Kicking off: Rain doesn't deter local teams

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on August 2, 2014 11:12 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

A little rain never hurt anyone even though the past couple of days has been more suitable for ducks than football teams.

Nonetheless, players from area schools trudged through the mud and muck as the opening weekend of the 2014 prep football season officially ended early Saturday afternoon.

Clouds opened up with downpours, but the humidity and cooler temperatures were certainly more bearable compared to the normal heat associated with August.

"I'd say five hours and 50 minutes of our practices were in downpours," laughed first-year Goldsboro head coach Bennett Johnson. "They may have been wet, but they've been fantastic, though. We've had two really good days ... great effort, great attitudes, so I don't really have any complaints."

The Cougars won just four games in 2013 and missed the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons. Eric Reid resigned in December and school administrators hired Johnson, who served as the team's offensive coordinator in 2012.

Fourteen lettermen are projected to return, including four starters on each side of the ball. But Goldsboro has to replace its entire defensive secondary as well as four of five offensive linemen.

Johnson said 50 players have reported for practice.

"We're getting better, so that's encouraging," said Johnson. "We need to get a consistent practice schedule so the kids can get acclimated (and) drill them with drills that will improve their muscle memory. We have eight coaches out there, so there are constant eyeballs on them. We really like the atmosphere we've set."

Johnson said the Cougars have to "nail down basic and offensive formations" before their jamboree scrimmage Aug. 15 at Wilson Fike. Goldsboro launches its inaugural season with Johnson at home Aug. 22 against Franklinton.

Nearly 30 players reported to "The Swamp" on opening day.

Just seven are upperclassmen.

The remainder are inexperienced sophomores and freshmen which has put Sanders -- and other area coaches for that matter -- into a teaching mode with preseason scrimmages less than two weeks away.

The Gators, however, will have an extra week to prepare for their season opener Aug. 29 against Lejeune. The remaining 10 teams in the News-Argus readership begin play the previous week.

"Teach, teach, teach ... fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals," Sanders said. "The upperclassmen are leadership-type kids who have pulled the younger guys under their wings. There is conditioning, too, because those upperclassmen, most them are going to have to go both ways."

At least 60 players have donned helmets and shorts for Southern Wayne's two preseason practices. The numbers aren't quite what head coach David Lee anticipated, but he said some players are on vacation or handling previous commitments.

Lee is turning the offensive coordinating duties over to Ronnie McClary, a former standout lineman at Goldsboro High.

"We're still a Wing-T (team), but we're going to run it out of different formations now, expanding," Lee said. "I'll handle defensive coordinator. It wasn't fair to myself or the team last year due to circumstances we couldn't control. The kids are going to get a lot more out of having two different coordinators.

"I've been really pleased with the kids' effort and focus. They're working hard and they're quality kids."

Afternoon and early-morning rains flooded North Duplin's practice field, which prompted the coaching staff to set up a two-for-one deal in Calypso on Friday evening.

The Rebels enjoyed a team meal sandwiched between two practices.

"We've had real good sessions, very enthusiastic sessions, good leadership from the upperclassmen and a good turnout from the younger guys," said ND head coach Hugh Martin, who guided the Rebels to a second-round postseason appearance in 2013.

"We're hoping to have a JV team this year. We need a few more to show up that we've seen at some point during the summer."

Martin continues to follow a philosophy that's proved critical, and beneficial, for his program. The players work in groups and break away for individual instruction, but there is little body-to-body contact -- even during the regular season -- which helps alleviate injury issues.

North Duplin is projected to return 15 starters.