The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The Official Newspaper for Foster County
Cards aim to improve on 6-4 campaign in 2023 -
McKade Zink (with ball) absorbs contact from Maddox McIlonie during form tackling drills in the Monday, August 19 practice session. Zink should be one of the top offensive and defensive playmakers for the Cards this season, and has also proven himself a weapon in the kickoff return game.
Head Coach Kyle Smith discusses pointers with his team before the start of practice last Monday, Aug. 19.
A play here and a play there in three games separated the Carrington football team from the "good enough" tier to positioning themselves into Class A's upper echelon.
Even with those setbacks, the Cardinals still managed to accomplish their goal of a home playoff game with a 6-3 regular season record, the second Region 2 seed and the chance to knock off visiting Oakes in round one last October.
That didn't quite come to pass, as they fell in 27-21 fashion to the Tornadoes and finished with six wins and four losses in 2023.
While the Cards lost three All-Region performers on the interior line (Brock Jungels, Jake Otto and Carson Ova) and one All-Stater (Jungels), along with All-State running back Logan Weninger and All-Region receivers Grady Shipman and Jaxon Schaefer, the team returns many of their performers who staked themselves to that postseason berth last fall.
"It was a fun season last year," said Head Coach Kyle Smith. "We won some close games, and came from behind several times. These boys were a resilient bunch, and I'm hoping this group of kids keeps that trait."
Senior quarterback Josh Bickett (6'2", 165) returns under center, having thrown for 1,141 yards last season with 13 touchdowns, and also using his legs for 305 yards on the ground and four more scores.
"Josh has a good head on his shoulders, and he's a calming presence on the field," said Smith.
In the backfield, senior Corbin Clifton (5'10", 170) takes over the number one running back spot from Weninger. Clifton rushed for five touchdowns and 538 yards last year.
McKade Zink (5'9", 165), a junior, had eight total touchdowns last season with 300 yards through the air and 200 on the ground, and is also a potent returner as well.
"He's really a threat rushing or catching the ball," said Smith of Zink, "and Corbin is a very effective target out of the backfield as well."
Carrington's big player in the receiving game is senior tight end Ryder Bickett (6'2", 190), and Smith hopes to get a full season out of him this fall.
"He had a great year going [last year] until he had a season-ending injury," said Smith. "Ryder will be a difference maker for us."
On defense, CHS returns second-team All-Stater Clifton (100 tackles) at the linebacker spot, and junior Cody Otto (6'2", 200) also finished with 30 stops in the middle of the defense.
Zink was the team's ball hawk with four interceptions in the secondary, including a return for touchdown, and 85 tackles. Junior Tate Wolsky (6'0", 175) had 34 tackles, and Smith lauded the cover ability of Josh Bickett at the cornerback spot.
On the offensive line, tackles are sophomore Andrew Matt (6'7", 265) and senior Dylan Bachmeier (6'0", 255), guards Otto and sophomore Alec Threadgold (6'3", 200) and junior center Ethan Roller (5'10", 195). In the mix for snaps will be junior lineman Jacob Hinrichs (6'0", 200) and senior linebacker Grady Idland (5'10", 195).
Ryder Bickett returns as the punter, while junior Peyton Harrington will assume placekicking duties from Shipman.
The rest of the roster consists of senior Kanin Zieman, juniors Chase Ova, Maddox McIlonie, Jacob Boeshans and Connor Gast, sophomores Jacob Bredahl, Ewan Aberle, Gabe Clifton, Charles Jorgensen and Kirby Freeman, and freshmen Brayden Odstrcil, Parker Bickett, Justin Hone, Jaxton Peltier, Jameson Kutz, Emery Patzer, Charles Eversvik, Brandt Klein and Hayden Hagel.
Smith tabs Langdon Area/Munich as the clear Region 2 favorite, but he says the rest of the region is fairly wide open.
"After them, I think it will be a dogfight for the other three spots," he said. "If we stay healthy, we certainly have a shot, along with HWC, Grafton, Bottineau, Park River Area and Rugby."
While the turnover from year to year is always a talking point, Smith said that Park River and Rugby were the two squads that brought the most kids back into 2024. The one big unknown in Region 2, according to Smith, is Turtle Mountain. The Braves dropped down from Class AA into A this season.
Other regional moves were Cavalier dropping back down to Class B Nine-Man after one season, and Thompson moving to Region 1.
"I expect us to be competitive in every game on our schedule," said Smith. "Again, we'll have to be able to win some close games in the region to get a playoff spot."
The Cards began their 2024 campaign at Cardinal Stadium last Friday night, August 23, against the Southern McLean Roughriders.
The 'Riders, a co-op of Washburn and Wilton-Wing, finished at 3-6 last season as part of Region 4.
This Friday, August 30, Carrington hits the road for the first time this season to take on the Beulah Miners in the final game before regional play starts. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
