Are you ready for some football? Well, Rossville doesn't have Hank Williams or Carrie Underwood, but they do have a football team hoping to repeat as Mid-East League Champs and to make it to the 3A championship game.
The Dawgs won 12 straight games last year, including a 27-21 win against Mid-East rival Silver Lake, but stumbled in the 3A semi-final game against their old nemeses Silver Lake, finishing with a 12-1 record.
The offense will be lead this year by junior and all league QB Tucker Horak, who threw for 1,706 yards and 14 TDDs last year while also rushing for 1807 yards and 33 TDs. All League running back Nick Reesor (sr) returns after tallying 809 yards adn 1 TDs last year. Tucker will have plenty of targets with all-leaguers Corbin Horak (sr) and Christian Roduner (jr) also returning. Thatcher Horak also had seven TDs and was one of the three receivers with at least 215 receiving yards.
Defensive returners are Nick Reesor (sr) at Linebacker, who had 91 tackles, and Thatcher Horak (sr) in the secondary.
The line is a big question mark since All-3A Marcus Catron and All-leaguer Davis Warton graduated.
Other top returners include Jack Steckel, RB-LB (sr), Zach Jenson, OL (jr), Terrence Sowers, OL,DE. (sr), Tyler Sage, OL (jr), and Isaac Luellen, DT, (jr).
In addition to the always tough Mid-Easge League schedule, the Dawgs will also face last year's 2-1A champion Centrailia.
Derick Hammes is in his second year as head coach after Steve Buhler resigned prior to last year's season.. Assistant coaches include: Brad Anderson, Ian Peters, Dan Schneider, and jeremy Stevenson.
Last year's Mid-East league standings:
Team League Overall
Rossville 5-0 12-1
Silver Lake 4-1 13-1
Riley County 3-2 4-6
St. Marys 2-3 5-5
Wabaunsee 1-4 5-5
Rock Creek 0-5 2-7
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