Meet the Jaybirds set for August 9

In 2017, the Jayton Jaybirds went 8-4, making it into the area round of the playoffs, and with only two players graduating from last year's squad, the Jaybirds look to lean on their returning players in 2018.

Thursday, Aug. 9, area fans will have the opportunity to meet the 2018 Jaybirds at the Jayton swimming pool at 6 p.m. At the festivities, fans can meet the players, coaches, cheerleaders, mascot and band.

Last week, KCBD-NBC11/Lubbock featured the Jaybirds in their 2018 Pigskin Preview and interviewed the ‘Birds head coach.

"This year, it is going to experience, returning all of those kids and speed. We are going to have some kids that can really run," Jay-ton Head Football Coach Josh Stanaland said. "We are going to return four starters on both sides of the ball. The two guys (that graduated) were the lineman, so we get all of our skill players back."

Non-District will be a gridiron gauntlet for the Jaybirds.

"We are going to open up with some tough ones for sure," Stanaland said. "We have Knox City week one for the classic, they are always really good. Coach Calloway does a great job, then Aspermont week two. Aspermont, I believe, beat us by two last year at our place. It was a good game and they had a great playoff run. Then Chillicothe, Wilson, Trent and Rotan. That will be our non-district and then we will get started in the district."