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Experienced Tigers ready for football season


The 2017 Mobridge-Pollock Tigers feature 11 seniors on their 42-man squad. Tigers starting their last season are: (back from left) Stone Jensen, Jason Gerry, Nathan Bauer and Carson Keller; (middle from left) Austin Overbey, Dakota Weleba and Dakota Nickels; (front from left) Parker Blom, Dylan Cerney, Michael Davis and Matthew Janousek.

With a bevy of returning talent, the Tiger football team is getting ready for what they hope is a highly successful season.

“We have a lot of key guys back,” said coach Dan Merkel. “We have returning starters all over the field and some are three-year starters. We have a lot of talent and we’re two-deep at almost every position. It’s been a while since we’ve been able to say that.”

Merkel said the team is ready to get on the playing field in Redfield on Friday.

“We’ve had some really good practices the last couple of days,” said Merkel. “The offense has looked sharp; the defense, we’ll see, it’s always tough to tell in practice.”

Last year, the Tigers ran for 1,670 yards and threw for 914. Just 65 rushing yards, 114 receiving yards and 43 passing yards are not returning this fall.

Merkel said the running back position is especially deep where the Tigers have four players who could start for almost any team in the state. Seniors Dylan Cerney, Nathan Bauer and Parker Blom are joined by junior Isaac Olson in a backfield that will give the team a lot of options. Cerney and Bauer will start with Olson and Blom at the ready. Cerney and Blom will also see time as receivers in the spread offense.

“It allows us to do a lot of things,” said Merkel.

The backs have plenty size. The three seniors play more than 170 pounds and Olson at 160. Cerney led the Tigers with 860 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Bauer ran for 423 and scored four times. Blom had 197 yards and a score, while Olson carried the rock for 113 yards.

The receiving corps is just as deep with Blom, Cerney and fellow senior Michael Davis, along with senior Matthew Janousek, junior Braxton Albers, sophomore Reece Cerney and junior foreign exchange student Tom Zott. Davis led the team with 233 yards and three touchdowns last season. Dylan Cerney had 151 yards and two touchdowns, Reece Cerney 166 yards and a touchdown and Blom 110 yards and a touchdown. Davis, Albers and Reece Cerney will line up as the starters.

Spreading the ball around will be sophomore quarterback Caden Halsey. After Dylan Cerney threw for 307 yards in the first three games, he went to fulltime running back and Halsey stepped under center, throwing for 493 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Tigers will be big and strong up front. Returning to the offensive line are seniors Carson Keller (250 lbs.) and Jason Gerry (200). They will be joined by senior Stone Jensen (200), junior Parker Mentz (205) and junior foreign exchange student Jonas Bratholmen (280). Junior Jimmy Richards is ready to step in at nearly any position up front.

“We may take a few lumps early, but we’re going to be alright up front,” said Merkel.

Merkel said the team is going to be able to score on the ground or through the air, but running the ball is going to be the team’s bread and butter.

When the opposition takes the ball, the Tigers are switching from the tradition 4-4 to a 5-3 defense.

“We’re going to attack on defense,” said Merkel.

Big guys Keller, Mentz and Bratholmen will clog the middle, while Bauer and Dylan Cerney move to the defensive end spots. Manning the linebacker spots will be Olson, Jensen and Gerry. Davis and Reece Cerney will be the cornerbacks and Albers the safety. Merkel said that Blom will be in the mix, playing a variety of positions. Richards and Jonathan Keller will be added depth up front.

The special teams will feature Zott kicking and Halsey punting with Carson Keller at long snapper.

The entire 2017 roster is:  seniors- Matthew Janousek, Dylan Cerney, Michael Davis, Parker Blom, Nathan Bauer, Dakota Weleba, Dakota Nickels, Stone Jensen, Jason Gerry, Carson Keller and Austin Overbey; juniors- Braxton Albers, Isaac Olson, Noah Feyereisen, Jimmy Richards, Parker Mentz, Tom Zott and Jonas Bratholmen; sophomores- Caden Halsey, Jacob Steiger, Keene Schlomer, Tucker Holzer, Kregen Norder, Joey Gaspar, Josh Norder, Memphis Yellow, Kyler Pearman, Zach Hannon, Michael Paquet-Tolley, Ethan Black Fox, Jonathan Keller and Reece Cerney; and freshmen- Braden Goehring, Gavin Reinert, Cayden Eisemann, Devin Black Fox, Zane Reinert, Trace Cerney, Michael Borah, Hudson Filler, Chase Myers and Bryston Goehring.

The Tigers open the season on Friday in Redfield against Redfield-Doland. They open the home half of the season on Aug. 25 when Sioux Fall Christian comes to Tiger Stadium. The rest of the schedule is: Sept. 1, bye; Sept. 8 Aberdeen Roncalli; Sept. 15, at Stanley County; Sept. 22, at Groton Area; Sept. 29, Cheyenne-Eagle Butte (homecoming); Oct. 6, at Sisseton; Oct. 13, McLaughlin.

– Jay Davis –

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