Gators' football team eager to build on season-opening win
By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on September 5, 2014 1:49 PM
rcoggins@newsargus.com
SEVEN SPRINGS -- Logan Miller knew the history even if Spring Creek head varsity football coach Aaron Sanders never mentioned it to the team.
It's a moment he won't forget.
A senior quarterback, Miller threw his first-ever varsity touchdown and directed another scoring drive during the Gators' 19-0, season-opening triumph over Lejeune last Friday evening.
The victory snapped SC's 12-game skid in season-opening affairs.
"12 years," a grinning Miller said. "I think last year winning three games, we hadn't done that in a while (and) it kind of showed us that we could win. This year we've come out and we're more positive, we believe in ourselves more.
"We wanted this game, wanted it bad."
Even when disaster nearly struck in the third quarter, the Gators -- unlike previous years -- showed a fortitude that Sanders has been waiting to see during his coaching career. They didn't wilt from turnovers on consecutive possessions.
Instead, they turned the negative into a positive.
After Miller tossed his second interception of the quarter, the Spring Creek defense answered three plays later. Jordan Hicks picked off a Lejeune pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown.
"(Not folding) goes back to the demeanor and disposition of our football players this year," said Sanders, who has just 10 upperclassmen on the roster.
"All 10 are kids who have been with us for four years. They have put in time in the weight room, put in time during the offseason. Those young men have a vested interest and they're not going to shut it down just because something went wrong."
The Devilpups coaxed the Gators into two turnovers and permitted just four third-down conversions in 12 attempts. Spring Creek, however, cobbled out two drives that erased nearly 15 minutes off of the clock and wore down Lejeune.
The grinded-it-out mentality kept Sanders' defense fresh.
SC managed 164 yards of total offense and averaged 3.7 yards per play. Sanders' team committed three of its four penalties in the opening quarter.
"We made some mistakes," Sanders said. "We've got a lot of young guys out there. There's going to be times where you look really good and times where you struggle a bit."
The Gators snapped a three-game losing streak against Lejeune and a seven-game skid overall against Coastal Plains 1-A Conference opposition. They'll attempt to beat East Carteret for the first time in six meetings tonight.
Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.