Sports News

High school football begins this year before classes resume in Hillsboro and across the state.
In fact, the Burros will have played two games before school starts on Monday, Aug. 27.
The Burros, who open the season next Tuesday against Thompson, play at Central Valley next Friday (Aug. 24).
The Mark Rerick-coached Burros, post-season players the last two years, will be one of the teams to beat again this year.
Led by two-way returning lettermen Jake Olsen, Andrew Grothmann and Jamie Horne, Hillsboro is tabbed as one of the pre-season favorites in Region 2.
Olsen, a three-year starter, will be a stalwart again in the line and Grothmann promises to be a punishing runner at fullback. Horne will be a deep receiver threat for the Burros. Anthony Von Ruden is another threat running out of the backfield.
Aaron Meyer will quarterback the Burros. Meyer is a left-handed junior. The soft passes thrown by Meyer are reminiscent of the days when Burro QB Bill McLean led the Red River Valley Conference in passing.
The Burros will have to replace a 2006 graduating class that included Ben Gordon, Andrew Mikkelsen, Danny Rude, Lee Siegert, Keith Asheim and Jake Luithle.
Hillsboro will play in Region 2, a league that includes Barnes County North, Finley-Sharon-Hope-Page, Richland, Northern Cass, Griggs County Central, Hankinson and Wyndmere-Lidgerwood.
Region 2, said coach Rerick, is one of the toughest regions in the state. Five of the schools reached the post-season last year; four of the teams played 11-man in the 2006 football season.
“Every week will be a knock down battle,” said Rerick. The Hillsboro coach will be surprised if a Region 2 team finishes the regular season undefeated. The caliber of competition each and every week will be at a level Hillsboro hasn’t seen in a number of years, Rerick is certain.
The Burros will dress 33 players Tuesday against the Thompson Tommies, who moved from the 11-man ranks last year to 9-man this year. Just 13 of the Burros are juniors and seniors.
Olsen, Von Ruden, Billy Otto and Brian Smelden are the seniors on the 2007 Hillsboro Burro squad.
Captains of this year’s edition of the Burros are Olsen, Von Ruden and Smelden and juniors Horne and Jake McLean.
Rerick’s assistants are Scott Olsen, Mike Rerick and Tracy Buzick. Each of the Burro coaches played college football.
“Our youth will need to grow up in a hurry to provide solid back-ups for our upperclassmen,” suggested Rerick.
“Staying injury-free will be huge key, considering how tough the region is.”
This will be an exciting year for the football Burros, Rerick said. It’s a promising year because of the team’s returning game experience, combined with the youth, who are ready to fill roles.
The Burros started their fall two-day practices Aug. 8 at 12:01 a.m.
Kickoff Tuesday in the season and home opener is 7 p.m.