Stone Brothers Feature

CODY BRONC FOOTBALL IS A FAMILY AFFAIR. TODAY A LOOK AT TWIN BROTHERS KEATON AND KARSTEN STONE WHO WILL PLAY INTEGRAL ROLES IN THE SUCCESS OF BRONC FOOTBALL THIS YEAR. KEATON, WHO HAS RECEIVED AN OFFER TO PLAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL AT THE SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES, TOOK OVER THE STARTING ROLES AT BOTH TIGHT END AND LINEBACKER A SEASON AGO AND LOOKS TO BE STARTER AT BOTH THOSE POSITIONS THIS YEAR. KEATON SAYS HE’S ECSTATIC TO BE ABLE TO PLAY AND IS LOOKING FORWARD TO A SENSE OF NORMALCY. WITH FALL PRACTICE AROUND THE CORNER HE TALKS ABOUT THE TEAM’S STATE OF MIND.

“AT ANY WORKOUT OR PRACTICE WE JUST GOT TO GET ONE PERCENT BETTER. JUST, IT DOESN’T MATTER WHERE WE ARE AT NOW. JUST BY THE END OF THE SEASON WE JUST GET ONE PERCENT BETTER WE CAN… WIN.”

LAST YEAR THE BRONCS HAD AN INFLUENTIAL SENIOR CLASS AND KEATON TALKS ABOUT WHAT HE LEARNED FROM THEM AND HOW TO APPLY THAT AS ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THIS YEARS TEAM.

“YEAH LAST YEAR THEY HAD 20 SO WE REALLY COUNTED ON THE SENIORS AND THIS YEAR WE ONLY HAVE LIKE 10 SO WE’RE REALLY GOING TO COUNT ON THE UNDERCLASSMEN. WE JUST NEED GOOD LEADERSHIP ROLES FROM ALL THE SENIORS TO JUST HELP OUR TEAM GROW. PROBABLY JUST BE A GOOD TEAM ROLE MODEL AND HELP ALL THE YOUNGER KIDS AND JUST HELP OUT. JUST GO AS HARD AS YOU CAN EVERY PRACTICE, EVERY GAME.”

AS FOR WHAT HE’S WORKED ON THIS OFF-SEASON HE TOUCHES ON WORKING AS A TEAM AND HIS INDIVIDUAL TRAINING.

“WE DID A LOT OF FOOTBALL WORKOUTS AND STUFF WITH THE TEAM. AND THEN A BUNCH OF THE GUYS WOULD DO THROWING AND ROUTES AND STUFF IN THE EVENING. REALLY JUST GET TOGETHER AND KIND OF UNITE. GET FASTER AND JUST QUICK, THAT’S ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF A, I’M NOT THE BEST AT THAT. SO JUST KIND OF GET FASTER.”

AS FOR HIS TWIN BROTHER, KARSTEN WAS NOT ABLE TO PLAY LAST YEAR AFTER FIGHTING OFF A BOUT WITH MONO. BUT KARSTON IS BACK THIS YEAR AND IS AS HUNGRY AS EVER. KARSTEN ON HIS MINDSET HEADING INTO THE FALL SEASON.

“I’M JUST FOCUSING ON GETTING STRONGER FOR THE YEAR. I MEAN, I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A SMALLER SKINNIER KID BUT THIS YEAR I HOPE I CAN DO A LITTLE MORE ON THE FIELD BEING A LITTLE BIGGER.”

KARSTEN GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT’S LIKE TO HAVE BOTH HIS BROTHER AND NIC TALICH, TWO KIDS THAT HAVE RECEIVED COLLEGE OFFERS, ON THE ROSTER.

“IT’S PRETTY COOL KNOWING THAT WE’VE GOT SOME KIDS THAT ARE GONNA GO TO COLLEGE FOR FOOTBALL HOPEFULLY. JUST MEANS THAT WE WANT TO BE THERE FOR THEM AND MAKE SURE WE’RE ALL DOING OUR BEST.”

AND KARSTEN ADDS HOW THIS YEAR’S MOTTO OF 86,400 (NUMBER OF SECONDS IN A DA) FUELS THEM DAY IN AND DAY OUT WHEN NOTHING IS GUARANTEED.

“JUST KNOWING THAT WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO PLAY. IF WE WORK HARD WE CAN GET ONE GAME OR WE CAN MAKE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SEASON. JUST AS LONG AS WE FOLLOW THE RULES AND STUFF. JUST MAKE SURE WE’RE ALL WORKING HARD AND PUSHING HARD AND THAT WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH GUARANTEED. SO PUSH HARD WHEN WE CAN.”

THE CODY BRONCS HIT THE GRIDIRON FOR THEIR FIRST PRACTICE MONDAY AT SPIKE VANNOY STADIUM. THE BRONCS FIRST GAME OF 2020 IS ON THE ROAD AT DOUGLAS AUGUST 28TH AND HOST RIVERTON IN THEIR HOME OPENER SEPTEMBER 4TH.