'Hounds No. 15 in pre-season grid poll

The Fort Scott Community College football team will start the 2009 football season as the No. 15-ranked team in the NJCAA/JC Football.com Preseason Top 25.

The Greyhouynds are coming off a 2008 campaign where they finished 9-2 and defeated Blinn College (Texas) 30-14 in the Heart of Texas Bowl. This was Fort Scott's first bowl victory since 1970.

"We are excited that we are recognized in the pre-season poll as it is a credit to the work that the players have done before us." Fort Scott head coach Jeff Sims, who will begin his third season in charge of the Grey-

hounds when they face Kilgore (Texas) at Frary Field Aug. 30, said. "But as far as it relates to 2009, it has no bearing. We will start work on (Saturday) to prove our worth and not let others speculate on where we are at nationally."

The Greyhounds return four offensive starters and two defensive starters from last year's squad.

Defending national champion Butler nabbed the No. 1 spot. The Grizzlies posted an 11-1 record in 2008 and won their second consecutive national title. The Grizzlies return five

starters -- one offensive and four defensive -- from a 2008 squad that also won their eighth consecutive Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference championship.

The first day of practice allowed under KJCCC and NJCAA rules is Saturday.

2009 NJCAA/JC FOOTBALL.COM

PRE-SEASON POLL