Colton Wildcats return 10 starters

Last year ended with the scoreboard full on a November night in Grandview; a 60-58 loss in the state 1B quarterfinals to Sunnyside Christian.

Double zeroes have now returned for fall 2017 for Colton football, which returns 10 starters from last year’s 8-4 (3-2 in league) team that took fifth in state.

Who they will not have are three major performers for the past three seasons: Brady Chadwick, Grant Kinzer and Peter Schultheis. All were three-year starters, with Chadwick finishing at quarterback, Kinzer haunting defenses at receiver and Schultheis anchoring both sides of the line.

Looking to replace Chadwick behind center are two juniors; Parker Druffel and Reece Chadwick, who both played receiver last year. They will throw to a 2017 receiving corps which is all back from last year, including Cameron Bean, a senior who caught 49 passes in 2016 for 624 yards. He joins Reece Chadwick, Druffel and junior Luke Vining. Senior Matt Wolf will drop into the fourth receiver position.

Other returning starters for the Wildcats include offensive and defensive linemen Jon Bean, sophomore; Brady Stout, junior; Tom Wolf, senior; Jackson Meyer, sophomore, and senior Cody Jackson.

The Wildcats open the season Friday, Sept. 1, at Salmon River, Idaho, at 7 p.m.