Eye on the Fall: Part 2

August only just began, but with a scheduled break in the action, it?s never too early to start looking ahead.

In less than a month, runners will be starting their first cross-country races of the season, the first volleyball serves of the year will be going up and touchdowns will begin to be scored.

In the second part of a two-part column series, I?m going to take a look at the upcoming fall sports season and detail more teams that should make a large impact this year.

Each day, I?ll focus on one football, one volleyball and one cross-country team that has the potential to thrill local fans this season. The first part of this column can be found in Monday?s edition of The Journal.

Sigourney-Keota football

When you have one of the top runners in the state returning to your football team, you are always going to have a chance.

That?s going to be the case for the Sigourney-Keota football team this season, as they look to senior Peyton Crawford to help lead the Cobras to another playoff spot.

Crawford was nothing if not impressive for the Cobras last season, picking up 1,708 yards and 22 touchdowns at a clip of 9.4 yards per carry, but Crawford won?t be alone in the backfield this year.

Three other Cobras who recorded at least 40 carries will be returning to the team this season, and two of the three averaged at least 4.7 yards per carry.

Crawford showed his Swiss-army-knife-like abilities, by being among the team leaders in receptions with 13 and receiving yards with 225, scoring three touchdowns on those plays, while also being utilized in multiple trick plays.

Occasionally, the Cobras would put Crawford out in space and let him throw the ball deep, often to big success. Of the 15 passes he attempted last season, nine were completed (60 percent) for 201 yards (13.4 yards per attempt), and two passing touchdowns.

While Crawford will get a lot of attention offensively, the role players will have to step up for the Cobras, as a gap left by graduated senior Nate Owen (32 receptions, 357 yards, four touchdowns), will surely be felt in the passing game.

Defensively, the Cobras might face their biggest challenge, as they lose four of their top eight tacklers from last season.

Leading tackler Lane Boender will be back and figures to make a big impact in his senior season. Boender finished the year with 58.5 tackles and a team-high three sacks.

The secondary will return a lot of talent, with junior Avery Moore returning after posting a team-high three interceptions as a sophomore. As a position group, the Cobras have all 11 interceptions returning from last year.

Washington cross-country

There are a number of runners who are set to make a big impact on the Washington cross-country team this season, on both the boys? and girls? side.

On the girls? side, eyes will be on Emme Keith, who had a strong junior year, taking third place in last year?s Southeast Conference meet, and certainly has her eyes set on taking a spot in this season?s state meet.

Keith took 21st at last year?s district meet in Solon.

For the boys, junior Owen Horak is the top returner from last season, but he figures to be pushed by sophomore Brennan Horak, who had a strong freshman year.

Owen finished in eighth place in last year?s conference meet, earning all-conference honors, while taking 46th at districts last season.

As a freshman, Brennan took 21st in the conference meet, with Andres Gutierrez right behind him in 22nd.

Highland volleyball

Despite losing 10 seniors from last season?s squad, the Highland volleyball team will be looking to reload quickly with a few key returners in 2015.

The Huskies will return two athletes who saw a lot of time last season, in Cheyann Adamson and Jenna Dresselhaus.

Adamson is the team?s leading returner in terms of kills, posting 75 in 75 sets, and aces, finishing the year with 25 and an .881 serving percentage.

Defensively, the key comes from junior Kelsey Hora, who made her mark as a specialist last season, posting 187 digs (2.53 per set).

Adamson (113) and Dresselhaus (89) were among the tops on the team in digs last year as well, while Dresselhaus finished second on the team with 195 assists.

Highland will open its volleyball season up at Keota?s opening tournament on Aug. 24.