Two of Stettler’s three football teams start their 2010 football season this week, both playing against Sylvan Lake, one at home and the other on the road.
Wm. E Hay’s Wildcats, who will play the away game, are looking forward to a good start to the season to make sure that last year’s winless record is not repeated this season.
“The coaching staff of the Stettler Wildcats are looking to turn things around this season,” said head coach Norbert Baharally,
“After finishing 0-1-7 in the league last year, we are hoping to start to rebuild our program.”
With some veteran players returning to play in some key positions, and a talented pool of first year players coming from the ranks of the Cougars, last year’s league champions, the Wildcats coaching staff believe they could put up a stiff resistance against the host team on Thursday, Sept. 2.
“I think we have a decent chance at upsetting them,” said coach Baharally.
“I say upset because I think they will be favored to beat us.”
The Wildcats have their home opener on Friday, Sept. 10, against Rocky Mountain House at 4.30 p.m. at the high school football field.
As for the Cougars, coach Mike Roach said they were ready for their home opener at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4 against Sylvan Lake.
“We have 12 returnees from last season,” said Roach.
“Thirty-two boys are registered - only nine of them have never played football before. The new players are picking up the game quickly and will be looking forward to their first league action.”
“The Panthers players that have moved up to the bantam program seem to be progressing nicely,” Roach added.
The Cougars will be playing their second league game at home next week against Wetaskiwin on Saturday, Sept. 11 before starting an almost month-long schedule of away games against Springbank, Lindsay Thurber and Lacombe.
Cougars’ first home game after that will be on Oct. 16 against Notre Dame.
Coach Roach said this season the most formidable challenge in their league would likely come from Lacombe, who will be returning to the game with less than 10 players lost from their last year’s roster.
As for peewee Panthers, their home opener game will take place on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. at the high school football field when they host their long-running rivals Lacombe.
The Panthers will be having their second league game on home territory on Sept. 18 against Sylvan Lake before going to Innisfail for their first away game on Sept. 25.
Panthers’ coaching staff have already said they were pleased with the way the practices have been progressing and that the team was looking forward to their league
action.