PAGE 2: FALL SPORTS 2017 PRESS & DAKOTAN ? PLAIN TALK On The Cover JAMES D. CIMBUREK/P&D With this year’s Fall Sports Preview, we chose to represent the fall season by bringing together a member of each Yankton High School varsity team: (left) boys’ soccer (Trevor Rafferty), boys’ golf (Michael Frick), volleyball (Cameryn Specht), girls’ soccer (Holly Hicks), girls’ cross country (Madison McClure), competitive cheer (Abby Kuipers), boys’ cross country (Brady Jaquith), girls’ tennis (Anne Knoff), competitive dance (Savannah Frick) and football (Lance Haak). The order on the cover is the same as on Page 2. Bucks Look To Bounce Back YHS Coming Off First Losing Season In 13 Years BY JEREMY HOECK jeremy.hoeck@yankton.net There’s already a different feel to the Yankton High School football team this fall. That’s what players and coaches would tell you, at least. After a 3-7 season a year ago (the program’s first losing season in 13 years), the Bucks maintain that the chemistry of the roster is stronger and that certain areas that struggled last year already look stronger. What exactly feels different? “Just the morale we have this year,” senior lineman Cole Diedrichsen said. “We didn’t have quite the season we wanted last year, but we really want to get stuff done this year and have fun doing it.” Among the reasons the 2016 campaign didn’t pan out like the Bucks had hoped had just as much to do with what happened before the season as it did during the season, players said. “There were things that weren’t done in the offseason last year,” senior lineman Lance Haak said, “and that’s part of the reason we weren’t as successful as we wanted to be.” With that in mind, the 25 seniors on this year’s roster have taken charge. “The best thing so far this year is that we have some very good senior leadership,” said head coach Arlin Likness, who begins his 19th season at the helm. “How good we are, we’ll find out when we play our first game,” he added. “But I think we’ve got some positive things going on.” An area of focus after last season, Likness pointed out, was the need for the offense to become consistent on the ground and through the air — and therefore not be one-dimensional. Last year, for example, the Bucks averaged 76.7 rushing yards and 161 passing yards per game. That allowed YHS FB | PAGE 3 YANKTON FOOTBALL 8/25......at Brookings......................7 p.m. 9/1........at Pierre ............................7 p.m. 9/8........Mitchell .............................7 p.m. 9/15......at Roosevelt......................6 p.m. 9/22......Huron (Homecoming) ......7 p.m. 9/29......at Lincoln ..........................5 p.m. WILSON Kynan C.Trail, MD, FACS Surgical & Non-Surgical Treatment of: Open & Laparoscopic Surgery Hernia Gallbladder Disease Appendectomy Moles & Skin Lesions Sclerosis of Spider Veins Digestive Disorders Thyroid/Parathyroid Cancer Colon & Rectal Disease Venefit Vein Procedure Colonoscopy & Upper Endoscopy And many more..... Daily Specials TRAILER COMPANY Hwy. 81 N. Yankton, SD Welcome to delicious.® Tim Letcher, General Manager TRUE BLUE SINCE 2003 10/6......Sturgis ..............................7 p.m. 10/13....at Brandon Valley .............7 p.m. 10/19....Harrisburg .........................7 p.m. 10/26....11AA Quarter?nals...............TBD 11/3 ......11AA Semi?nals...................TBD 11/10 ....11AA Final (Vermillion) ....7 p.m. Ya n k t o n ’ s Rex Ryken, right, goes up to pick off a pass during a game ag a i n s t Mitchell in the 2016 season. Yankton went 3-7 in 2016. 900 Ferdig St. Yankton, SD 665-6500 605-668-9670 2525 Fox Run Parkway, Suite 204, Yankton • www.yanktonsurgical.com 2502 Rox Run Parkway Yankton, SD Open Daily 11am - 10pm (605) 260-1701 www.eltapatio-sd.com *Independently Owned* Facilities and Outreach Clinics: Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, SD; Avera Surgical Hospital, Yankton, SD; Niobrara Valley Hospital, Lynch, NE; Avera St. Benedict Hospital, Parkston, SD; Douglas County Memorial Hospital, Armour, SD 3208 Broadway Ave. 605-689-3200 Physical Therapy Don’t let an injury keep you sidelined. Good Luck To All Of The Area Athletes! Morgen Square 605.260.5003