The Clarksville football team is one of several 8-player teams statewide that’ll begin their season a week early when they travel to Belle Plaine for a Week 0 game Friday. The game will air on 99 The Wave.
The Indians are coming off a resurgent 11-1 season where they reached the 8-player quarterfinals. After leading the 8-player class in total offense last year, Head Coach Darren Bohlen says some new personnel in the skill positions will likely create a different offensive identity.
“Our offense is going to be a little bit different than last year,” Bohlen says. “We’re not going to have as much speed. And our guys have to be patient because it’s not going to be a two or three play series anymore. It’s going to be having to march down the field and take maybe nine, 10 plays to score. So and our guys are capable of doing that. We got a great offensive line coming back. And we had some backs that can run hard. And they’re not slow by any means, but they just don’t have the speed like we did last year.”
Belle Plaine is coming off a 4-5 season which featured a first round playoff exit. However, they’ll feature nearly the same team as last year due to losing very few seniors. Bohlen says containing running back Ty Alcott will be a key, with a defense bolstered by last year’s third-leading tackler in 8-player, Kaiven Kielman.
“If we can contain the Alcott kid, I think we’re going to be pretty successful. Kaiven’s capable of doing that, but it’s not just going to be Kaiven that’s going to win this game. On defense, we have to have all eight guys flying through the football and play some team football on that defensive side.”
It’ll be a family affair; Belle Plaine’s head coach is Bohlen’s brother, Todd.
“I’m 1-0 against him, so hopefully we can go 2-0. And this is kind of his going out season. I think he’s going to retire after this year, so hopefully we can send him off with a loss. It’s kind of in our blood. It’s kind of in our family. We had another brother that coached quite a few years in Wapello. And when we get together, that’s what it is. It’s basically about sports.”
The Indians won last year’s meeting 34-32 at home.
Coverage will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the kickoff at 7:00.
Darren Bohlen interview:
