By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
It’s been a rough few years for the Salina South football program, but with new leadership, and a new energy, the Cougars are ready to attack the 2024 campaign head on.
First year head coach Christien Ozores, who comes to Salina by way of Russell, is optimistic about the efforts his Cougars have shown this offseason.
“The hard work that the kids have been putting in has been great to see and it’s taken a lot of work from them and from the staff to rebuild this thing,” Ozores said. “We’ve practiced and trained a lot but now we’re excited to go out and play on a Friday night.”
That optimism is shared by the green and gold half of the Salina community, who have waited nearly three years to watch their Cougars snap one of the longest losing streaks in recent memory.
“We know we haven’t won in 24 games so our margin of error is low, he said. “We’ll have to do the little things right if we want to compete at a high level; be disciplined, take care of the football and keep big plays off the board.”
Anchoring this effort at quarterback will be senior starter Landon Putnam, who returns for his third season under center.
“Landon has been a consistent leader for us and we ask a lot out of him,” Ozores said. “It’s not easy, but he’s done a really great job and he knows what our expectations are.”
While South is bursting with potential at the skill positions, the other stars of this offense remain to be seen, with just two of the Cougar’s 12 seniors slotting in at wide receiver or running back.
“Our biggest question marks will be in how we can compete, and win some ballgames,” he said. “We’ll be looking early on to see how these young guys step up and who’s ready to play.”
Where South does return a great deal of senior talent is on their offensive line, which features three seniors in Brady Oliver, Zach Johnson, and Sean Iselin, and junior Austin Kraft.
While collecting that elusive first victory is certainly a priority, the Cougars are also dedicated to laying the groundwork for a strong football culture in Salina.
“We want to build our culture on hard work and discipline,” Ozores said. “Playing hard, clean, and physical and doing the right things on and off the field.”
With their season opener against cross-town rival Salina Central just days away, a new energy is in the air around both the program, and the community at South.
“The energy around here feels like a big strength right now,” he said. “The kids are excited, they're tired of losing and we’ve worked our butts off to try and turn this thing around. The kids are bought in, they’re flying around and they’re mindful of the details.”
The Mayor’s Cup matchup in week one will be broadcast on Salina Post with live video and play-by-play commentary.
The Cougar’s full schedule can be found below, all games are scheduled to kick off at 7pm.
2024 Salina South Schedule
9/6: at Salina Central
9/13: vs. Maize South
9/20: vs. Derby
9/27: vs. Hutch
10/4: at Valley Center
10/11: vs. Goddard
10/18: at Haysville Campus
10/25: at Maize