D2
Prep football 2017
Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017 • The Hays Daily News
Eight-Man Division I, District 4 Coach: Mike Jenner (3rd year, 14-4) Last season’s record/playoff finish: 7-2 Returning starters: 7 offense, 7 defense Top returning players: David Thompson, 6-0, 205, sr., RB/LB; Blake Bouchey, 6-0, 185, sr., FB/LB; Riley Allen, 6-3, 190, sr., QB/CB; Lane Stapleton, 5-11, 185, sr., E/DE; Colton Greving, 6-4, 175, E/CB; Bodey LeRoux, 6-1, 190, jr., E/LB; Matt Kirkendall, 5-10, 180, jr., C/DE: Jed Peace, 6-2, 224, soph., G/NG: Cody Brown, 5-10, 165, soph., RB/LB. Team notes: Running the ball will be big for Logan-Palco, the only team a season ago with seven wins to not make the playoffs on account of a loaded district. That rarity has happened the last two seasons for the Trojans, who enter their fifth year as a cooperative agreement for football only between the two schools. Thompson will be a big key to the Trojans’ success yet again in a loaded district. Thompson enjoyed a breakout campaign with 1,696 yards and 31 rushing scores last year, rushing for more than 140 yards in all games, with the exception of Osborne.
Logan-Palco Trojans
While the Trojans return seven starters, Logan-Palco did lose one huge piece in quarterback/defensive back Josh VanLaeys. He rushed for 619 yards and 18 touchdowns and threw for 635 yards and eight scores. He also threw no interceptions in 67 attempts. It might be a bigger hole on defense, where he collected 114 tackles and had 16 tackles for loss and six sacks. Stepping in at quarterback for the Trojans is Allen, a 6-foot-3, 190-pounder. Allen collected 22 carries out of the backfield last year for 204 yards and scored three touchdowns. Allen makes the switch after being VanLaeys’ favorite target in the limited Logan-Palco pass game a year ago. On defense, Bouchey returns after leading the team with 128 tackles, and was second on the team with five tacklesfor-loss. The combined effort between the two schools is looking for its first playoff appearance, and could mark the first for either since 2006 when Palco qualified. The last playoff trip for Logan was in 2002. The Trojans are again in a district with defending champion Osborne, Bennington and perennial contender Victoria.
FRONT ROW (from left): Matt Kirkendall, Gage DeBoer, Colton Whitney, Dalis Reusch, Kaden Shellito, Zach Jansonius and Ian Sparks. MIDDLE ROW: Billy Horn, Trey Kats, Hunter Hogan, Michael Daniels, Micah Thompson, Colton Ashmore and Arturo Cedillo. BACK ROW: Lane Stapleton, Bodey LeRoux, Riley Allen, Jed Peace, Colton Greving, Blake Bouchey and David Thompson. NOT PICTURED: Cody Brown and Shaydin Speth. 2017 schedule (*district game) Sept. 1............................... vs. Triplains-Brewster Sept. 8.................................... at Northern Valley Sept. 15..................................vs. Thunder Ridge
Sept. 22............................................. vs. Stockton Sept. 29..............................................at Victoria* Oct. 6.............................................. vs. Osborne*
Oct. 13............................................... at Lincoln* Oct. 20............................................ vs. Solomon* Oct. 26.........................................at Bennington*