Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Davenport senior student-athletes are preparing to begin competition this week. Front from left: Volleyball seniors Kenzie Gerlitz, Lola Phillips and Haley Greenwood. Back from left: Soccer seniors Milei Floyd, Ellie Telford and Darby Soliday, cross country seniors Brayden Duff and Tommy Plumb and football seniors Skyler Henry, Dylan Peterson and Ethan Douse.
Reardan senior quarterback Mahkai Anderson throws down field during practice Feb. 10.
DAVENPORT – After a long, long, long wait, seniors playing fall sports are finally prepping for a season after a year-plus long hiatus. Fall sports haven't been a go in Lincoln County since November 2019, leaving 15 months since locals and students have last enjoyed the "Friday Night Lights."
Athletes' emotions when reflecting on the new season range from excited, to relieved, to nervous, but all are hopeful and looking forward to getting back onto the field and court.
Practices began Feb. 10. Competitions begin this week for Davenport and Reardan volleyball and cross country, while the football and soccer teams get under way at the beginning of next week.
The Times caught up with several seniors from Davenport and Reardan to get their thoughts on finally returning to action.
On reaction when they heard games were a go
Dustin Puls, Reardan football: I thought once we had our camp the season was going to be it. I thought we weren't even going to have a season. When I heard we got a season, I came back from work and I honestly just screamed and got so excited, because football's the only thing that makes me want to come to school and actually want to learn something.
Ethan Douse, Davenport football: I was very, very happy. I was very worried that I wasn't going to get a senior season. Finding out that news that we were actually going to start football, I was just happy.
Aiden Kieffer, Reardan football: Especially for us seniors, it just hit different at first because we (originally) didn't have the opportunity that we did the previous three years. It's nice to come to school for something we've been looking forward to since we were freshmen.
Brayden Duff, Davenport cross country: It's really nice to get that little bit of normalcy, because it's been such a crazy year. We did have that little glimpse of sports earlier in the year, but now we're actually going and competing and it's really exciting.
Mahkai Anderson, Reardan football: A lot of us got that same reaction, of wow, we actually get a season. I was super hyped. Getting that chance to play is awesome... I was hopeful. That was all I had to really hold onto, so staying hopeful and keep on working, that will keep me motivated to not just sit around. I tried my best to believe that we were going to have a season.
On what they expect from this season
Allie Pratt, Reardan volleyball: Although the season is shortened, and we don't have as much time to improve our skills I plan on making the most of this opportunity. This is the last chance I get to play for Reardan, and I am determined to play better than I ever have before. So I guess you can say I plan on getting fun memories, and friendships to look back on out of this season.
Darby Soliday, Davenport soccer: Just one game. I just want to do just one senior game... I (also) want seniors to be more involved with our younger players.
Kobe Martinez, Reardan football: I believe that we have leaders. We care about everybody on the team. We don't want to be saying, "oh we're the best, you guys need to listen to us, you guys are on the bottom of the totem pole." We want to help everybody on the team by making good choices, showing them how we want them to be leaders as they grow up and go up on the totem pole going into their further years of football.
Haley Greenwood, Davenport volleyball: I really want the senior night, and I want time to play with my teammates before I have to go off... I want them to be ready for a new season and I want them to build some team bonding and be able to work together as a team, because it's been really hard this year.
Tristian Klinkenberg, Reardan football: This year the focus is for the seniors to help the younger people of our team come up and show them who we want them to be. There's a decrease of school spirit among smaller schools in recent years, I've noticed. I think our mission this year is to try and bring team spirit back into the high schools, where it's been lost for so many generations now. We're just trying to build up that team spirit and try to become more unified as a team and a community.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
Reader Comments(0)