After nearly nine months of speculation and talk of high expectations, Gallatin will finally unveil its 2006 varsity football squad when the Bulldogs travel to Polo for four-team jamboree action on Friday.
This website brought to you in part by the following sponsor:
The Bulldogs, coming off a 7-5 season and 2005 playoff appearance, open the regular season at home Sept. 1 against the Tarkio Indians.
Friday night’s practice pairings should prove to be interesting for the Bulldogs. Roughly half the squad wasn’t born when Gallatin last played King City in 11-man football. This year’s Bulldog seniors were still two years short of junior high when a GHS varsity squad last faced Polo in regular-season grid action.
And then there is Albany… the team that won three games last season, including a mid-season upset of the Bulldogs.
Polo, which recently fled the Central River Conference in favor of the Grand River Conference, will be out to impress visitors after finishing league co-champion a year ago. The Panthers return most of the key players from last season’s 5-4 squad, including state track sprinters Andy Ahart and Chris Hufford.
King City returns to 11-man football and the GRC for the first time since 1991. One of six original members of the "Grand River Six" Conference, formed in 1930, King City last gained football notoriety as the state runnerup (and 10-1 record) in 8-man in 2002. The Wildkats were GRC football champs in 1977, 1974, 1960, 1953, 1945 and 1937.
Like Dave Fairchild at Hamilton, Jim Boothe has returned to coach the Albany Warriors, taking over from Jay Eilers. Boothe guided Albany to back-to-back conference titles in 1992 and 1993, and a co-title in 1996. Under Boothe, the Warriors upset a very good Hamilton team in the 1991 state playoffs.
Last spring’s graduation hit Albany hard at the skill positions, particularly through the loss of quarterback Brad Cottrill, halfback Travis Girratono, fullback Myles Manion, center Cody Nichols and tackle Logan Gillespie
Gallatin heads to Polo considerably healthier than this time a year ago, when a number of players were battling injuries, minor and major.
Friday’s jamboree, held at Bob Shearer Stadium at Polo High School, begins at 7 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for students. Spectators are welcome to bring lawn chairs, but must remain behind the safety ropes. Concessions will be available.
There will be two scrimmages going on at the same time, on opposite ends of the field. The first set of scrimmages features Polo against King City and Gallatin against Albany. The second set pits Gallatin against Polo and King City vs. Albany. Wrapping up the night are Gallatin vs. King City and Polo vs. Albany.
Each team will run 12 offensive plays against the opposing team’s defense. The starting spot for each team will be the 35-yard line. All turnovers will be brought back to the 35-yard line to begin play.