Culbertson Looks Ahead To Better Football Season

After a season where the Culbertson Cowboys faced too many injury challenges, they are looking for more wins this football campaign.

“We’re totally taking it one day at a time,” Culbertson Coach Brian Manning said after practice on Saturday. “Hopefully, we will have a lot better results than last season.”

He noted that the Cowboys were down to only 11 players because of injuries for some of last year’s contests.

Culbertson brings back a lot of starting experience. Those returning starters include senior James Kirkaldie at wide receiver/safety, junior Payton Perkins at quarterback/ linebacker, junior lineman Aiden Perkins, junior Justice Bengochea at fullback/linebacker, lineman Zach O’Neill and junior Kobe Nickoloff at running back/ linebacker.

Aiden Perkins was selected to the All-Conference second team as a defensive lineman last year.

In addition, senior Kyler Kempton returns at running back/linebacker after missing last season.

Manning feels line play should be a strength for the Cowboys.

“We’re a big team,” Manning said. “We’re deep at the skilled positions.”

Another benefit should be that this marks Payton Perkins’ second year as Culbertson’s starting quarterback.

The Cowboys have about 22 athletes in the high school program this year. Manning feels a few freshmen will help at the varsity level.

A weakness is the team’s lack of experience as far as playing together.

Manning expects Scobey and Ekalaka to be among the top teams in the sub-conference which also features Plentywood, St. Labre and Ekalaka.

“As long as everybody stays healthy, we should be pretty good,” Manning said.

The Cowboys will open their season on Friday, Aug. 27, in Fairview. The Cowboys have their home opener against Poplar on Friday, Sept. 3. The homecoming game is Sept. 17 against Scobey.