LOOK FOR THE BEARS to have a much-improved varsity football team this season. Losing only one player of graduation and having a year of experience under head coach Don Story, the Bears should be right near the top of the San Juan Basin League standings by the end of October. Dolores will have a stronger running game this season, led by four-year starting quarterback Cullen Zion.

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

Coulda, shoulda, and woulda. That pretty much sums up Dolores’ football season a year ago.

They came so close in so many games but never enough to win. They only won one game (Shiprock) a year ago. But many of those losses were by less than 10 points, several by three or less.

Dolores High School second-season coach Don Story, though, is still optimistic just as he was when he took over the program last year. He should have reason for his optimism as he has several veterans in key positions returning (actually the whole team back except for Justin Schmitt who graduated last May) on paper this may be a team to be watched and one that could make a big turnaround.

The potential — at least on paper — is certainly there for the Bears to have an outstanding season but right up there near the top of the Class A San Juan Basin League standings at the end of the season.

"We have some talented players returning," Story said. "(Derek) Thompson (6-foot-3, 245) who is an offensive lineman and linebacker is our best player back. We think Garrett Nielson (6-1, 160) is the fastest kid in our league. Our tight ends of (Brady) Blackmer (6-2, 175) and (Aeson) Reed (6-1, 175) could be the best in the league. Waylon Bennett (senior, 6-0, 150) is going to be one of the better receivers in the league. (Cullen) Zion is a four-year starter at quarterback. (Kevin) Fane is a good wide receiver and defensive back. (Casey) Garvin is one of the quicker runningbacks and he has great hands. Tyler Hicks (6-0, 220) is a good size lineman with experience. Those are our seniors and we’ve got nine of them."

The Bears tried using the West Coast passing offense early in the season but resorted to more running towards the end of the year in 2000. They will utilize more of a wide-open running attack with formations off a wing. However, a good running attack sets up the pass. Zion is a good option quarterback and Garvin and Nielson are solid runners. Luke Ragland, a sophomore, will be an outstanding runningback, Story said. More depth is added with junior Justin Reed.

"We think with a totally intact line, we can run the ball more. Right now our line is like light years above where we were a year ago. Last year, we were searching for linemen. We developed some and now we’ve got a good line. A transfer — sophomore Dakota Cervenka (5-11, 180) from Waco, Texas — is a good addition and fits right in. Sean Boone (5-11, 180), a former runningback, has been moved to the line," he noted.

With Thompson, who was All-Conference as a linebacker, the Dolores’ defense should be in good shape. The linebacking crew, according to Story, is the strength of the team. Garvin, Boone, Bryan Lemmons, and Jonathan Sanford are the other ones. Just experience alone will make the Bears solid.

All-Conference Reed and Blackmer are the bookend defensive ends. With another year of experience, they should be much better. Other defensive linemen include Cervenka, Hicks, Chris Patterson, and Joel Snyder.

Fane, junior Duston Russell are the safeties with Nielson, and Bennett at the corners. They will be the main crew of the secondary.

On the special teams, Garvin is the kicker. Reed is back as punter. Bennett will return punts and possibly some kickoff returns.

"I hope the kids can put this thing together. They way it looks right now, we should be much better than last year. I think that at least now we can compete and hopefully be right there at the top when it’s over," he added.

Schedule makers were much kinder to the Bears this year. They open the season by hosting 3A Pagosa Springs Aug. 31. They host Montezuma-Cortez High School JVs Sept. 7 and visit Shiprock Sept. 14. Another non-conference game will be against San Juan High JVs Sept. 22 at home.

The San Juan Basin League season also begins at home against Norwood Sept. 28. The Bears take a trip to take on Class A State Champion Nucla, which lost 12 seniors to graduation last May, on Oct. 5. That could be THE game for the Bears. It could be the make or break game. Dolores County, probably the favorites to win the league title, is at home on Oct. 12. A non-conference game against AAA Ignacio is on the schedule for Oct. 19 at Ignacio. The final game of the season will be a trip to league-mate Mancos Oct. 26.

"I believe the league is a lot more balanced. Kenny’s (Soper of Dolores County) is still the team to beat. Nucla lost a lot but still will have some good players coming back. Norwood lost most of its skill players. Mancos will have a big, solid line and it has lots of kids who can play. But no team is head-and-shoulders above the rest like (defending A State champ) Nucla was a year ago," he remarked.

Post-season playoffs begin the following the week.