HUNGRY EAGLES FLY TO FRENCH FIELD

Thompson Valley is a team that has faced a tough early season schedule and not found many breaks along the way. They are a tough, hungry and talented team that would love nothing better than to break into the win column on Thursday afternoon. It will take your best efforts to walk off the field with a win. Assignments must be executed, tremendous effort must be given, but most of all you must play with the kind of PASSION and HEART that are the trademarks of SaberCat Football. You are a TALENTED, STRONG,SMART and WELL COACHED football team, but you have to bring your heart and soul to the field to play this game properly. And I KNOW YOU WILL.

Have a great game.

Coach Lefort

NOW YOU KNOW

Thursday night was a classic high school football game in which both teams battled to the last tick of the clock. You should be proud of the way you played. Niwot is 4-1 because they are solid Northern Conference team. You played them to the last play because YOU are a solid Northern Conference team. Regardless of wins or losses that was our best game this year. Guys were stepping up all night long, scrapping, battling and playing SaberCat Football the way it is meant to be played. ( HARD, TOUGH and CLEAN) That has been the trademark of our program, and will continue to be.

As the season began we knew that we were entering the traditionally tough Northern Conference. The past three weeks we have played the best the NC has to offer, and WE have continued to get BETTER each week. If I was doing a little self scouting on the SabeCats, I would say watch out for that bunch in the second half of the season, because they are just starting to play their best ball. Now we know where we belong, right where we are at. And believe me fellas , that's a GOOD thing. It may have hurt walking off that field in Longmont, but as you walked off you could do so with the confidence of knowing you can line up with any team in this conference.

Coach Lefort

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

Chris (The Pancake Man) Russel was serving up the Niwot defenders

Georgetown now has a new weapon in his arsenal (running the ball)

Salz was a triple threat playmaker at corner, (picks, tackles,and coverage)

Niwots Coach Ron Tesone is good coach and a friend of mine (ex Ram DB)

I have never seen a field goal hit multiple posts and go through

Our fans travel AWESOME, We have the BEST fans in the STATE

Big Red is becoming a beast

Beard is one tough hombre and makes a HUGE difference when he is on the field

Nick Jensen played his best game this year

Beishied makes plays ALL OVER THE FIELD

Mike Lamb has always been fast, now he is running HARD

IT'S NOT HOW YOU START, BUT HOW YOU FINISH

This Thursday night we will take the field with a chance to even up our conference record with a win. The Niwot Cougars come into the game riding a three game winning streak following their win on the road against Broomfield. We came to work last week on the practice field and progress was made on the field during the game. This week if we come out to work during practice, more progress will show up against the Cougars. Football seasons are not made from one game or four, but ten and maybe more.

I am not one who is big on the "Back In the Day" stories, but here I go. I played on a team that started off the season at 1-3. (sound familiar)This was a team that had a successful season previously, advancing to the State Championship Game and losing. It was a team that started the season slow, but didn't give in to self doubt. Instead they kept the faith, and came out with an all or nothing TEAM attitude. Whatever it took they were not going to come off the field with a loss. One by one they started picking off opponents until they clawed their way into the playoffs. Nine weeks later on a frozen field in Colorado Springs they were celebrating the schools first football championship in 43 years.

There it is, my first and hopefully my last "Back in the Day" story. But it is relevant, because it happens. Remember in FOOTBALL as in LIFE "IT IS NOT HOW YOU START, BUT HOW YOU FINISH!!" FINISH STRONG!!

Coach Lefort

A WORK IN PROGRESS

In life there are many times that your efforts are not rewarded as soon as you would like. But you have to keep working, keep building and keep the faith. There was much improvement during the Longmont game, a testament to a solid week of practice. The Trojans are a strong team and will have a successful season. But building blocks were formed out of your sweat and determination last night that will impact the way we play for the rest the season. SaberCat football teams have always improved and have played their best ball as the season goes on, and you will be no different.

