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Kanab Cowboys

After two straight appearances in the 1A state football semifinals, the Cowboys have high expectations for 2015. But head coach Bucky Orton still wants his team to stress the small stuff.

"We want to focus on getting better every day at practice and every week and game," Orton said. "We want to really put more emphasis on that more so than where we finish."

Last season, Kanab was one point away from a berth in the state championship game against Rich, a team they beat in their lone regular reason matchup.

"When you get beat by one point in the semifinal game, generally it's from some little minor detail that you just didn't pay enough attention to," Orton said. "We're really going to focus on the little things like being better teammates, our work ethic, our mental approach to practice."

With a much more experienced team this time around, the Cowboys seem ready to take that next step.

"We've got a much older team, or experienced team, than we've had in the last four or five years," Orton said. "I'd like to see us kind of pick up where we left off last season and build from that."

Assignment • 1A South

Last year • 6-6 overall, 2-2 in 1A South; Lost to Diamond Ranch 29-28 in state semifinals

Key returners • Seniors Brandon Southwick and Danion Barnson. Southwick is the team's leading receiver that's returning and Barnson will be an anchor for the offensive and defensive lines.

Player to watch • Running back Alex Foster, who was the team's leading rusher before suffering a knee injury midway through last season. Look for him to have a breakout year in his final season.

Biggest hole • There are not many holes on a team returning most of its offense and its entire defensive line. The Cowboys' secondary would have to be their weakest spot heading into the season.

Need to know • In Kanab's six losses in 2014, the Cowboys lost four of them by eight points or less.