Effort key as GHS football season nears end

Focusing on every single rep will help the future.

That’s how Deegan Bennett has persevered through what has thus far been a winless season for the GHS football team. The Cowboys sit 0-7 overall and 0-2 in the 2A Intermountain League and lost 49-14 at Pagosa Springs on Oct. 17.

However, GHS feels like there are two winnable games left on its schedule. The other winless league teams await when the Cowboys host Bayfield at 1 p.m. on Oct. 24 and head to Salida to close their season on Halloween night — but it will all come down to effort.

“We want to play every rep to the max and finish the season that way,” Bennett said. “It can be difficult. Staying in the game is hard. But, if we stay with it, great things will happen. Even if it’s not this year. Next year we have a good freshman and sophomore class coming up, too.”

GHS coach Chase Starman sees an opportunity to jump start the Cowboys’ offseason program.

“The next two weeks will be interesting,” Starman said. “The next two teams, they’ve lost to everyone we’ve played. It’s looking like a race to see who won’t have the worst record.

But honestly, all I care about is that we finish strong and don’t quit. That’s life. You can’t quit on your family when times are hard.”

Bennett has used this as motivation throughout the season. The junior defensive back and wide receiver has 11 receptions for 111 yards. He’s also rushed for 35 yards on 11 carries. He’s made 17 tackles on defense and said there’s a reason to play hard in the last two games.

Because there are only a few juniors and seniors on the roster, the game reps matter. Even as the results haven’t gone the Cowboys’ way, he sees the light at the end of the tunnel.

“This week we really need to be ourselves,” Bennett said. “If we play fluidly and our brand of football, we will beat Bayfield. We are a better team. It’s all mental right now. We have to get our heads on right and play football. We are playing scared and timid. We have to get out there and wreak havoc. We need to break through and haven’t quite done that. But I think this week we will.”