By: Dave Collins
Eagle Communications Sports Director
Despite a second major blizzard during the spring practice season the Chadron State football team has battled through schedule adjustments, discovered new strength building routines with shovels and trash cans, and practiced inside snow-surrounded sidelines for a month. Come Saturday morning the team gets to let loose and play its annual spring game as Chadron warms up and thaws out with an early look at the 2019 Eagles.
Players were out removing snow from Elliott Field Friday and by late afternoon the team was going through a light practice signaling that the game would officially be able to be held despite approximately a foot of snow falling mid-week.
Saturday’s spring game will begin at approximately 10:30 with players heading out on to the field at 9:45 to go through pre-game warms ups, and several practice drills. Head Coach Jay Long tells us the game will be four quarters, 10 minutes each and be played primarily with a running clock except for certain in game situations and special teams.
In between quarters the Eagles will continue the fun tradition of mini-games including linemen competing at quarterback and receiver in a goal-to-go situation, and having the big fellas field punts.
This year’s game will take on a new head-to-head format with the Cardinal vs. White teams coached by assistants Bryar DeSanti and Clint Sasse. Both coaches will be assisted by other position coaches while interim coordinators Craig Jersild and Logan Masters oversee the action. Coach Long will be on the field, in the crowd and joining the radio broadcast live in the booth during the game.
In past years it’s been an offense vs. defense format and this year should be played under better weather as opposed to 2018 when heavy, wet snow began to fall right as the game began on the practice field as the new Don Beebe Stadium was under construction.
KQSK and KAAQ will broadcast the game live on 97.5 FM / 105.9 FM and live stream the contest on both station streams at panhandlepost.com. Voice of the Eagles Dave Collins will provide play-by-play with color commentator Sam Parker in the booth. In addition to commentary from Coach Long in the broadcast, CSC players will join the crew for interviews as well as a representative for The Big Event, which will take place following the game as it does each spring.
Radio coverage will begin at 9:50 with the pregame show and our first interview with Coach Long. Special segments highlighting the fall 2019 schedule and latest recruiting class are also planned for the broadcast.
Due to the major snow events and flooding this past month KQSK has experienced some technical issues, which has caused sporadic fuzzy signals in the listener area. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working on solving the issue and encourage fans to listen on 105.9 KAAQ, or online if KQSK is not coming in at normal strength over the weekend.