Looking to the future

It has been a tough three weeks for the Saratoga Panthers football team.

Friday's game under the lights was no exception.

The Shoshoni Wranglers handed Saratoga a 0-57 loss, but the Panthers showed some football acuity during the game.

Even though the Panthers were losing, the Wranglers showed their frustration, earning several unsportsman-like penalties throughout the game.

The Panthers had a hard time containing the Wranglers running game, but they kept the passing game in check.

Panthers Head Coach Scott Bokelman said, "From a coaching standpoint, this was our best game." Bokelman was talking about the Panthers ability to earn first downs and make plays on the defensive side of the ball.

Thatcher Spiering had an interception which he returned for major yardage and the Panthers stumped the Wranglers on several third down conversion attempts.

The downfall of the Panthers could be attributed to high snaps on punt attempts and fumbles.

Bokelman noted that he will be working on the center and snaps during practice this week.

The Panthers were not without their own foibles in regards to penalties Friday. Bokelman said that penalties ended some of the Panthers offensive drives.

While Bokelman has said that the first four game this season are going to be hard for his team, he is looking forward to this week's game against Riverside. The Panthers are going to work toward putting a full four quarters together against the Rebels.

The Panthers may look, again, to getting the ball to Preston Dew. Dew took on running and reception duties in the second half of the game against the Wranglers.

According to Bokelman, the use of Dew was calculated because Ben Fairbanks and Dew are both edge blockers that can handle the ball. Fairbanks has been the go-to receiver in previous games due to his height. "Ben runs pretty good routes," Bokelman said.

If the Panthers can continue to mix up their offense and effectively shift their defense, the game against Riverside should be a match.

The Panthers face off against the Riverside Rebels in Basin, Wyo. at 6 p.m. on Friday.