Salmon River to visit Tigercats at LaCrosse

Salmon River, the team from the high country of Idaho, will visit LaCrosse Friday for a non-league round to start the new season. The Idaho team arrives this year after the third-place finish in Idahos IA division finals. Five players graduated off that team.

The Tigercats will host to action after graduating just three seniors off last year’s squad. Gone are Chris Wargo, Jeff Zimmer and Jacob Blankenshiip.

Coach Jeff Nelson, starting his 18th season as head coach, reports they have 21 players out for the team this year. That’s a small drop in turnout, but the group returns many veterans who picked up experience in last year’s run when LaCrosse was pegged as a young team.

Coach Nelson said he expects this year’s more mature team to get back to the basics during the upcoming year. They plan to run the ball more and return to the basics.

“We have the size on the front line to do that this year, and the players who can mover the ball,” Nelson noted.

LW booked a 2-4 in the league run last year at a 3-7 overall.

Nelson notes they have three seniors back with Jake Aune at quarterback, Caleb Hannas on the line and Taylor Mortan as tight end and a defensive lineman.

Aune is stronger this year and has recovered from shoulder problems which forced him out of the lineup last year. He looks forward to a steady run at the QB slot and that could key more success for the team this year.

Junior veterans make up the core of this year’s club.

Sawyer Hostetler will be back at running back and linebacker. Austin Summers returns as a lineback and tight end.

Sam Harder, a tight end on the other side who plays corner on defense, is also back as a junior. Harder relieved Aune at QB last year and brings that experience back to the club this year. Matt Stubbs is also back as a running back and corner on defense.

John Holdren will also be back as a running back and defensive back. Holdren played as a sophomore for the Tigercat last year.

Among five sophomores in the class, James Hopkins returns to the line slot where he started as a freshman.

Coach Nelson said Reece Roberts returns as a sophomore and figures to play on both lines. Roberts qualifies as the most improved player for the pre-season workouts.

That power line, staffed with players who took some lumps last year, figures to be the key factor for the fall campaign.

The Tigercats also have three freshman and three eighth graders on the team at the start of the season.