Ken Soper is in his 50th season with Dove Creek High School football.
It will be the Colorado High School Coaches Association and National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Famers 47th season as the Bulldogs head coach.
Dove Creek lost a few seniors and had some 2010 varsity experience move away. But four senior starters and a pack of young varsity Bulldogs have the team very optimistic this season.
Our team is a lot bigger this year. Were a lot more mature than last year, said senior starting running back/linebacker Chance Johnson. Our defense should be a lot better than last year. Thats what we really struggled on.
With Johnson, fellow senior defensive ends Seth Kelshaw and Jared Galyean will anchor the defense along with senior defensive back Dalton Davis.
On offense, junior Dalton Randolph will lead at quarterback. Juniors Cole Baughman and Tyler Ebberts, and seniors Kyle Page, Kelshaw and Galyean will control a stout offensive line.
While expectations are high, the Bulldogs will definitely have to come out of the gate swinging. Dove Creeks first two opponents are ranked in this weeks Denver Post 8-man football top-10 media poll. The season begins today at a neutral site in Sargent against Elbert High School at 1 p.m.
Our intensity out here has been pretty good for the most part, Davis said. Elbert is pretty good. I think we can go out there and prove that well be at our best. Weve looked good out here on offense and defense.
The Bulldogs then host defending Western League champion Norwood next Friday at 7 p.m. Dove Creek lost tough games to Elbert and Norwood last season.
Well find out after two weeks kind of where we stand, Soper said. We expect two good teams and I think thats good to start off the season.
Dove Creek is receiving votes in the Denver Post media poll and the excitement to knock off two ranked teams to begin the season has the Bulldogs fired up.
Were excited to play some tough teams at the beginning of the year instead of easy ones. It will help get us ready for the playoffs, Johnson said. We think that were going to have a really good team this year. We have a really good chance at winning all our games in the regular season.
Dove Creek made the playoffs last year, but was bounced in the first round on the road to Sanford. The Bulldogs are determined to do better this postseason.
The No. 1 goal is always trying to win the league championship every year. If we dont do it, we have that as a goal, Soper said. Of course, we also dont just want to get into the playoffs. We want to advance as far as we can.
Games in conference feature a road game at rival Mancos on Friday, Oct. 7. Mancos won last seasons meeting 39-30 in Dove Creek. The final regular season contest is a rematch on the road at Norwood on Oct. 21, in what could decide the WL championship. The Bulldogs have been the WL runner-up the last two years and have their sites set on the 2011 crown.
Losing it back-to-back years has been tough, Davis said. Last year it was really close for us. I think we can pull out on top this year. It would be really awesome for us.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.