Gladstone Braves Confident Entering '16 Campaign

GLADSTONE---As the pre-season practices continue, the Gladstone High School football team is looking forward to the new season with a sense of optimism in what will be their final season in the Great Northern Conference.

The Braves are moving to the Mid Peninsula Conference next season, so they want to leave a mark on the GNC in this final year. It will be tough, considering the Braves did not win a game in the conference last year, and finished 2-7 overall.

But the junior varsity team went 7-2 last year and battled Escanaba to a near-draw, so the Braves are confident heading into this campaign.

"Last year, we didn't do so well, going 2-7," Gladstone senior lineman Austin Bergquist said. "But this year, we've got a nice squad, about 30 kids. We've had great results over the summer for summer lifting. I think 50 kids was the top turnout for showing up."

"I think that with us being such a core group of seniors, with a good group of juniors coming up, we'll be a pretty decent squad competing in the Graet Northern Conference for our final year."

Running back Casey Wolf agrees.

"We're really excited," Wolf said. "We think we're going to have a good season. We've got a lot of good young guys, some good seniors. We think our run game will be pretty solid."

There were some changes with the coaching staff, but Jeff Hanson is back for another year.

"Up front, we're pretty senior-heavy, which is good to have on the line," the second-year head coach said. "I've had a full off-season with this group now, and the participation in our off-season weight training program in preparation for this season was very, very good."

Gladstone opens the season next Friday, August 26, at home against Gwinn. Catch all of the Braves games this fall live on WGKL-FM (105.5) and WCHT-AM (600).

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above for photos and videos from the practice.