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Prep football | Back to the gridiron for Lakers, Wolverines

Sylas Wright
Sierra Sun
Sierra Sun file photoSenior quarterback Ben Bolton and the Wolverines will look to defend their 3A state championship when their season kicks off at home against Dayton on Sept. 4. Before then, Truckee will tune up with a scrimmage against Carson and Lassen at Carson on Saturday.
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The Lakers and Wolverines will try to shake the offseason rust and iron out any kinks when they take the field for their respective preseason scrimmages on Saturday.

North Tahoe will host a three-way scrimmage with Tahoe Basin rivals Incline and Whittell starting at 5 p.m., while Truckee will travel to Carson City to take part in a three-way scrimmage with Carson and Lassen at 10 a.m.

and#8220;We look like a new team,and#8221; said Truckee head coach Bob Shaffer, who will suit up 38 players for the preseason tune-up. and#8220;We’ve got some new faces, several spots to fill, all that good stuff.and#8221;



This year more than ever, Shaffer said the Wolverines quickly need to find their groove, thanks to a beefed up Nevada 3A division that gained three members during the offseason. All three schools and#8212; South Tahoe, Fallon and Elko and#8212; dropped from the 4A ranks, while 4A Wooster will be allowed to compete in the 3A as an independent.

What does that mean for the defending state champion Wolverines? No three-game buffer period against nonleague California opponents, during which they would normally polish their blemishes.



and#8220;There are several nuances here when you look at it,and#8221; Shaffer said. and#8220;One is that every game this year is a league game. There is no tuning up and figuring out who’s playing where or what works best. You kind of have to squish that in to the first part of two-a-days, because once the season starts every game counts toward the league standings, which determines (playoff scenarios).

and#8220;There’s no preparation period before league starts,and#8221; the coach continued. and#8220;You jump in with both feet, which is different than what we’ve done here for many, many years. And anytime you add teams that are used to playing 4A competition and they drop down, that always is a concern. and#8230; There are just a lot of question marks.and#8221;

Shaffer said Truckee, which opens the season at home against Dayton on Sept. 4, is now the smallest school in the 3A in terms of numbers. Stay tuned next week for a complete season preview.


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