Vikings out to win by committee

By Ryan McCracken on August 19, 2017.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken

The Crescent Heights Vikings are entering the Rangeland Football Conference season with a new mindset.

After settling for a semifinal loss to the Strathmore Spartans last season, Vikings fullback and middle linebacker Creed Willette says the team’s leadership core will be taking a different approach to the year.

“A lot of the Grade 12s have kind of grouped together this season to be basically one big leader,” said Vikings fullback and middle linebacker Creed Willette, one of nine returning Grade 12 players. “We’re more focused on leadership this season. More than anything we just want to win.”

While the Vikings will be without reigning RFC MVP receiver Adrian Glauser and his twin quarterback Alex Glauser, as well as a number of other big names from last year’s squad, head coach Dustin Ressler he’s confident his players will see the vacancies as opportunities.

“It’s kind of interesting, high school football, you always have some guys from Grade 11 to 12 who kind of come out of the woodwork and fill those roles and become great leaders,” said Ressler. “We’re going to kind of fill it by committee.”

Ressler added he’s expecting stiff competition from teams across the league this season, but his squad looks forward to the journey.

“We’ll see how it all shakes out. It’s always competitive and there’s always a lot of good teams. Who knows who comes out in the end, but we’re really looking forward to play every single team in our league. I think it’s going to be a really strong league this year and I think there will be a lot of close games.”

The Vikings travel to Airdrie for an exhibition game next Friday before opening the season with a chance at exacting some revenge in Strathmore. As for the cross-town rivalry between the Vikings, McCoy Colts and Hat High Mohawks, Crescent Heights will have to wait a while.

“We don’t have McCoy until Sept. 22 or Hat High until Oct. 6, so we have a lot of work to do before we get to them and a lot of improving that we have to get done,” said Ressler. “It’s always fun to play against McCoy and Hat High. Our crowds are great, it’s always a close game and it’s always fun.”

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