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2011 Football preview: Garden Plain Owls

Published August 15 at 12 a.m. | Last updated August 23 at 3:03 p.m.

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Gallery: 2011 high school football preview

The Wichita Eagle and VarsityKansas gear up for the 2011 high school football season by presenting in-depth previews for 30 area teams. Look for new schools daily through Aug. 20.

Coach

Todd Puetz

11th season

105-18

"We have some good core kids back and I think we'll be a quicker team, but not necessarily bigger. These guys put in a lot of summertime work and they worked really hard in that time to get better."

At a glance

Last season: 8-3, lost in second round of Class 3A playoffs

Last five seasons: 49-9

Projected 2011 playoff team? Yes

BEST SKILL PLAYERS

Player, Ht., Wt., Pos, Yr

Joey Capul, 6-1, 210, RB-LB, Sr.

Lucas Jennings, 6-1, 200, RB-DB, Sr.

Nathan Dooley, 6-0, 170, RB-DB, Sr.

Cale Walsh, 5-11, 190, RB-LB, Sr.

BEST LINEMEN

Player, Ht., Wt., Pos, Yr

Jacob Balestracci, 5-11, 220, OL-DL, Sr. ,

Ethan Hays, 6-2, 195, OL-DL, Sr.

Tyler Puetz, , 220, OL-DL, Jr.

JOEY CAPUL on his team

What Garden Plain does well: "It's our running ability. It's the way the coaches and the offense works. I think we'll run the ball more than pass it, so everybody has to work as a team, not bring each other down. Overcome our troubles and get through the game."

What has to improve: "We've only got four returning starters, so we just need to see how practices go and find things to improve on week-by-week. A big thing will be the offensive line _ we've got two starters back so those younger guys will have to be sharp on their assignments, on what hole they have to protect."

2011 Schedule

Date, Opponent, Time, 2010

Sept. 2, at Bluestem, 7 p.m., W,62-0

Sept. 9, Cheney, 7 p.m., W,41-10

Sept. 16, Douglass, 7 p.m., W,62-0

Sept. 23, at Conway Springs, 7 p.m., L,29-14

Sept. 30, at W. Independent, 7 p.m., W,70-13

Oct. 7, Belle Plaine, 7 p.m., W,55-0

Oct. 14, at Hutch Trinity, 7 p.m., W,14-7

Oct. 21, Sedgwick, 7 p.m., W,44-35

Oct. 27, Halstead, 7 p.m., L,19-14

OUR BREAKDOWN

The goal at Garden Plain has stayed the same ever since Puetz has been there _ win state titles. That doesn't change this year. Conway Springs, which beat the Owls twice last year, will be a roadblock again and the Central Plains League will be better as a whole.

Capul could be posed for a bigger year on offense after rushing for 769 yards last season, but is as important on defense, where he had 67 tackles last season. Jennings also returns after picking up honorable mention All-State kudos last season. Balestracci should anchor the lines.

2011 Football preview: Garden Plain Owls

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Coach

At a glance

BEST SKILL PLAYERS

BEST LINEMEN

JOEY CAPUL on his team

2011 Schedule

OUR BREAKDOWN

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