ADRIAN – Friday Night Lights are returning to Adrian High School as the Antelopes gridiron team revs up for another football season.
The squad is looking to build on its 6-3 record last season that saw the Antelopes make it to the state quarterfinals, where they fell to Myrtle Point 58-32. The team finished the season with a 7-4 overall record.
Coach Billy Wortman is excited about the team Adrian is putting on the field this year. He said the team has a good chance of competing for a state title this season if they stay healthy and “come together as a team.”
Wortman said the 2024 Antelopes bring back a handful of veteran players who are talented athletes.
Key returning starters include seniors Colten Bayes at tight end and Rance Jordan – at 6-foot-3 – and Zeke Bayes at running back. Senior Derek Faulconer will be back on the defensive line for the Antelopes.
This year, Wortman said quarterback duties will be shared by Trey Bayes, a sophomore and Silvestre Rico, a junior.
Wortman said he wants the team to have options regarding the quarterback position.
“We don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves,” he said. “We want to give both of them an opportunity to make plays for us.”
Both bring essential skills to the position, Wortman said. Bayes is an excellent passer, while Rico brings speed and athleticism to the position.
Wortman said the 1A eight-man High Desert League, Special District 2, is competitive. He said the teams Adrian will face are traditional eight-man. The players on those teams have been conditioned to eight-man play, which is faster and more physical than conventional 11-man football.
This year, about 25 players are on Adrian’s roster, Wortman said. He said the team has a good balance of veterans and newcomers.
“This group is pretty talented,” he said.
Adrian’s football squad kicks off the season on Saturday, Aug. 31, where they will face Camas Valley at the Dufur Classic at Dufer High School.
News tip? Contact reporter Steven Mitchell at [email protected].
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