Cale Cannoy tossed a series of tight spirals for the Marion Indians at practice Monday night and is confident he'll be fully cleared to play quarterback this season.

Cannoy suffered a partially torn ligament in his throwing elbow on June 3 during the baseball season and wasn't allowed to throw a ball for two months, but the lefthander appeared to be throwing free and easy Monday as the Indians opened preseason camp.

"It feels fine," he said. "It doesn't hurt or anything."

Cannoy will see his doctor on Monday, Aug. 15 to get a final medical opinion. If the doctor turns him loose, he'll be able to fully participate in drills with the Indians. Until then, he'll throw lightly and not rush his recovery.

"I'm a little nervous, but chances are I'm fine," he said. "I'm ready to go. I'm getting happier by the day, because I can throw more and more and help my team out."

Marion Coach Tony Perkins is happier, too.

"We'll find out for sure on Monday," he said. "At this point, we're counting on him throwing on Monday. It's pretty promising. He says it feels strong, but we won't overdo it."

There was lots of good news as training camp began for the Indians. Perkins said everybody is healthy, and that includes 6-foot-8, 340-pound lineman Zach Borens.

Borens suffered a partially torn MCL in his left knee during the second game of the 2010 season against Benton Community. He did not need an operation and played sparingly late in the year, but he's fully recovered now and a big reason Perkins is confident he'll have another playoff team this year.

Borens, a junior, moved to Iowa last year when his father got a job in Coralville. They looked around for a new school and decided Marion was the best fit.

"We decided to come into Marion because we heard about the high school and we heard about the football program here," Borens said. "We heard a lot of good things, so we decided to come here."

Borens grew up in Madison, Wis., and is a big University of Wisconsin fan. He attended a football camp at Wisconsin this summer and said he'd love to play for the Badgers. He's received letters from other schools as well.

"He's getting a lot of looks now," Perkins said.

Borens could bench-press only 160 pounds when he arrived at Marion last year, but he's pressing roughly twice that much now. "He's coming out of his childhood," Perkins said. "He's becoming a man."

Borens ran well in drills Monday, and Perkins said he's been timed in 5.7 seconds in the 40-yard dash. "That's impressive when you weigh 360," the coach said.

Borens said he weighs 340, but Perkins said Wisconsin measured him at 6-7 1/2 and 355, officially.

Perkins likes the idea of having Cannoy at quarterback, Borens at left tackle and Colton Storla at tailback this season. Storla rushed for 1,250 yards and 15 touchdowns last year as a junior and appears primed for a big final campaign.

Storla, who has his own trainer, said he's gained 10 pounds of muscle and now weighs 200. He said he's also quicker and stronger, running the 40-yard dash in 4.62 seconds, thanks to a rigorous training program during the offseason.

"Since this is my senior year, I decided to go all out," he said. Perkins said Storla can bench-press 335 pounds and squat 500.

Storla said he's being recruited for college ball, with Upper Iowa in the hunt. Perkins said tight end Ethan Herren, just a junior, also could develop into a Division I or Division II player, and mentioned Jake McDonald as another top player.

McDonald led the Indians with 128 tackles last year as a junior and rushed for 192 yards and four touchdowns as the backup fullback.

"We've got a lot of weapons," Perkins said. "It's going to come down to depth."

As always, Perkins is aiming for the 3A playoffs. "That always has to be your goal," he said. "And beyond."

2011 MARION FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Friday, Aug. 26 - at Mount Vernon, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 2 - Benton Community, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 9 - at Western Dubuque, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 16 - Anamosa, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 23 - Vinton-Shellsburg, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 30 - at Center Point-Urbana, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 7 - DeWitt Central, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 14 - at Union LaPorte City, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 21 - Maquoketa, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 26 - Class 3A playoffs