What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope
What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope
HAXTUN HIGH SCHOOL Bulldog football team members are pictured front row (l-r), Austin Knox, Grant Firme, Jayce Boerner, Eli Horton, Carter Moulton, Gaige Wilson and Luke Gales; second row (l-r), Zach Fryrear, Cole Firme, Kanin Koberstein, Madden Larsen, Max Grauberger, Aspen Starkebaum, Ryan Chaney and Liam Nall; third row (l-r), Student Coach Braden Plumb, Zach Statz, Corbin Andersen, Carter Lock, Colin Cone, Aidan Starkebaum, Brandon Nall, Chase Goddard and Manager Trevon Thayer; back row (l-r), Coach Andy Wernsman, Coach Marc Bornhoft, Grant Statz, Ryan Davis, Bret Kandoe, Ryland Wolff, Coach JD Stone, Tate Michael, Avian Calderon, Seth Seger, Jaxsen Schram, Coach Matt Ramirez and Coach Dylan Huss. Not pictured is Carter Imhof, Manager Grace Stone and Coach Kyle Wilson.
The Bulldog football team kicked off the 2024 season in the exact same place the 2023 season ended ... in the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl. Haxtun took on Melrose, New Mexico's 2023 8-man State Champions, in the season opener on Friday night, Aug. 23. Last year's season came to a close in the 8-man State Championship where the Bulldogs earned a Runner-Up title in the ThunderBowl.
Seven seniors lead this year's 32-member roster that includes five returning starters on defense and six on offense. Head Coach JD Stone said in the off season his team put in the work. Throughout the winter the Bulldogs met three nights a week for workouts and in the spring and summer football players were in the weight room four nights a week. Over the summer, the program hosted a two-week camp and following that attended an Epic Camp in Kansas.
Practice officially began, per Colorado High School Activities Association rules, on Aug. 12, just a day before Haxtun athletes started school and just under two weeks shy of the Bulldogs' season opener against Melrose.
The Bulldogs made the drive to Pueblo Friday morning to meet up with Melrose, who went 12-1 last season winning New Mexico's 8-man title. Their lone loss came at the hands of Colorado's 8-man State Champion team, Mancos.
The Bulldogs put 16 points on the board in the first quarter and 20 in the second to secure a 36-24 advantage at half time. Whatever adjustments the Melrose Buffaloes made at halftime worked as the team came out and put 20-unanswered points on the board for a final 44-36 victory over the Bulldogs.
"With school starting the second day of practice and a couple of school events, we realistically had eight practices to get ready for a very good team. We typically have three weeks and it showed. The mental mistakes really piled up on us," said Stone. "I was very disappointed in the mental mistakes from the coaching staff and players, a lot of alignment issues defensively and execution issues offensively, we were exposed because of it."
Under center, senior quarterback Ryland Wolff completed four passes for 84 yards including one touchdown. He averaged 21 yards per pass. On the receiving end of those passes, Zach Statz caught one pass for 62 yards. Goddard had one 54-yard catch and Grant Statz tallied 24 yards from three receptions.
On the ground, Grant Statz rushed for 154 yards with a long of 65 yards. He averaged eight yards per carry and tallied two rushing touchdowns. Wolff registered 91 yards on the ground with a long of 19.
Grant Statz led in tackles with 19. He earned eight of those solo and 11 assisted. Cole Firme tallied 13 tackles, six solo and seven assisted followed by Zach Statz with four solo and eight assisted tackles for a total of 12. Corbin Andersen had nine total tackles followed by Goddard and Wolff each with seven and Carter Lock with five.
This week the Bulldogs have a bye before they host their home opener against Wichita County, Kan. on Friday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m.
"We need to clean a lot of stuff up and get the players bodies right. We had a lot of injuries and cramping in first game and we can't have that," said Stone. "Our main goals every year are to play for our brother, run the ball well on offense and play fast, gap responsible physical defense and everything will work out. Unfortunately we are not doing any of those things currently."
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