Change in the wind Friday night as Flint Creek opens season against Darby in Philipsburg.
GRANITE COUNTY – New season. New Staff. New players.
It’s all part and parcel of high school sports.
But there may be no program under more scrutiny than the Flint Creek Titans at the start of the 2021 8-Man Football Season.
2020 saw the Titans claim their third championship in four years, making them the most successful program under the Big Sky since their creation in 2014. And they did it with legendary coaches like Jim Oberweiser, Mike Cutler and JC Holland, the latter two leading Flint Creek to that trio of titles.
But with their retirement following last year’s campaign, the program is now left in the capable hands of Jason Ostler and Jerry Metesh.
The duo will act as co-head coaches with Ostler calling the offense and Metesh the defense. Both are entering their third year in the program.
“I got left a good program, that’s for sure,” said Ostler of the transition. “Yeah, there’s that pressure. But it’s such a winning culture and the kids are such a good group of upper classmen and they know what it takes. It’s just up to me to get them ready and prepared. They are such a good group of kids that it just helps me do my job.”
From the coaches to the players, they all understand the changes that have taken place and feel they are ready to meet the challenge.
“When you’re defending state champs you always have a target on your back until the first game then you start figuring things out.”
~ Leyton Wagner
“When you’re defending state champs you always have a target on your back until the first game then you start figuring things out,” observed senior Leyton Wagner. “Ostler and Metesh just have to figure things out. Cutler and Holland had so much time together; they figured things out real quick and just kept going with it. Jason and Jerry have been following Cutler around. They know everything they just have to figure out how to put it all in.”
Metesh agreed, but noted, “There’s always pressure in a program like this where winning is expected. But the coaching these kids have gotten the last three, four years … they know what they’re doing.”
Considering that line size may be one of their biggest advantages early, what may go unnoticed is their “hidden” experience. When an 8-man program graduates seven players, you expect a void of leadership and experience. But the Titans will have 10 seniors and 12 juniors this year, all of whom played in the very active and successful junior varsity program.
“Having a successful JV program is big,” said Metesh. “Those young kids getting reps is huge. Not having to throw kids into varsity games where they don’t have the experience against juniors and seniors is huge and they get to develop until their junior and senior years.”
And with more than 30 kids out for the team this year, Ostler noted that they might even have enough for two JV squads.
The most notable loss from 2020’s championship team was all-everything Kade Cutler who finished among the franchise leaders in practically every category. Now his understudy, junior Andrew Tallon, looks to step in under center.
When asked what pressure he felt going into Friday night’s opener against Darby, he replied, “Not a lot. We’re a different team and we’re just going to come out and try our best every game.”
Oddly enough it was at Darby last year when Cutler was sidelined with a stomach ailment, pushing Tallon into the limelight. He feels that helped him prepare for what’s ahead in 2021.
“(That game) gave me a look at the whole Friday Night lights thing,” he said. “A lot of people were watching.”
Tallon is no stranger to pressure or being a starter as he has been one of the main cogs in the Granite Basketball Program the last few years.
Friday’s game against the Tigers will be the eighth time the two programs have met up in Flint Creek’s nine years. The Titans are 6-1 against Darby, having won the last four since 2017. The Tigers last visited Flint Creek in 2018 and suffered a 44-0 drubbing.
