Bulldogs will accept the underdog role when the season kicks off against Milan Friday night at the GHS field.
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A lot of people are counting Gallatin out of the Grand River Conference football race, so for the first time since 1996 the Bulldogs will accept the underdog role when the season kicks off against Milan Friday night at the GHS field. However, the 2000 version of the Gallatin Bulldogs will concede nothing in the upcoming battle for the conference football title. In fact, Gallatin could be one of the surprise teams of the league as Coach Kevin Hixson, entering his 9th season at GHS, molds a handful of returning starters and experienced reserves into a cohesive unit.
The Bulldogs, who haven’t lost a season opener since 1992, open up against Milan, a team coming off a 10-2 season with a new coach. Russ Foster, who replaces long-time Wildcat coach Duane Schnelle, has 42 players, including 11 seniors and 21 returning lettermen, from which to fine tune a team that lost only 6 seniors to graduation. However, the Wildcats must literally replace the core of their offense. Gone are quarterback Matt Smith, all-state tailback Blake Spencer and all-state center Adam Truitt. The Wildcats, who advanced to the 1A quarterfinal round last season before falling to Santa Fe, are expected to battle for second place in the Tri-Rivers Conference behind favored Brookfield. Milan is again favored to win its district.
“We are expecting a hard-hitting game,” GHS head coach Kevin Hixson said of Friday night’s opener. “They have a lot of experience coming back. That’s the one thing I would give them over us right now.”
With Milan this week and North Platte coming up a week from Friday, Coach Hixson and the Bulldogs feel they have toughened up their schedule for 2000. Gallatin has 6 home games this season and 4 road trips.
“Milan was a playoff team a year ago,” Coach Hixson begins, “and we scouted North Platte last Friday and they are huge,” he added. “The conference, overall, is a little more equal than last season and I believe it could come down to the last week of the season again,” he said. “South Harrison and Hamilton both have a shot at it, and Rock Port will be in the hunt. Maysville might have a surprise for somebody,” he added.
The Bulldogs enter the 2000 season with a few question marks. Can the running game continue to pound opponents despite the loss of 2 starters from a year ago? Will the defense step up and play physical football week in and week out? Will last year’s reserves be able to fill the gaps in the starting lineup?
“Things are starting to gel for us,” Coach Hixson said following what he called the team’s best offensive practice of the pre-season that took place Monday night. “We just need to get out there and butt heads with someone. Mentally, they need to get an opponent lined up across from them.”
Gallatin fielded a strong running team a year ago and it’s no secret that the Bulldogs will try to re-establish a ball control offensive style that wears down opponents and puts points on the scoreboard. Senior Nathan Henderson, in his second season as a starter, brings running back skills to the position of quarterback. Senior all-conference Ben Hubbard was Gallatin’s #2 rusher a year ago and steps into the role as team leader and co-captain along with Henderson. Junior Adam Whitney is a tough, quick runner who brings a linebacker mentality to the offense, his coaches say. Junior Robert Heldenbrand, twice an all-GRC honoree on the line, suits up as one of Gallatin’s biggest fullbacks in recent years.
Senior all-conference Randy Eaton and junior Justin Kerns return to the Bulldog offensive line at guard and tackle, respectively, but Eaton will miss 3 games due to ineligibility. He is expected to be ready by the important Rock Port game on Sept. 22. Junior Austin Story, a valued reserve last season, will start at the guard position.
Gallatin fans will see some new faces in Friday night’s starting lineup as some of last year’s seasoned reserves step up to fill 6 roster spots opened by graduation. Junior Jake Humphrey will remain the backup quarterback for the Bulldogs but because of his athletic ability he will start at an end position. Jeremy Borges has earned the nod at the other offensive end slot. Heldenbrand’s move to the backfield opens up a line position at guard, which will be filled by sophomore Greg Hickey. Junior Zach Strange was a strategic reserve last season and he will start at tackle. Senior Luke Leeper inherits the center position held down for the last 3 seasons by Jack Taylor.
GHS Coach Hixson and assistants Doug Nichols and Michael Hubbard are hoping the Bulldog defense will learn from last season’s disappointing losses and return to a hard-hitting, aggressive style of play.
“Last year we weren’t as physical as we could have been,” said Coach Hixson. “This year, win or lose, people are going to know they’ve been in a fight.”
Defensively, the Dogs will line up with Humphrey and Borges on the ends, Strange and Kerns at the tackles and juniors Brant Conover and Brian Youtsey at the inside guard positions. Heldenbrand and Hickey will start at inside linebacker, with Whitney and Hubbard at the corners and Henderson at safety.
Coach Hixson advises that positions and personnel could change as the season progresses. Junior Scott Wilkinson has disrupted the offense from the scout team defense in early practices and could take a defensive end position away from someone, Hixson said. Junior Blake Parker is another player stepping up in the battle for playing time. Freshmen Tyler Nichols, Jeremiah Gibson and Colby Swanstone could get some playing time, as well. Sophomore Anthony Eaton, who transferred from Hamilton, could establish his eligibility by mid-term, Coach Hixson said.
The Grand River Conference is expected to be one of the strongest Class 1A leagues this fall. South Harrison, Rock Port and Hamilton are all expected to challenge for the league crown. Gallatin will again compete in Class 1A, District 15 along with South Harrison, Hamilton and Princeton.