FOOTBALL
Head coach: Dan McGinn
2008 record: 9-3, 3A state quarterfinals
Conference: 3A Tri-Valley Conference
Strength: Team defense
Weakness: Overall playing experience

Team notes: The Spartans return just one offensive starter from last season’s 3A state quarterfinals team, but do bring back eight starters on defense. … Sophomore Zach Rubesam steps in as Berthoud’s starting quarterback, replacing Jordan Major, who graduated. Rubesam saw limited varsity playing time a year ago as a freshman. … Berthoud went to summer camp in Wyoming this past July, reaching the finals of its division before dropping a close encounter with Western Slope power Palisade. … Seniors Greg Glasser and Kent Flynn will carry the load in the backfield, replacing Bryce Munoz. Glasser was part of Berthoud’s 4×100 state-winning relay team, alongside Munoz, Tye Duncan and Greg Mulder. … Linebacker Joel Maly is questionable for the opener after suffering a right foot injury during summer basketball season. He was in a walking boot as recently as two weeks ago. He’s expected to be ready for the Fort Lupton game on Sept. 11. … Despite all the losses, Berthoud, which has made the playoff every year but one since 2003, is optimistic that it’ll surprise some people in the tough Tri-Valley Conference, which qualified five teams –– BHS, Mountain View, Fort Morgan, Windsor and Roosevelt –– for the playoffs a year ago.

Coach’s quote: “We’re real excited. We’ve had almost two full weeks of practice. Our mantra is, like everybody else, it’s a cliché, but we want to get better. The kids have really taken that to heart. They’ve worked extremely hard. They want to succeed. We’re excited about where we’re headed.”
 
ROSTER
No. Name Position Grade
3 Brad Novell Safety Sophomore
4 Alex Sadlo Defensive line Junior
6 Casey Couch Linebacker Junior
7 Zach Rubesam Quarterback Sophomore
8 Bryce Baker Linebacker Senior
10 Graham Shaw DL/WR Senior
11 Cooper Wynn Defensive back Junior
12 Logan Schuster Quarterback Senior
16 Paden Meinhold QB/DB Sophomore
19 Brandon Bratcher Wide receiver Senior
20 Chase Frazier RB/LB Sophomore
21 Gino Dawdy RB/DL Junior
22 Colton Moore LB/DB Junior
27 Marcus Matheison Defensive back Senior
28 Steven Fisk RB/LB Junior
31 Corey Wilcox Defensive back Senior
34 Greg Glasser Running back Senior
35 Jesse Lyman Linebacker Junior
40 Levi Selmer Wide receiver Sophomore
43 Tommy Doles OL/DL Sophomore
44 Chad Johnson Defensive line Junior
45 Marcus Lucero Defensive back Senior
47 Kent Flynn RB/DB Senior
48 Chet Zanefski Linebacker Senior
50 Gabe Munoz Offensive line Sophomore
51 Tema Deeming Defensive line Sophomore
53 Brok Diffendaffer Offensive line Sophomore
54 Joel Maly Linebacker Senior
56 Billy Schump Offensive line Senior
57 Zach Smith Defensive line Junior
58 Taylor Williams Defensive line Senior
59 Noah Dalton OL/DL Junior
60 Brad Dye Offensive line Junior
64 Austin Brown Offensive line Sophomore
69 Steven Martinez Offensive line Junior
70 Justin Zandt Offensive line Sophomore
72 Sheldon Sladek Offensive line Sophomore
73 Brendon Stewart Offensive line Sophomore
74 Jared Schneider Offensive line Senior
75 JT Pickert Offensive line Junior
76 Ben Alexander Offensive line Senior
80 Cory Ellis WR/LB Sophomore
81 Greg Hutchins WR/DB Sophomore
83 Mic Neinaber WR/DB Sophomore
84 Willie Lancaster Wide receiver Senior
86 Pat Conrey Wide receiver Senior
Others on team: Seth Mendoza, Bailey Sanders
 
SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT TIME
Sept. 4 at Moffat County 7 p.m.
Sept. 11 Fort Lupton 7 p.m.*
Sept. 18 at Windsor 7 p.m.*
Sept. 25 Northridge 7 p.m.
Oct. 2 at Roosevelt 7 p.m.
Oct. 9 Fort Morgan 7 p.m.*
Oct. 16 Mountain View 7 p.m.*
Oct. 23 at Sterling 7 p.m.*
Oct. 30 at Silver Creek 7 p.m.*
Nov. 6 Frederick 7 p.m.*
 
GAME PREVIEW
Who: Berthoud (9-3) at Moffat County (4-6)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Where: Moffat County High School, Craig
Directions: From Berthoud, take US 34 West in Loveland toward Kremmling. Turn onto US-40 West to Craig. Turn left in Craig onto Finley Lane. The high school, located at 900 Finley Lane, will be on the left.
Tickets: $5

Last meeting: Aug. 29, 2008, Berthoud 40, Moffat County 7. The Spartans scored the game’s first 40 points –– 21 in the first quarter –– to an easy season-opening victory. Quarterback Jordan Major accounted for all six of Berthoud’s touchdowns — rushing for three and throwing for three. … Moffat County’s only touchdown came on a 19-yard interception return by Halen Raymond off a Zach Rubesam pass in the fourth quarter.
Game notes: This is the season opener for both schools. … Moffat County returns 19 starters from last year’s team, including 10 starters on offense. … The Bulldogs haven’t made it to the 3A playoffs since 2006, when they lost in the opening round to Summit. … Players to watch for from Moffat County include QB Matt Linsacum and running backs Pablo Salcido and Jason Kettle. … “They are really well-coached. Dan McGinn does a really great job down there year in and year out,” Moffat County head coach Kip Hafey said. “We hope we can hang with them.” Last year, Moffat County gave up three touchdowns in four offensive plays. “Our kids have a big challenge in front of them for sure.”