Coach Lefort

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

WHAT AN AWESOME CROWD --THANK YOU

We have to eliminate mistakes

Longmont's QB runs hard, but I would take Hollywood any day

Brother Craig was swinging his right leg Friday night

The O line was moving people around

We can not give up the BIG PLAY, especially on third and FOURTH down

The Black Shirts were running around hitting people all night long

Frodo was a maniac

We have to have the BEST BAND IN COLORADO, it is a treat when they are there

It was good to see some of THE RENAISSANCE MEN in attendance last night

SABERCAT THANK YOU

A big SaberCat thank you goes out to the good folks at Old Chicago's for donating the pregame meal Thursday night at Fossil Ridge. The team dined on a variety of tasty pizzas, salad and cookies. Thanks to Old Chicago's for putting their support behind SaberCat Football.

Coach Lefort

BIG WEEK AHEAD

This week presents a great opportunity to make a statement about SaberCat football. The Longmont Trojans will bring an undefeated team into Fort Collins on Friday night. They are a physical team, that likes to control the game with a strong running attack. It will take a great week of practice to prepare for victory. But you are MORE than capable of it.

Attention to every detail of the game plan. Be accountable to your teammates by lifting them up by raising the level of your play and your expectations for the team. Football is an amazing game that we are blessed to be a part of. Celebrate this week by having your best week of practice ever, and follow up by leaving it all out on the field Friday night. If everyone commits to that this week Friday will be a special night.

Coach Lefort

SPARTANS SOAK SABERCATS

Greeley West is an outstanding football program and they proved that on the field Thursday night. The Spartans played a hard, clean football game that they could be proud of. Best of luck to Coach Roggy and thier team.

We have lots to learn from our performance. There are plenty of areas to improve upon (tackling, assignments, blocking and special teams). But that is why we head out onto the practice field everyday. Lets bring our best to the practice field this week.

Coach Lefort

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

Greeley West football is a classy outfit

We must TACKLE better

Rain,rain and more rain from the national anthem to the bus ride home

Mike Lamb ran hard

Beishied showed a lot of heart blocking that punt

Ensu laid the wood to a Spartan

PREPARE TO WIN

The task ahead this week will be a large one: the states #5 team the Greeley West Spartans. The Spartans led by Head Coach Mark Roggy have found themselves annually in the hunt for the state championship and this year is no different. The fifth ranked Spartans are a well coached and disciplined team. It will take a great week of practice and a commitment to victory to be able walk out of Greeley with a win over this crew. But you have proved to yourselves, and others, that you can accomplish great things when you have confidence and put your heart into it. Take care of your business at home, on the field and in the classroom this week. See you on the practice field.

Coach Lefort

SABERCATS WIN CONFRENCE OPENER

You took the field Thursday night with the attitude that you were not coming off with anything less than a victory. Offensively we continued to move people all over the field, take care of the football and score touchdowns. Defensively you are playing more like the "Gang Green" that has become the trademark of Fossil Ridge football. That is the kind of effort we will need every time you take the field from here on out. Nice Victory fellas!!

But what as a coach I was most proud of was the way you reacted to the ugly incident that occurred in the second quarter. That has NO business on a football field. You handled yourselves like the young men that Fossil Ridge football has built it's reputation on. Win or lose, we WILL always represent our team, school and families one way, FIRST CLASS.

Coach Lefort

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

Beard formed up and popped the top on a Falcon

Lamb's run was a thing of beauty, in and out and then gone

We have to keep working HARD to become better tacklers

Hayden and Alex made some big time catches in crucial situations

Brian reminds me of another #11 who wore green in this town

Jax is punting as well as anyone we have ever had

The O-line is doing the WORK

Bowers weak side blitz was a picture perfect way to seal the deal

SABERCAT THANK YOU /TEAM DINNER AT THE LEISTIKOW FARM

The team enjoyed a Mexican themed buffet hosted by Jan Leistikow and Susan Ballinger at the Leistikow's Farm. The players feasted on burritos and brownies, and (the Leistikow tradition) of fresh ice cold chocolate milk. I think Hollywood drank a whole gallon himself. It was a beautiful setting and provided the team a chance to relax and focus before the big conference opener the next day. Thank you ladies for your continued hospitality.

Coach Lefort