TOWNSEND — It's been a little over a week since the Townsend Bulldogs football team started its summer workouts, and Bulldogs head coach Travis Rauh, who has been at the helm for a little less than two decades, said the story of this season is going to be written by his players.
“They'll have a choice to write their story. If they come in, do the work, they'll have a chance to play for some championships possibly," said Rauh. "If we don't, obviously we'll fall short of those goals. So, they're in a great situation right now where they can write their story and it can be whatever they want it to be this fall.”
Townsend faced a second-round exit in last year’s Class B state playoffs, losing to Florence 28-7. As the Bulldogs prepare for their upcoming season, senior wide receiver Gavin Vandenacre said right now is the time where the Bulldogs really need to put in the extra effort to ensure it pays off this fall.
“Summer workouts is our grind season. We really try to hit the weight room as much as we can. We have one practice every week, and we got to make the most of those practices," said Vandenacre. "Lifting is a big part. We try to get everybody involved in it, and us guys are very -- we push each other all the time to get to lifting and to get their lifts done and get stronger and get faster and all those things.”
With more and more COVID-19 restrictions being lifted by the CDC, the Bulldogs are operating as close to normal as they can. Compared to last season, senior quarterback Trey Hoveland said it’s going to go a long way toward building team chemistry.
“That actually gets us closer as a bond. It gets our team chemistry together because we don't have to be spaced out. We're all together and we can actually build a better relationship,” said Hoveland.
Hoveland also believes it will be that team chemistry that helps the Bulldogs to a late postseason push.
“If we work hard and get good chemistry, I can see us going as far as we want," he said. "But if not, it can be an early first-round exit, if we get there.”
