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Prep football season kicks off today
By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
It was “March Madness” football-style for Williamston.
Head coach Asim McGill, a former standout at Washington High School, and his Tigers got a jump-start on the prep football season with a midnight practice Thursday.
While most area teams will begin their first official day of training camp this evening, the Tigers were hungry to get started early, and had planned to practice until 2 a.m.
“We were really looking forward to practicing and getting started,” Williamston assistant coach John DeVeaux said. “We’re excited about the team this year. We’re trying to build on our conference championship from a year ago.”
Coach Wayne Rodgers and his Creswell Tigers were going to get an early start as well. Rodgers, about to embark on his 21st year as head coach of the Tigers, planned to practice from 8 to 10 a.m. today.
“We’re just hoping to get the kids to learn their responsibilities,” said Rodgers, who was hoping for some 20 campers. “We’re looking to get them in shape.”
The three Beaufort County football teams are all practicing this evening. The Washington Pam Pack will be the last to take the field, as coach Sport Sawyer and his troops will hit the grass at J.G. “Choppy” Wagner Stadium at 9:30 p.m.
“We just want to see the guys who are out, make sure they’re eligible and that they’ve had their physicals,” Sawyer said.
“We just want to make sure we get them in the right positions.”
Keith Boyd, the third-year head coach at Northside High School, will guide his Panthers during today’s practice, which will run from 6 to 8:15 p.m.
“We just want to establish who will be there and who won’t,” said Boyd, who had 42 players at a recent mini-camp and is looking for between 45 to 50 for the start of training camp. “We’ll be trying to plug some holes and find out about our personnel.”
The Southside Seahawks, under the direction of second-year head coach David Hines, will practice from 6 to 8 p.m.
“(I hope to) keep the interest high and get even more athletes out,” said Hines, who would like to see between 60 to 70 players attend camp. “They have shown up in good numbers this summer and it seems to be because they are interested in what we are doing both offensively and defensively, and because they are having fun being around each other.
“This summer seemed to bring a lot of the guys closer than they had been in the past. You can really tell that they care about each other. We have become a close family-oriented team, and I see that as a reason for our rise in numbers throughout the summer.”
Robert Cody, the reigning WDN Football Coach of the Year, guided his Plymouth Vikings to a N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1A state championship last year. His Vikings will take the field today at 5 p.m. and wrap up their first practice around 7 p.m.
Plymouth held a mini-camp earlier the week, which brought out 63 players.
“We have lots of kids out there,” Cody said. “The kids are remembering the plays from junior varsity so it’s going quicker than I thought. I’d like to put in the punt game by the end of the week. If I could do that, it would be great.”
The Vikings are coming off a perfect 16-0, state championship season. Cody will have to replace a host of seniors off that state title team.
“We’ve got to find the leaders and we’ll start (training camp) basically with blocking and tackling,” Cody said. “The kids seem a little soft, but I think it’s because it’s early. I think they’ll start hitting soon.”
The Roanoke Redskins will practice from 6 to 8 p.m. today. Head coach Brian Paschal, who guided the Redskins to the fourth round of the state playoffs last year, said his team will begin practice at 10 a.m. Saturday and 6 p.m. Monday.
Second-year head coach Richard Perry and his Mattamuskeet Lakers will meet today at 5:30 p.m. and then hold their first practice.
The Jamesville Bullets, under the guidance of 16-year head coach Richie Ange, will go from 6 to 8 p.m. today. Jamesville has won four consecutive conference championships and have won 23 straight conference games.
RaShawn Spencer will begin his second year as head coach of the Columbia Wildcats. The team will look to improve on last year’s 0-10 performance.
During the first three days of training camp, players will be in helmets. Players will be allowed to put on pads on the fourth day, while contact is permitted during the sixth practice.
Head coach Asim McGill, a former standout at Washington High School, and his Tigers got a jump-start on the prep football season with a midnight practice Thursday.
While most area teams will begin their first official day of training camp this evening, the Tigers were hungry to get started early, and had planned to practice until 2 a.m.
“We were really looking forward to practicing and getting started,” Williamston assistant coach John DeVeaux said. “We’re excited about the team this year. We’re trying to build on our conference championship from a year ago.”
Coach Wayne Rodgers and his Creswell Tigers were going to get an early start as well. Rodgers, about to embark on his 21st year as head coach of the Tigers, planned to practice from 8 to 10 a.m. today.
“We’re just hoping to get the kids to learn their responsibilities,” said Rodgers, who was hoping for some 20 campers. “We’re looking to get them in shape.”
The three Beaufort County football teams are all practicing this evening. The Washington Pam Pack will be the last to take the field, as coach Sport Sawyer and his troops will hit the grass at J.G. “Choppy” Wagner Stadium at 9:30 p.m.
“We just want to see the guys who are out, make sure they’re eligible and that they’ve had their physicals,” Sawyer said.
“We just want to make sure we get them in the right positions.”
Keith Boyd, the third-year head coach at Northside High School, will guide his Panthers during today’s practice, which will run from 6 to 8:15 p.m.
“We just want to establish who will be there and who won’t,” said Boyd, who had 42 players at a recent mini-camp and is looking for between 45 to 50 for the start of training camp. “We’ll be trying to plug some holes and find out about our personnel.”
The Southside Seahawks, under the direction of second-year head coach David Hines, will practice from 6 to 8 p.m.
“(I hope to) keep the interest high and get even more athletes out,” said Hines, who would like to see between 60 to 70 players attend camp. “They have shown up in good numbers this summer and it seems to be because they are interested in what we are doing both offensively and defensively, and because they are having fun being around each other.
“This summer seemed to bring a lot of the guys closer than they had been in the past. You can really tell that they care about each other. We have become a close family-oriented team, and I see that as a reason for our rise in numbers throughout the summer.”
Robert Cody, the reigning WDN Football Coach of the Year, guided his Plymouth Vikings to a N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1A state championship last year. His Vikings will take the field today at 5 p.m. and wrap up their first practice around 7 p.m.
Plymouth held a mini-camp earlier the week, which brought out 63 players.
“We have lots of kids out there,” Cody said. “The kids are remembering the plays from junior varsity so it’s going quicker than I thought. I’d like to put in the punt game by the end of the week. If I could do that, it would be great.”
The Vikings are coming off a perfect 16-0, state championship season. Cody will have to replace a host of seniors off that state title team.
“We’ve got to find the leaders and we’ll start (training camp) basically with blocking and tackling,” Cody said. “The kids seem a little soft, but I think it’s because it’s early. I think they’ll start hitting soon.”
The Roanoke Redskins will practice from 6 to 8 p.m. today. Head coach Brian Paschal, who guided the Redskins to the fourth round of the state playoffs last year, said his team will begin practice at 10 a.m. Saturday and 6 p.m. Monday.
Second-year head coach Richard Perry and his Mattamuskeet Lakers will meet today at 5:30 p.m. and then hold their first practice.
The Jamesville Bullets, under the guidance of 16-year head coach Richie Ange, will go from 6 to 8 p.m. today. Jamesville has won four consecutive conference championships and have won 23 straight conference games.
RaShawn Spencer will begin his second year as head coach of the Columbia Wildcats. The team will look to improve on last year’s 0-10 performance.
During the first three days of training camp, players will be in helmets. Players will be allowed to put on pads on the fourth day, while contact is permitted during the sixth practice.
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