The Falcon High School football team finished the season with five wins and five losses. Following last year’s winning season that took the team to the 3A state championships, head coach Jason Catron said this year was a chance to rebuild the team. He fielded a young team plagued with injuries and a tough conference schedule.”It’s hard coming off a season like a year ago,” Catron said. “We had 18 seniors last year and only a few returning varsity players. I would like to get to the point where we don’t have to rebuild – just reload.”Difficulties aside, Catron said he was happy with the younger players, who stepped up and gave their best.Brandon Cain, FHS senior, played wide receiver. “Last year was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Cain said. “It raised the bar for us this year. We had a lot of seniors leave and that put us under a lot of pressure.” He said his football experience has shaped his high school career. “I’ve made a lot of good friends.”Catron said the key to building a strong program is about retaining players year after year. The freshman team finished the season with 31 players, and Catron said that’s a good sign. He said he would like to see at least 20 returning players from each class.To help players stay engaged in the team, Catron said he focuses on giving the younger team members as much playing time as possible, and he stays in close contact with the team members during the off-season through conditioning practices and weight lifting.Catron said he appreciates the community support from fans and local businesses, which have made donations and sponsored the team.
