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For the second straight year, the Bonneville Bees will kickoff the football season a week earlier than the rest of the state.
The Bees will host the Valor Christian Eagles from Highlands Ranch, CO on Friday, Aug. 22 at Thunder Stadium. The game will be broadcast LIVE on IdahoSports.com
"We're grateful for the opportunity to play marquee, out-of-state programs," said Bonneville head coach Fred Armstrong. "It helps our kids show where we need to improve and gives them a vision of what we want Bonneville football to be like."
Valor Christian has won five straight Colorado state championships - at three different classification levels. Not bad for a school that didn't exist prior to 2007. The Eagles won the 3A title in 2009, the 4A title in 2010 and 2011, and the 5A title in 2012 and 2013.
While the Bees have yet to attain that caliber of championship pedigree, the theme within the program is to establish a precedent which would allow them to achieve that level of success.
"We want to play teams like Valor Christian that are dominant so that we too can learn how to become that dominant program," said Bonneville QB Bradley Smith. "We want to set a precedent for the younger kids about Bonneville football and what it takes to become a great team."
Bonneville went 6-4 last season, missing the playoffs on a tiebreaker in the loaded 4A High Country Conference. With the Bees stepping up a level to 5A now, they know that their play also needs to rise.
"Last year we were in almost every game and the ones that we lost were probably because of our struggles in the kicking game," Armstrong said, noting that his team only converted approximately 40% of their extra point attempts a year ago. "We have to improve in that area if we want to win the close ones this year."
Just like Bonneville, Valor Christian also sees great benefits from playing out-of-state competition.
"We love playing competition from other states, especially early in the season because it helps expose our weaknesses that we can hopefully correct and improve on before league play rolls around," said Eagles head coach Rod Sherman, now in his second season as the lead man at Valor Christian. "We are very privileged and blessed to be here and to have this opportunity to play football in a different state."
Both Armstrong and Sherman noted how last year is in the past and the focus is on the here and now.
"Every team is different," said Sherman. "This year's team is different than last year's team and that's exciting because it presents a new challenge and a new opportunity for those young men who have waited their turn."
With this being the first game of the year for both sides, trying to scout the opponent could seem difficult based on game tape from last season. But both coaches were impressed with what they saw on film.
"Valor Christian is a well coached team and extremely talented. What stood out the most to me on tape was their defense," Armstrong said. "Their players know their assignments and what position they need to be in to make the correct plays."
"Bonneville's offensive sets in the spread formation are unique and effective," said Sherman. "Their defense is always in attack mode and is constantly pressure the offense."
Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. MDT at Thunder Stadium. If you can't make it to the game in person, watch the action online on IdahoSports.com.
To watch Bonneville vs. Valor Christian, click here.
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