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Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017 • The Hays Daily News
Prep football preview 2017
Almena-Northern Valley Huskies
Eight-Man Division II, District 5 Coach: Chuck Fessenden (41st year, 278-136) Last season’s record/playoff finish: 4-5 Returning starters: 6 offense, 6 defense Top returning players: Caden Kinderknecht, 6-0, 165, sr., QB/LB; Caden Bach, 6-1, 175, jr., RB/LB; Cooper Mussman, 6-0, 250, Sr., C/DL; Jesus Saenz, 6-0, 190, sr., E/DL; Nick Stutsman, 6-0, 160, jr., RB/S. Team notes: The Huskies enjoyed a one-win improvement in 2016, but are going through a playoff drought that goes back to 2005. It wasn’t for a lack of scoring. Northern Valley posted a little more than 45 points per game a season ago, but had trouble stopping teams, especially in district losses to district champion Stockton (74-54) and runner-up Lakeside (86-50), leaving the Huskies out of the mix in a district where both qualifiers entered the postseason below .500. Caden Kinderknecht returns for his senior season after putting up big numbers for the last two
2017 schedule (*district) Sept. 1.......................... at Alma, Neb. Sept. 8....................... vs. Logan-Palco Sept. 15.............at Triplains-Brewster Sept. 22............................. at Dighton Sept. 29..........................vs. Lakeside* Oct. 6.................................at Wilson* Oct. 13................... vs. Sylvan-Lucas* Oct. 20............................at Stockton* Oct. 26................vs. Thunder Ridge*
years under center. Last season, he completed 90 of 157 passes for 1,112 yards for 13 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. He also carried the ball 217 times for 1,507 yards and scored 28 times. He had seven 100-yard rushing games as Northern Valley posted more than 400 yards of offense per outing. The bulk of Northern Valley’s defensive production returns as well, led by Caden Bach, who recorded a 134 tackles a season ago. The Huskies again play in a district that in terms of wins and losses is among the weakest in Eight-Man Division II.
FRONT ROW (from left): Tharen Cox, Landen Davis, Matthew Yost, Brendon Sammons, Clay Preston, Reese Blecha and Seth Henrickson. SECOND ROW: Coach Cox, Alex VanPatten, Carson Buffington, Aidan Baird, Fabian Loya, Gunner Yocum, Adam Moppin and Coach Fessenden. BACK ROW: Caden Bach, Caden Kinderknecht, Nick Stutsman, Dawson Stevens, Jesus Saenz, Ross Cole, Marco White and Trey Davis. NOT PICTURED: Coach Gebhard.