Around Iredell Sports

2008 Aug-01

Iredell County teams return to the gridiron

FROM STAFF REPORTS
They hit tackling dummies and pushed blocking sleds. They ran sprints and listened to screams of motivation — and sometimes frustration — from coaches.

But most of all, they sweated. A lot.

Iredell County’s six high school football teams hit the field Friday, taking advantage of the first day of practice statewide. Here’s a look at how things went for the teams:

LAKE NORMAN

Youth was on display Friday morning when Lake Norman kicked off its first official football practice.

Out of the 96 players — about the same as last year — who took part in opening-day practice, 55 were underclassmen.

“Some of our returning JV players, we’re looking at them to help us, possibly start, but at least give us depth on varsity,” Wildcats coach Scott Sherrill said. “They’ve been working throughout the summer with the varsity.”

The key word is “working.”

Lake Norman went through a rigorous summer training program and practiced Friday with that same intensity.

“This has been our best summer program that we’ve had,” Sherrill said. “We had a minicamp Monday and Tuesday, and it was basically the same guys who we had out there today.”

The coaching staff spent time on some basic techniques and drills, and then worked on offensive and defensive plays.

The Wildcats are coming off a 3-8 season in which they fell one victory shy of qualifying the playoffs.

“We had a good turnout and a pretty good practice for day one,” Sherrill said. “It’s been a very good, positive attitude, and the guys have been upbeat. We’re looking forward to getting the season started.”

MOORESVILLE

As usual, there was an enormous number of players on the field for the first day of Mooresville’s football practice.

The only thing bigger is the expectations.

The Blue Devils had approximately 160 players, including a huge senior class, dress for Friday’s evening practice.

“I think our seniors are a special group of kids,” Mooresville coach Barclay Marsh said. “I think they’re shooting for the stars this year. We’re aiming high, and that’s OK.”

Mooresville’s baseball field, where the football team practices, was teeming with players. It got so crowded that several had to sit by the fence and watch drills because there was no room.

“The goal of the first day is to set the tone that work ethic is very important,” Marsh said. “We’ve got so many kids, we want everyone to know that they have to carry the load.”

The Blue Devils spent time on individual drills, placed a strong emphasis on special teams and went through a skeleton passing drill before ending with a series of sprints.

“We wanted to do a lot of individual work,” Marsh said. “We don’t want them to develop any bad habits.”

Mooresville, which went 7-5 last year, hosts Bandys on Aug. 22 to open its season.

NORTH IREDELL

North Iredell took the field under the lights Friday night on the first official day of football practice.

In addition to reducing the heat factor, it serves another purpose, said North Iredell coach Shannon Ashley, who intends to begin practices regularly at 7:30 p.m.

“We’ve got to play at that time anyway,” he said. “It gets them under the lights, gets them a little bit excited about being out here.”

This is Ashley’s first year holding the reins at North Iredell. He was hired in March to replace Lee Linville, who resigned.

Ashley, who inherits a Raiders team that finished 1-10 in 2007, spent the last three seasons as Linville’s defensive coordinator. He is excited about the opportunity of seeing where he can lead the program.

“This is great,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to coach with. The kids have a great attitude. It’s what you look forward to.”

The Raiders welcomed 67 athletes for the first practice. Ashley said they were hoping for about 70 but he thinks by Monday they will hit that mark and perhaps surpass it.

“I think we had a good first practice,” Ashley added. “We’re heading in the right direction.”

North Iredell opens its season Aug. 22 at South Iredell.

SOUTH IREDELL

A handful of South Iredell players displayed a look from the past at the first practice of 2008, sporting T-shirts from the 2006 season when the Vikings advanced to the third round of the playoffs.

The team got another view of the past simply by glancing at the sidelines, which were patrolled by longtime football coach and current wrestling coach Bill Mayhew.

“Coach Mayhew wanted to come out, and we certainly could use his help,” coach Ed Masterton said. “He has a lot of knowledge and wisdom, probably more than we can comprehend.”

Mayhew will help develop some of the younger players, and there are plenty.

South dressed 81 athletes Friday, most of them underclassmen. Several could see playing time when South opens Aug. 22 against North Iredell.

“The young kids have really come out all summer and worked hard. We’ll need some of them on varsity,” Masterton said.

In his second year at South, Masterton and his staff have targeted a conference title. An increased comfort level is the first step in that direction.

“There’s a lot better comfort level,” said Masterton, who led South to a 5-7 record last year. “The big thing is, last year we had a brand new staff, not just head coach. It’s been a lot smoother.”

STATESVILLE

A shaded area guarded the backside of the school’s new practice field Friday morning as Statesville held its first official football practice.

Several onlookers flocked to the sun-shielded location.

“They were out there to check out what the Greyhounds were doing,” third-year Statesville head coach Randall Gusler said. “That was kind of neat.”

Excitement abounds for this rejuvenated program, which finished 9-4 last season — its first winning campaign since 2003 — and reached the second round of the playoffs.

Gusler is one of those brimming with enthusiasm, and Friday’s turnout did nothing to dampen his mood.

“I think the good Lord keeps blessing us,” he said.

Statesville had 102 athletes participate on opening day, up from the 72 that attended the first day last year. Gusler expects to add another eight after they complete their physicals.

Hitting the century mark didn’t surprise Gusler, whose Greyhounds open the season Aug. 29 at home against Hickory. He said 53 of his 55 potential varsity players were at summer workouts “pretty much every day.”

Their eagerness re-emerged Friday.

“I thought the intensity was higher,” Gusler said, “and there was a very businesslike attitude.”

WEST IREDELL

Opening day this year had a different feel to it at West Iredell. The Warriors were a little lean on upperclassmen.

That’s what happens when you graduate 25 seniors the previous year.

West Iredell had 82 athletes attend Friday’s first football practice, of which head coach Mark Weycker estimated only 30 were juniors or seniors.

“It’s a little different animal than it has been the last four or five years,” he said. “We do not have the same experience and the depth at this point in the season. We’ve got to establish that over the next three or four weeks.

“But we have a good solid nucleus to build around.”

The Warriors, coming off a 9-4 season, hit the field for 2½ hours Friday.

Weycker, entering his 22nd year at the helm, likes to keep it simple the first day.

“Establish a good solid routine,” he said.

West Iredell begins its season Aug. 22, when it travels to East Bend to battle Forbush. After an off week, the Warriors return to friendly confines Sept. 5 to play their home opener against South Iredell.

Weycker said that off week after the endowment game against Forbush will give his coaching staff an extra couple weeks to evaluate their freshmen and sophomore to see who might be ready for Friday nights.

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