By: Daniel Maiorana
The JV football Hawks’ season is underway, so look to see a determined athletic squad take the field with loads of talent. Their first week of practice has come to an end, and the team has already seen what they needed to see in order to make improvements. Their scrimmage last Thursday against the Howard Lions came to a final score of 7-7. Nico Lancashire scored a touchdown on the defensive side, intercepting the Lion quarterback’s throw. Nico’s lightning speed gave the Hawks their only score of the low-scoring affair.
The sophomores on the team were able to observe how the team played in their first game of the season and quickly noticed the team’s strengths and weaknesses. Sophomore M.B.J. Montoni was able to speak on the strengths he has seen in the first week of practice. “I would say the strengths of the team are our athleticism and our ability to execute and make big plays on both sides of the ball.” The team may not have the chemistry necessary to be successful yet, but the raw skill is definitely there. All players on both sides of the ball are very athletic which makes it easier to improve, as players will be able to adapt to any future problems thanks to their skill. Being a sophomore, Montoni says he has to “lead by example” and show the newcomers how a Hawk should be playing day-in and day-out. The elephant in the room with the 2021 season is, not surprisingly, COVID-19. The team only gets five games for the season, four less than the regular season without COVID-19.
Coaches are being faced with challenges when it comes to winning games, as they have barely seen their players in action. “I feel like our coaches are doing their best in the little amount of time we have to put the best team out on the field.” Montoni gives props to the coaches who have made the best out of the situation given to them. The coaches have spent lots of time trying to figure out who will make their team the most successful, and with only one week of practice, it has been very difficult. The Hawks look to start their season strong this Friday against the Atholton Raiders, who are known for having a very big and physical squad.
Starting March 1st, the fall season athletes have to deal with what the spring season athletes hate the most about the season. The icy temperatures can get to below freezing with big gusts of wind, and the football players are not used to these conditions when the season usually starts. Thanks to COVID-19, the season has been postponed from bright and sunny August to chilly March. Freshman Wesley Weinberg described how the first week of practices and scrimmage went. “The first week of practice wasn’t very eventful, as we learned the playbook each day of practice getting us ready for our game.” The Hawks, only having one week to prepare for the game, also dealt with canceled practices due to inclement weather. Freezing hands and tackling don’t mix well together, so the long practices were very demanding on the players. Weinberg noticed in their practices and scrimmage that the team chemistry wasn’t the best. “What we need to work on the most is our teamwork because not everyone is working together to make our team the best we can be,” he explained. Weinberg is focused on not so much his playing, but rather the overall team because with eleven players on each side of the ball, chemistry will be essential in order for the Hawks to succeed.
Overall, a very eventful first week for the JV Football Hawks that gave both good and bad things to reflect on for next week has come to a close. With the start of the regular season ahead, the team looks to keep improving each day, making sure that they are game-ready. The team is hungry to prove their worth during this COVID-19 season, and they need to make sure all cylinders are firing. Every day counts, whether it be watching film or doing drills during practice. getting better is the Hawks’ main focus for now.