championship as a team for the first time since 1984, and the Cowboys just missed out on a team berth. Both teams are young, but should be competitive.

Both the Cowboy and Cowgirl soccer teams should also be improved as both return most of last year’s starters. Both teams have struggled against 5A opponents, but should be stronger than they have been in awhile.

Most Crook County fall athletic teams have been holding camps or working out this past week, getting ready for the upcoming season and things roll into high gear Monday.

With the move down to Class 4A more Crook County teams made the state playoffs last year than in several years. Hopefully the 2011-2012 school year will be more of the same. Crook County High School fans have every reason to be optimistic about the upcoming season.