BHS football season starts Coach Emslie has big goals for the Vikes
The Bigfork High School Viking football team kicks off the season on Aug. 31 with their first game of the season on their home field against Ronan. Only two weeks into practice, the Vikes are already changing things up for the season.
“I think it will be a very good test,” Head Coach Todd Emslie said. “Ronan trumped us last year in the season opener down there.”
Defensively and offensively, the Vikes will be playing a little differently this season. Partially due to graduating 14 seniors last year and partially thanks to having a solid group of linebackers. Emslie plans to cut down their previous 5-front base to only four.
This year’s team captains are seniors Blake Weimer, Colter Trent, Austin Jordt, Josh Sather, and Chris Landon.
Weimer will play center on offense and linebacker on defense. Weimer is the Vikes only returning starter on the offensive line and one of the few returning starters for defense as well.
Trent, standing at 6’6” tall is this year’s quarterback.
Jordt is a four-year starter on defense. Emslie describes him as a playmaker on offense that is versatile anywhere on the field.
Sather is left-tackle on offense, and Emslie says he has shown a lot of growth and worked hard during the offseason.
Landon is starting safety and wide receiver. Emslie said that, defensively, Landon came a long way last year and was one of the better safeties in the state by the end of the season.
“The seniors we have is a great group coming in and we’ve got some kids than run and catch and throw the football very well,” Emslie said.
Emslie also said the team has two overall goals for the season; first, to win the conference, and secondly to just “have fun and play football.”
“I really think that myself and my coaching staff make a difference in these guys’ lives, not just on the football field, but off,” Emslie said as he described what it’s like to coach for the Vikes. “We are like second dads, and in some cases, only dads. It’s just good solid rocks for these guys in their high school careers and later on. That’s the part lots of people don’t know or see, and it’s no big deal, but it’s a huge part of coaching.”
The BHS football team will play against Ronan at the BHS football field on Friday at 7 p.m.