GREAT FALLS — Friday is the first official day of high school football practice across Montana, leaving teams up to two weeks to prepare for the first games of the season.
After a 4-6 campaign last fall which included a playoff berth, Great Falls CMR is rolling in to the season with 20 seniors on the roster.
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"This year is kind of special because I'm playing with some of the guys that I've played with for a long time now," senior Caleb Taylor said during Friday's morning practice at the high school. "It's kind of like I know where people are going to be at, I know what's happening and everyone has a lot of trust in me since I'm a senior."
"Ever since freshman year, I think starting out that 9-0 year, I think that really brought us together closer as brothers," senior Riley Melone said. "I think that will play a huge role in to this season. Team chemistry is an all-time high right now."
Rustlers coach AJ Wilson said 20 seniors is the most the CMR program has had in a few years.
"Expecting big leadership," Wilson said. "Having a good group of seniors that bought in and has been together for four years ... super excited for this group."
While 4-6 last season may not indicate that a team made progress, CMR believes it did. And the squad feels that only more strides will be achieved.
"Just keep doing what we're doing, you know, keep preaching what we're preaching to these guys," Wilson said. "Make the adjustments when we need to, and just keep fighting. Fight for everything. Having the grit that is needed to be a great football player."
The Rustlers face a big test in Week 1 versus defending state champion Helena Capital, which will show them where they're at after the first two weeks of practice.
"Capital, great program coming in to our house Week 1," Wilson said. "So we're super excited for that, defending state champs."
"I'd just like to see us clean up a few things offensively and defensively," Melone said. "Obviously got the defending state champs Week 1, so got to really lock it in."
"The best thing we can do at this point is kind of stay focused and do what we're told to do," Taylor said. "Put trust in our coaches and trust in ourselves, and be really motivated to go into that first game and try to take them down."
CMR hosts Capital on Friday, Aug. 29 at Great Falls Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
