When Josh Stone saw football numbers in the area dwindling, he was worried about the future of the sport for the Ashton-Franklin Center community.

He decided to help do something about it.

“I wanted to get involved and help get that program built back up where I thought it could be,” he said.

Coaching for the first time last season as Ashton-Franklin Center’s offensive coordinator under veteran coach Dave Smith, the 1997 Oregon High School graduate Stone was able to learn from a coach in Smith who has led 10 different schools, including Dixon for nine seasons.

“Dave mentored me and prepared me to be head coach and taught me some of the stuff that you don’t realize comes along with being the head coach,” Stone said. “He helped me develop a system. He taught me a lot.

“I don’t think I c

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