Mustangs attend Mid-Montana Camp

Another summer is halfway through and the high school football season is right around the corner. Every year before the corner is rounded; the Malta Mustangs make a stop in Fairfield for the Mid-Montana Team Camp as they did last weekend.

This year's Mid-Montana Camp featured Class B's 2015 State Champion Fairfield Eagles, the Cut Bank Wolves, Malta, the Roundup Panthers and the Columbus Cougars. Every team was able to participate in several drills at the two day event, as well as scrimmage against each other.

Malta took 19 athletes.

"It went pretty good," Malta Head Coach Nick Oxarart said. "We were able to run some of our plays against some great defenses from across the state. It's kind of a jamboree."

Malta lost several key starters to graduation last year however the camps have been good for the new seniors and other Mustang players from all classes.

"I think it was very beneficial for all of our players to go against varsity teams," Coach Oxarart said. "At our own camp we just kind of go against each other. It's hard when we're going upperclassman against underclassmen."

Coach Oxarart believes that having the Mustangs go against a level playing field gave his new potential starters a more game like experience.

"It was very beneficial to allow us to go into a higher game speed to see where we are at before the season," Coach Oxarart said. "It allowed our younger guys to get some experience, which is what we need."

Coach Oxarart is encouraged by the growth he has seen in his returning starters over the past year.

"There has been quite a bit of growth over the spring and summer with those guys stepping into some leadership roles," Coach Oxarart said.

He was also encouraged by how those returning starters were reaching out to help the younger Mustang players.

"Cody Werk was helping with our offensive and defensive lines," Coach Oxarart said. "He's bringing some of those younger guys along and getting them fired up for the season."

The next action that the Mustangs will see will be at the team's first official practice on Monday, August 15.

"These guys get about four weeks off and they kind of finish up their conditioning and will get prepared to start the season," Coach Oxarart said.

Coach Oxarart didn't tip his hat any standouts during the camp but praised his team for their efforts at camp.

"They were all pretty consistent, played hard and competed hard," Coach Oxarart said. "I'm proud of the guys' commitment in the middle of the summer to go up to Fairfield to a team camp."