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Eligibility issues sting Hornets once again |
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Wednesday, 03 September 2008 |
Major rebuilding job along the
western shores of Lake Roosevelt
BY CHRIS COWBROUGH
S-E Sports Editor
Football just doesn’t seem to hold the attraction it once did at Inchelium High.
The once proud program on the Colville Indian Reservation with the championship pedigree has fallen on hard times in re¬cent seasons. Last season’s once win campaign exemplifies just where the program has landed.
But head coach Brian Myers is a glass is half full kind of guy. The door hasn’t been completely shut—it’s still ajar as far has he’s concerned.
“It’s got to get better,” Myers said between workouts recently. “We’ve still got some eligibility issues, but I think we’ll be bet¬ter.”
In last fall’s 1-8 campaign, the Hornets were only able to beat Wellpinit’s junior varsity.
There are no early cupcakes for IHS early either. Inchelium travels to Northeast pre-season favorite Almira/Coulee-Hartline for their season opener on Fri¬day. Game time is 7 p.m.
Eligibility issues
Myers said that four of his team’s 15-man roster will be in¬eligible for the first two games.
“We’ll probably play the first two games with eight kids,” he acknowledged. “You can start a game with eight…they don’t tell you how many how have to fin¬ish with.”
Key players on a team with only two seniors are quarter¬back Tony Joe Louie, a 6-1, 145-pounder. He’s a returning starter.
Two key components are four-year starter Austin Seymour, a 5-10, 165-pound guard and fellow senior, 5-11, 198-pound fullback/middle linebacker Tyrone Swan.
Other key players are Mike Smith, a 191-pound junior tight end/defensive end, and Chad Rosenbaum, a 6-1 ½, 203-pound sophomore center.
PROJECTIONS
Small numbers, compounded by ineligible players, continues to be a major problem at Inche¬lium. It’s tough to play eight-man football with eight players.
“We should be a lot better off after the second game when we get everybody back,” Myers said.
Myers says he likes the tal¬ent pool at Cusick. There is a new coach in the program and some solid talent. ACH and Odessa always field good num¬bers and will be in the mix. Don’t count out well-coached Columbia either.
After opening at ACH and Odessa, Inchelium will return home for their first game on Fri¬day, Sept. 19 against Wilbur-Creston. Game time is 3:15 p.m.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 10 September 2008 )
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