Bulldogs hit turf for first week of two-a-day practices

It felt like fall at the Bulldog practice fields Friday morning. The freshly cut grass was wet with rain, temperatures hovered around 50 and the unmistakable sound of a quarterback's cadence filled the arena.

Yes, football season is here again.

About 35 players laced up for the first week of two-a-day practices this season as they prepared for their opening game against Havre slated for Aug. 28.

The team broke up into groups to work on the basics of the game after a rousing pep talk from athletic director Jackie Fuller.

Following 30 minutes of drills, the groups came together to run through a few passing routes, which they executed with impressive fluidity, given it was the first practice of the year.

Under the guidance of first-year head coach Chad Ross, the team's upperclassmen looked confident and ready to get into the grind of another season.

"The kids have a lot of energy," Ross said. "I don't know if it's the newness of the season or what, but the kids are really excited. Every day we're getting better."

The team is young this season after losing more than a dozen starters, including last year's powerful backfield of Tanner Benedict, Daniel Simmons and Derek Crittenden.

Only four seniors are on the roster, but those upperclassmen are "high quality" players, Ross said.

Returning for his third year as quarterback, senior Mac Roche will lead the team offensively. Roche looked confident in practice and made a number of solid strikes downfield to his new receiving corps.

Without his brother, Willie Roche, on the receiving end, Mac will look to connect with wide outs Connor Ellis, Christopher Forrest, Logan Harwood and six-foot four-inch basketball standout Gage Vasquez.

"We're excited about having Vasquez," Ross said. "I think football will make him a better and tougher basketball player, too."

The backfield will likely feature senior Jeremy Nielsen, who brought to the first practice with a high level of intensity underclassmen will feed from.

Ross said he's confident and excited about the team's offensive abilities.

"We are going to spread the ball around," he said. "Passing will be the strength of this team. Mac is going to throw the ball a lot."

The coach is a little worried about the defensive side of the ball with the small roster. As has been the case over the past few years, players often have to play on both sides of the ball, which can wear a team down by the fourth quarter.

"That much time of the field makes a difference," Ross said. "Especially on defense when you're reacting to everything."

The front line looks strong this year, especially big men Maxl Smith and Wolf Zinke.

"Those guys have gone far and above in the weight room," Ross said. We have the most linemen we've ever had. We have great depth there and I'd rather be tough up front and weaker on the edges."

A handful of players are stepping up as leaders, Ross said, including Nate Wiedenmeyer Smith, Nielsen and Roche.

"They are very vocal," Ross said. "They are positive leaders, too, reinforcing the positive things the team is doing, not the negatives."

During the two-a-day stretch, Whitefish is working hard on the fundamentals of the game — appropriate stances, footwork, hand drills.

"We want to make sure we do all those little things right," Ross said. "I want to be a fundamentally strong team. If we win the one-on-one battles, we'll win the bigger battles.

The coaching staff is strong this season, Ross noted, with former players helping out a vibrant blend of assistants who bring their personal styles to the field.

"We lost a lot of starters this year, but that's exciting in a way because we don't have to break a lot of those bad habits either," Ross said.

The coach isn't ready to peg any one player on this team as the star, saying that this group is practicing as an overall team now.

"We'll see who shines when we start playing games."