MONTGOMERY: Cougars captain remains positive

Oltmans, MHS football seeking first win

By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
   On the field, this has been a tough season for the Montgomery High football team.
   A 37-0 loss to Bridgewater-Raritan last Friday night dropped the Cougars to 0-7. But even with the lack of success in terms of wins and losses, Montgomery has never stopped giving a winning effort.
   ”It’s been a tough season but you have to be proud of our team,” senior captain Connor Oltmans said. “We show up every game and play hard and we don’t roll over for anybody. The teams we play know we’re good and play hard. When we shake hands after the game they always comment about how hard we’ve played.
   ”This is our first year playing in the big school division with teams like Phillipsburg and Hunterdon Central and it’s a new experience.”
   In addition to a tougher schedule, Montgomery has been beset by injuries. The combination has resulted in no wins, but a team big on character. And right at the top of the list is Oltmans, who is hoping to make the most of his final three football games.
   ”We’ve never had a season like this with all of the injuries,” said Montgomery coach Zoran Milich, whose team will play at North Hunterdon tonight. “It’s just been a domino effect. It’s been tough on the whole team.
   ”Connor has battled and persevered through the whole thing. He’s going to physical therapy. He’s such a tough kid. He plays on fumes and gives it everything he’s got on both sides of the ball. He’s one of the cornerstones of our team. He’s been hurt all year with various injuries but he’s gutted it out and played.”
   Injuries have certainly dealt the Cougars a blow this season, and Oltmans has not been immune to them. But so far he’s managed to stay on the field.
   ”I’ve dealt with a lot of injuries with my shoulder and ankle but you just have to tough it out and get it done,” said Oltmans, who plays safety and tight end for the Cougars. “I don’t know what I would do if I was just watching from the sidelines. I couldn’t do it.”
   Milich knows that having Oltmans on the field, even if he is not at 100 percent, is a key to any success the Cougars hope to have.
   ”He’s a great leader,” the Montgomery coach said. “The rest of the kids can always count on him to be a dynamic leader. He’s going to Villanova to play lacrosse. He’s our Skyland Conference leadership nominee. When I need a face to put on the program to talk to people, he’s the one we go to. We have some great leaders on our team but he is the kid that I go to. He is as reliable as you get.”
   Oltmans has not missed a game in three years with the varsity program. He’s also proved to be very versatile.
   ”My sophomore year I started out as kind of a hybrid linebacker-strong safety,” he said. “This year I have been back at safety and also playing some tight end. Because of the system we’ve been playing with an overload when I am at tight end it is almost more of a tackle position. I told Coach I didn’t care where they put me, just put me in there and I’ll do it. He puts me where they need me the most and I just go in and try to do the best I can. I just go out there and try to have fun and win games.”
   Montgomery, which has lost five of its seven games by two touchdowns or less, hopes to finish on a positive note. After that, Oltmans will begin to prepare for his final lacrosse season and then a college lacrosse career at Villanova.
   ”I’m really excited about it,” he said. “I didn’t even start playing lacrosse until my freshman year and then I played some in the winter and one summer camp and some tournaments. They saw me and I went and visited and loved it there. It is a great opportunity for me to pursue a degree and do what I want to do in college. It’s a Big East program that has been building and getting better every year.”