Bulldogs kick off at Ritzville Jamboree

Colfax will be one of five teams on the grid Friday when they roll to Ritzville to take part in a jamboree format before the start of the regular season. Host Lind/Ritzville/Sprague and Springdale will be other Bi-County teams in the jamboree.

Newport from the NE-A and Kittitas will be the other participants.

Each team will be allowed 40 plays. Colfax Coach Mike Morgan notes the lineups can change so teams could wind up playing a 10-play offensive set against one foe and then a 10-play defensive set against a different opponent.

The jayvee teams will also get a turn on the grid at Ritzville with a limit of seven plays to a series.

Coach Morgan said the Bulldogs are marking progress as the start of the season approaches. Younger players are beginning to catch on the system, and that helps the practice session in many ways.

Morgan noted they have been moving a lot of players around to different positions to determine what the best combinations might be.

One work zone for the Colfax practice sessions will be rebuilding the defensive backs lineup in the wake of graduation. The whole lineup of DBs departed with diplomas last spring, and a new crew has to be developed.

Colfax has its defensive line back with veteran Cole Neu, Arron Arneson and Judd Thompson on the inside. Josh Brown and Andrew Becker are expected to be on the ends.

Experience also returns to the linebacker position with John Mellor, Levi Hardy and Cole Klaveano back.

After the 40-play sample at Ritzville Friday the Bulldogs will return home and host Asotin in the official league opener Sept. 7.

Other NE action Friday will see Lake Roosevelt at Davenport and Liberty at Tri-Cities Prep. Reardan gets the top billing when they face Tekoa/Oakesdale/Rosalia at Roos Field as the 2B segment of the WIAA Kickoff Classic at EWU’s Roos field.