Hillsboro- Team to beat??

[thurdypointer]

Just wonderindg what everyone's thoughts are on Hillsboro. I know they'll be a force just wanna see what everyone else thinks. Also how's their summer training going if anyone knows? What kind of things should we expect from this team?

[GRIDIRON GURU]

Hillsboro is the clear favorite in my opinion, Very well coached by a great staff, they run the veer which is very difficult to defend. I picked Mott/Regent to win it last year, this year Hillsboro is my pick.

Last year I saw probably the best talent pool in 9-man the state may have ever seen. There were a bunch of great teams with tremendous talent. It was a lot of fun to follow, hopefully this fall will be as entertaining.

[Ocho Siete]

This is Hillsboro's year to win it for sure, with the talent they have on the Senior level, it would be hard to replace all of that in '09. I thought they had a really good chance to go to the Dakota Bowl last year, but they still haven't been able to overcome Napoleon.

That will be their biggest threat. Not because Napoleon is the best team in the state, but I'm beginning to think it's more of a mental hump that the Burros need to get over...I still don't believe that last year's Imperials were THAT much better than the Burros, to give them that bad of a thrashing, so I'm hoping they can overcome that mental block and take it to the title game.

[justbrowsing]

Tough to jump on the Hillsboro bandwagon this early. In their region Richland and Wyndmere will be tough teams and Northern Cass only graduated a couple kids. If Hankinson and Hope can make a couple replacements they will also have good teams. That's a tough region to guarantee anything. Even after that, besides Napoleon, Oakes and EK will be very good in the south next year. Up north, Dakota Prairie will be good again, CV will be much improved and North Border and Lakota should have enough left to complete pretty well. That's a pretty good list of teams to get through before even attempting to beat someone from the west.

[thurdypointer]

Tough to jump on the Hillsboro bandwagon this early. In their region Richland and Wyndmere will be tough teams and Northern Cass only graduated a couple kids. In Hankinson and Hope can make a couple replacements they will also have good teams. That's a tough region to guarantee anything. Even after that, besides Napoleon, Oakes and EK will be very good in the south next year. Up north, Dakota Prairie will be good again, CV will be much improved and North Border and Lakota should have enough left to complete pretty well. That's a pretty good list of teams to get through because even attempting to beat someone from the west.

Thats very true. We're looking at a heck of a year for 9 man football!

[Johnny]

Agreed about Wyndmere and Hankinson. North Border and Richland could be a factor too. What we saw of Hillsboro last year was great and if they stay healthy and get a passing game, they are the team to beat in eastern North Dakota. They went undefeated in the regular season but injury and lack of a passing game shut them down in the playoffs. The 2 Grothmans and a great senior line combined with an experienced and athletic quarterback set them up for another great year. But .. we all know things all have to fall into place to win the big one.

[Grandma's Boy]

Who is hillsboro returning this year? Positions? Stats? I'm not to familiar with most the eastern teams.

[Hinsa]

Andrew Grothmann, FB/LB, Sr - two-time all-state linebacker, 1264 yds rushing, 9 per carry, 23 TDs
Zach Grothmann, RB/DB, Jr - 547 yards in only 3 starts, leading tackler
Aaron Meyer, QB/S, Sr - 906 yards rushing (they run the veer), 5.4 per carry, 26-54 passing, 348 yards, 4 TDs
Bill Breen, C/NG, Sr - All-state center, anchored line that put up 3991 yards rushing
Jake McLean, G/LB, Sr - all-region
Jamie Horne, TE/DE, Sr - all-region
Garret Burg, TE/LB, Jr - started at guard, will move to TE this year
Josh Mayo, QB/RB/CB - started second half of season at safety, ran for 3 TDs when Meyer was injured

Other spots:
Tanner Boeddeker, RB/LB, Jr - plenty of PT last year
Brandon Abel, G/DE, Sr - filled in on line last year, lots of PT
Derek Moen, G/DE, Sr - moving up from JV
Alex McLean, RB/LB, So - moving up from JV, great hitter
Gary Suchor, RB/LB, So - moving up from JV, another great hitter

[Ocho Siete]

Hinsa, who's the frontrunner for the 2nd Guard spot opposite McLean? If you know of course.

[thurdypointer]

Wow quite a senior class! I'm from out in western ND and heard some stuff about this team and I see why. They should be a fun team to keep an eye on.

[Pfenix]

This team has the players and the numbers to go far. I just hope they make it over that hump called Napoleon. I think this is their year. I predict Hillsboro and Divide County Playing for the state title. But as of right now I don't know who would win.

[Hinsa]

Hinsa, who's the frontrunner for the 2nd Guard spot opposite McLean? If you know of course.

Abel and Moen will both have a shot. Abel has the experience from last year so that gives him a leg up on the spot.

[Flip]

If I were to watch Hillsboro in the regular season which games would I want to see?
Thanks

[GRIDIRON GURU]

If I were to watch Hillsboro in the regular season which games would I want to see?
Thanks

Aug. 29th Central Valley at Hillsboro a lot of these guys play baseball together in the summer, I think it will be a great game to be at with a lot of fans.


Sept. 19th at Hillsboro against Wyndmere Lidgerwood. key region matchup.

[Johnny]

Totally agreed! Wyndmere brings back experience and a good running game. Wyndmere Lidgerwood football is in for a revival and teams in the eastern side of the state should look out.

[Flip]

Aug. 29th Central Valley at Hillsboro a lot of these guys play baseball together in the summer, I think it will be a great game...

This was a mean, mean joke. Game isn't even over. I left at half. 45-0. Anytime Hillsboro needed a first down they ran option and CV couldn't stop it.

[Johnny]

The box score looks crazy. I thought Hillsboro was going to pound out yards but this is 2 games in a row with long runs for the Grothmanns and Meyer. Let's see if they can pass it as the year goes on.

[stoaxc2004]

September 5th Richland @ Hillsboro will be a good early season game for both teams!

[Ocho Siete]

The box score looks crazy. I thought Hillsboro was going to pound out yards but this is 2 games in a row with long runs for the Grothmanns and Meyer. Let's see if they can pass it as the year goes on.

Against Thompson I hear their was a 70+ touchdown pass to Zach Grothmann...8 total passes in that game (while the first team stayed in anyways...), so the playbook is starting to really open up for hillsboro...

I haven't been able to make it to a game yet, but I'm planning on making it for the Richland game, which I hear is going to be a good game...I'll be able to give a little better insight on the team after that.