Senior leadership, experience lead Bushland into 2022 football season
BUSHLAND — The Bushland Falcons were getting after it with high energy and an impressive display of both size and skills during the first week of practice to open the 2022 season.
Third-year head coach Josh Reynolds was running his morning practice under the hot Texas Panhandle sun with intensity and that showed as his team gave maximum effort throughout each rep.
Through the first few days of on-field work, Reynolds is excited about what's seen and is confident in the players he has set to compete for his varsity squad on Friday nights this fall. With 23 returning seniors, the Falcons have plenty of on-field experience to build off of as they head into the new year.
"It's good to be back out here," Reynolds said. "We have quite a few kids with a lot of snaps under their belt. We hope that pays off and we want those guys to also help teach the younger guys who will be in their first year on varsity."
The Falcons offense has been one of the most high-powered and electric in the area and is coming off a season in which they averaged 33.9 points per game. This year, they will be without star playmaker Kash Bradley and will be turning the page at quarterback following the graduation of Brian Marrell.
Marrell passed for more than 2,000 yards while Bradley racked up 13 touchdowns during the 2021 regular season.
Reynolds expects junior Dawson Jaco to step up at the quarterback spot, while senior Baylor King (34 catches, 570 yards, 5 TD during regular season) will be expected to carry a heavier offensive load from his wide receiver position alongside fellow seniors Tate Butcher and Cole Purcell.
"It's always difficult to replace a player like Kash because he was so explosive and so fast," Reynolds said. "I don't think we have one specific player that's going to step up and do exactly what he did. I think we have a lot players this year that are very good weapons themselves. Baylor King is one of those guys. He was our second-leading receiver last year and might have been overlooked some."
The Falcons will also have 6-foot-1 option Brecken Reed lining up at tight end for yet another experienced option in their spread offense. They should also have a pair of upcoming contributors in junior wideouts Kade Gavina and Austin Rider to fill out the list of Bushland's passing game threats.
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"I feel like we're pretty deep in our skill positions," Reynolds said.
Up front, the Falcons return junior Charley Pitt and senior Turner Johnson on the offensive line. They will be partly responsible for opening up holes for running back Ivan Soto along with three new starters set to step in this season. Two of those expected starters are the junior pairing of Cannon Melban and Ty Morris.
The Bushland defense returns three-year starter Matt Bridges to anchor the Falcon defense from his spot at middle linebacker. Bridges recorded more than 100 tackles last season and was a constant pest for opposing offenses with his ability to burst through the line and take down the ball-carrier for a loss. He will line up with Reed at the second level of the defense to form an intimidating duo that will be tasked with slowing down the strong list of offenses on their schedule this season.
Butcher, a senior, will line up behind Bridges to lead the secondary after nabbing three interceptions during the regular season last year. King and Purcell are expected to contribute in the defensive backfield as well alongside Rider and Westin Forbes.
Reynolds has been mightily impressed with the growth of Pitt, who will need to step up big for a Bushland defensive line in need of bodies that can clog holes and create pressure.
"There's not anybody out there who's going to play harder than Charley," Reynolds said. "He's a high-motor kid who plays hard."
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Pitt will line up with junior Easton Fuentes, an "explosive and strong" player who will aim to wreak havoc in the opponents' backfield.
Overall, Reynolds has seven returning starters on the defensive side of the ball for a program that limited their four district opponents to 15.5 points per game last fall.
"We have some spots to fill on that side of the ball, but we have a lot of athletes ready to step up into those roles and I think we're going to have a really fast defense," he said.
Bushland will play a challenging non-district schedule that includes contests against Class 3A Division II powerhouses Canadian and Childress. The Falcons also have matchups against Class 4A Division I programs Dumas and El Paso Riverside as well as Class 4A Division II programs Borger and West Plains.
Reynolds notes that scheduling tough early in the year helps his team grow throughout the schedule with each Friday night being its own sole challenge.
"We feel like we can win every game and we feel like if we don't show up we could lose every game," Reynolds said. "We want to continue to play our brand of football. We feel like that's playing fast and physical on both sides of the ball and we want to have fun. Every Friday night we want to go out there and play better than the week before."
BUSHLAND FALCONS
Head coach: Josh Reynolds
2021 record: 8-4, 4-0 in district
Base offense: Spread
Base defense: Multiple
Last playoff appearance: 2021
Returning Lettermen: 26
Top returners: LB Matt Bridges, WR/DB Baylor King, OL/DL Charley Pitt, OL Turner Johnson, TE/LB Brecken Reed, QB Dawson Jaco, WR/DB Tate Butcher, RB/DL Easton Fuentes, DB/K Westin Forbes, WR/DB Cole Purcell, RB Ivan Soto
SCHEDULE
Aug. 26: at West Plains, 7 p.m.
Sep. 2: vs. Canadian, 7 p.m.
Sep. 9: vs. Childress, 7 p.m.
Sep. 16: at Borger, 7 p.m.
Sep. 23: at Dumas, 7 p.m.
Sep. 30: vs. El Paso Riverside, 7 p.m.
Oct. 7: vs. Muleshoe, 7 p.m.*
Oct. 14: at River Road, 7 p.m.*
Oct. 21: vs. Shallowater, 7 p.m.*
Oct. 28: at Dalhart, 7 p.m.*
Nov. 4: OPEN
* - Denotes district game