The word all summer around the 1A Trico League was that Seton Catholic was struggling with turnout. By the time the first practice rolled around, it was quite the opposite. A record 28 players lined up on Seton Catholic’s turf field for the start of fall practice. They wore practice kits that highlighted the new co-op with Firm Foundation for the 2019 season.
“The players and students made football a priority,” coach Dan Chase said of the surprising numbers. Chase founded the Cougars’ football program in 2011 and coached four years before stepping away from the team. The school’s vice principal returns this season to replace Will Ephraim, who headed the team the past four years.
“This is the first class that not one players knows me as a football coach, only as the vice principal and a teacher,” Chase said. “Building that coach-player relationship has been a lot of fun.”
Notable pieces from last year are missing from the Cougars. Quarterbacks Tyvauntae Deloney (Evergreen) and Luke Price (Ridgefield) transferred, as did wide receiver Mikey Silveira (IMG Academy). All-league defensive back CJ Hamblin, a state wrestling champion, will miss the season with an injury.
