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Football preview 2017
Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017 • The Hays Daily News
Oberlin-Decatur Community Red Devils Eight-Man Division I, District 8 Coach: Joe Dreher (6th year, 22-25) Last season’s record/ playoff finish: 2-6 Returning starters: 5 offense, 4 defense Top returning players: Kel Grafel, 5-9, 145, sr., RB/DB; Kole Breth, 5-10, 140, sr., TE/ DB; Zeke Jimenez, 5-1, 240, sr., OL/DL; Reegon Witt, 6-0, 210, jr., OL/DL; Braden Beagley, 5-8, 180, sr., TE/LB. Team notes: The Red Devils made the switch to eight-man in 2014, went 8-2, and made it into the Eight-Man Division I playoffs. The last three years, however, the Red Devils have struggled in the win-loss column, including last year’s 2-6 record against a difficult slate. The schedule doesn’t get any easier this year either, and the Red Devils will be looking for someone new to step up and lead the charge after the graduation
of Tabor Erickson, who passed for 376 yards and rushed for 490 yards, accounting for 11 of the Red Devils’ scores. Kel Grafel returns for his senior season at running back after he had 52 carries for 225 yards, the third-leading rusher a year ago. He also scored five touchdowns. He also saw limited time as a passer, completing 2 of 6 attempts for 25 yards with one interception. He also led the Red Devil defense with 72 tackles a season ago. In finishing 2-6 last season, the Red Devils got wins against Quinter and WaKeeney-Trego, but suffered district losses to Hoxie, St. Francis, Hill City and Rawlins County, giving up a combined 226 points in those four contests. The Red Devils will start the year with three straight road games, and will have just three games at home with an open date in Week 8.
FRONT ROW (from left): Zeke Jimenez, Braden Beagley, Kole Breth, Kel Grafel and AJ Zillinger. MIDDLE ROW: Kalen Townsend, Isaiah Mason, Reegon Witt, Dawson Kempt, Drew Juenemann, Colton Ketterl, Rowdy Farr , Dave Waterman, Sam Jimenez and John Burmaster. BACK ROW: Gavon Uehlin, Hunter May, Alex Eskew, James Garner, Trae Woolsey, Landen Macfee, Taite Woolsey and Gage VanMeter. 2017 schedule (*district game) Sept. 1............................at Cambridge (Neb.) Sept. 8............................................at Dighton Sept. 15.............................at Rawlins County
Sept. 22................................... vs. St. Francis* Sept. 29....................................... vs. Quinter* Oct. 6...............................................at Trego*
Oct. 14....................................... vs. Hill City* Oct. 20.................................................OPEN Oct. 26............................................ at Hoxie*