Prep football preview 2017
The Hays Daily News • Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017
D9
Otis-Bison Cougars Eight-Man Division II, District 6 Coach: Travis Starr (14th year, 72-47) Last season’s record/playoff finish: 6-3 Returning starters: 5 offense, 6 defense Top returning players: Blake Bahr, 5-9, sr., RB/DB; Daniel Scott, 5-9, 145, sr., RB/LB; Anton Foust, 6-1, 180, jr., QB/LB: Landon Hoopingarner, 5-9, 275, sr., OL/DL; Luke Higgason, 6-1, 215, jr., OL/DL; Maitland Wiltse, 6-4, 185, sr., WR/DB. Team notes: With a 6-3 mark and being one of the better teams in EightMan Division II, the Cougars were on the short end in a loaded district that included state runner-up Dighton, along with perennial powerhouses Jetmore-Hodgeman County and Sharon Springs-Wallace County. Close losses to Dighton and Wallace County kept the Cougars out of the playoffs. At Dighton, Otis-Bison drove deep into Hornet territory before throwing an interception in the end zone. Dighton then capitalized by scoring a last-second touchdown to grab a 36-30 win. All three losses came to state qualify-
2017 schedule (*district game) Sept. 8.........................vs. Ellinwood Sept. 15................. at Central Plains Sept. 22.......................... vs. Victoria Sept. 29........... vs. Wallace County* Oct. 6................at Greeley County* Oct. 13.........................vs. Dighton* Oct. 20..........at Triplains-Brewster* Oct. 26.......vs. Hodgeman County* ing teams, as the Cougars also had a lead late on Claflin-Central Plains. The Cougars will have to reload with some offensive weapons after the graduation of Kade Urban and Brad Lightfoot, both of whom were four-year starters. But, Otis-Bison does return Blake Bahr, a senior running back who rushed for 669 yards and nine scores a year ago. Junior Anton Foust looks to take over at quarterback and will play behind arguably one of the best lineman in the state in junior Luke Higgason. Three of the Cougars’ first four games are at home and the Cougars get Victoria, Wallace County, Dighton and Hodgeman County all on their home field.
FRONT ROW (from left): Kendall Steinert, Bevan Gradig and Nathan Roth. MIDDLE ROW: Manager Spencer Deines, Kaden Schwartz, Seth Hoopingarner, Hunter Mitchell and Daniel Scott. BACK ROW: Assistant Coach Curtis Little, Blake Bahr, Landon Hoopingarner, Maitland Wiltse, Clade Anderson, Anton Foust, Luke Higgason and Head Coach Travis Starr.