Deer Trail’s football team is back this season

After two seasons away, Deer Trail football is returning to the field.

Chris Wehner, the school’s athletic director and football coach, said that the Eagles will indeed have a program this season. They have eight games scheduled, and open the season Sept. 1 at home against Prairie.

Wehner and a group of others started a campaign to re-start the program during homecoming last season.

“We talked about how it would be great as a community and as a student body to have football back for homecoming.” Wehner said on Tuesday afternoon. “It was strange to have homecoming without a football game.”

Wehner is a former assistant at Grand Junction under Robbie Owens. He said he was drawn to the small small, where he and his wife both teach.

“We wanted to help this small community rebuild the program,” Wehner said.

Deer Trail plays in the 6-man classification, and will compete in the East Central League.

The Eagles were 0-8 in 2014, and 2-6 in 2013. But in the two years prior, the team went a combined 19-3, reaching the semifinal round each season.

Deer Trail dropped its program just prior to the 2015 season, citing a lack of players.