2018 Boulder City Football Capsule

BOULDER CITY

League: Class 3A Sunrise

Head coach: Chris Morelli, fourth season (5-22)

2017 record: 3-6 (Independent)

Returning lettermen: 16

Returning starters: Eight offense, eight defense

Base offensive set: Spread

Base defensive set: 4-3

Top offensive players: RB Thorsten Balmer (Sr.); RB Jimmy Dunagan (Sr.); WR Shaun Jones (Sr.)

Top defensive players: LB Thorsten Balmer (Sr.); LB Jimmy Dunagan (Sr.); LB Gino Carroll (Sr.)

Top newcomers: WR/LB Trey Davis (So.); WR/S Scott Bahde (So.); RB/S Devin Lopez (So.)

Key loss: WR/S Briggs Huxford

Outlook: The Eagles rejoin the Sunrise League after a year playing as an independent.

Boulder City has plenty of starters back on both sides of the ball, led by Balmer. He rushed for 836 yards and 10 TDs last season, averaging 7.2 yards per carry.

He’ll get help from Dunagan, who was second on the team with 203 rushing yards.

Jones caught only six passes last season, but should get the first crack at replacing Huxford, who led the team with 33 catches for 572 yards and eight scores.

Morelli also expects sophomores Davis, Bahde, Toby Schaper, Matt Morten and Matt Felsenfeld to help offensively.

“We need to make some big plays offensively and keep our defense off the field,” Morelli said. “We were in many of the games we lost last year, we just couldn’t score inside the red zone.”

Dunagan (65 tackles, one interception) and Balmer (45 tackles, one interception), should key the defense, as well.

“Our goal this year is to play competitive football and secure a playoff spot,” Morelli said.