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The CSC Eagle Newspaper – Chadron, NE
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The CSC Eagle Newspaper – Chadron, NE
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Eagles to open season tonight in North Dakota

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Alex Rodriguez, junior fullback of Carolina, Puerto Rico, yells at senior teammates to stay on the field after Saturday’s scrimmage on Elliot Field. — Photo by Kinley Q. Nichols
Alex Rodriguez, junior fullback of Carolina, Puerto Rico, yells at senior teammates to stay on the field after Saturday’s scrimmage on Elliot Field. — Photo by Kinley Q. Nichols

For the fifth time in six years, the Chadron State College football team will open its season by playing the University of Mary Marauders. Kickoff will be at 6 p.m. Thursday in Bismarck.

The Eagles are hoping the outcome will be the same as it has been in the previous four games when they have always won. However, head coach Bill O’Boyle admits that he’s nervous about the game.

“Mary is always physical and well-coached,” he said. “They have a lot of returning players. And, it’s a night game. That’s something we’re not used to.”

O’Boyle noted that the absence of senior Jake Blackburn, the projected starter at right tackle, has shifted a big load onto the shoulders of Jake McCrary, sophomore of Valentine. Blackburn suffered an injury in the vehicle rollover accident in Colorado on July 31 and is still a few weeks away from playing.

O’Boyle described McCrary, who was a defensive end last fall, as inexperienced, but said the 6’4”, 250 pound player “will give it everything he’s got.”

The offensive front returns three starters in seniors Tim Hiett at left guard and Sean McGowan at center and junior Garrett Gilkey at left tackle. Each of them earned all-star honors last fall, when CSC went 8-3.

The Eagles have lots of experience and depth at the receiver spots, where all but one player who caught a pass last year returns. They include 2010 starters Jeff Alcorn and Jeremy Sondrup, both seniors, on the inside, and Travis Reeves and Nate Ross, both sophomores, on the outside. The quartet combined for 114 catches for 1,476 yards and 13 touchdowns last fall.

The coach added that he expects the CSC defense to play well. In particular, he commended linebacker James Belville for “great leadership and toughness.” Belville led the Eagles in tackles last fall with 80 and in quarterback sacks with seven.

The Eagles also return Kevin Lindholm, who was an all-conference linebacker as a sophomore last fall.

The defensive line is expected to be strong. That’s where end Justin Trout and Keifer Burke and tackles Maverick Churchill and Jan Karlos Medina, all regulars a year ago, are stationed.

None of the players who will fill the cornerback and safety positions was a full-time starter last season, but nearly all of them saw considerable action in the Eagles’ various formations. Defensive coordinator Todd Auer has frequently said he believes the Eagles have the depth and the talent to have a solid secondary.

Both of the Eagles’ kickers are new this fall.