The boys of fall are officially on the job and Coach Kurt Simon’s Bulldogs are 1-0 after a lopsided win over CZR last Friday night. Since that
game, the coach said he’d been asked multiple times if his team was that good or if Christopher was that bad. And while he firmly believes this year’s varsity squad is better than last year’s, he admitted that Christopher is a very young team. Simon says CWC will have a much tougher time at Edwards County on September 2nd. The Lions (new to the BDC this year) have a bigger and more physical team than CZR was able to field last week. The 20 year coaching veteran has a plan however.
The football team is made up of 53 high schoolers including 13 freshmen, 16 sophomores, 17 juniors and 7 seniors. Simon’s Bulldogs will feature a more balanced attack on offense this year with the best offensive line the skipper says he’s had in several years. He also thinks his team will be better overall on defense and those two aspects of the game are the most important to him. Despite the positives, Coach Simon still believes the Eldorado team that went 9-0 last season is still the class of the conference. The Eagles return 9 starters on both sides of the ball including 7 All-Conference team members. After Eldorado, Fairfield and Chester are probably the 2nd and 3rd best teams in Simon’s estimation with his Bulldogs, Johnston City and Sesser Valier most likely battling to get into that next level.
The playoffs are possible for this team. Members of the coaching staff have said 5-4 is very attainable for this group, even 6-3 is possible and would constitute a successful campaign. Bulldog football can be heard weekly on 97.3 WRUL and is also available through an online stream via the Listen Live button at https://www.wrul.com.
Dr. Penny Gunter is entering her 22nd year associated with volleyball and the 2016 season will be her 3rd at the helm of the varsity Lady Bulldogs. Coach Gunter’s girls are off to a 1-1 start after dispatching Mt. Carmel and losing a match that couldn’t have been closer to perennial powerhouse Edwards County. The Volleyball Dogs are featuring a larger than usual roster with 21 players total.
Goals for this year’s team include being Conference Co-Champs which will require beating Edwards County later in the season as well as running the table through the remainder of conference matches. The team also is gunning for a regional championship. Gunter says this is a special team and they have a great chance to make it happen. It would be historic if they can make it happen given that CWC hasn’t claimed a regional championship in the sport since 1977.
Coach Gunter calls her group compassionate and good hearted. It shows in the $1,300 raised during the team’s 300 point fundraiser held prior to the season opener. Some of that money will go toward purchasing new netting. Some will also go to purchasing special jerseys for two upcoming important games. On October 4th, CWC will host an Orange Out game. All money raised during that night will go to the family of Megan Rice, CWC student battling leukemia and also to the Tara Glover Foundation. Two nights later on the 6th, Eldorado will host CWC for their 3rd Pink Out game to benefit the fight against breast cancer.
The volleyball team is also selling decals to go on the popular tumblers from makers like YETI, RTIC, and others. There are 5 designs and orders are being accepted through Septemer 16th.
In Carmi Kiwanis Club business, the annual Corn Days celebration is just over a month away and plans continue to come together under President Alan Saunders. Stay tuned for additional details and you can also follow the Carmi Kiwanis Club on facebook for additional developments.
Next week’s meeting will feature Superintendent Brad Lee and new certified educators for the 2016/2017 school year.
