Ravenscroft football
Ravens ready to roll
Recent game film for Ravenscroft football team's next opponent — Louisburg High — is mighty hard to come by.
In fact, no such tape even exists.
The Warriors didn't play last week, making Friday's match-up their season opener.
Ravenscroft head coach Ned Gonet said there are advantages and disadvantages to being Louisburg's first game — it all depends on your perspective.
"We do have a little bit of an advantage because we do have a game under our belts," the coach explained. "We have that out of the way, and our younger guys have some experience. Now, the disadvantage, they have a good coaching staff up there, and well, there's a lot of unknowns."
With very few specifics on the Warriors, Gonet has focused on the "knowns" entering the contest.
"They are going to be well-coached, they will be physical and they are going to be aggressive," he said. "And they have athletes who at any time can take it the distance. We understand that they have been a good team the last few years — contending for state championships — and that they've won a bunch of games."
So that's all Ravenscroft knows about Louisburg, but maybe it should be the Warriors who enter kickoff a little leery. Not only did the Ravens win their first 2009 contest, they dismantled Northern Vance 40-6.
Ravenscroft thrived in every phase of the game as RB Connor Gonet rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns, Temple Sloan returned a punt for a touchdown — and later added a TD run — and Cole Olive recorded a safety.
Right from the start, the Ravens came out firing, tallying 33 first-quarter points.
Gonet — though obviously pleased with the victory — cautioned that not every contest will be as one-sided in the future. The long-time coach reasoned the contest just got away from the Vikings, and they never caught up.
"I'm not sure we're that dominating," he admitted. " When you put that many points up — having been on the other side of that — it's hard to recover. The next two or three weeks you will be able to tell what type of football team we have. We have some huge challenges in the next month."
But the coach doesn't mind the shot of confidence the victory gave his squad.
"It's always huge to get that first win," he said. "It helps the mentality of the team."
First-year varsity QB Quinn Billerman managed the game with a veteran's feel, and completed 8 of 13 passes for 117 yards. While they aren't Earth-shattering numbers, it's exactly what the Ravens' coaching staff wants from the sophomore.
"I'm proud of him for stepping up and taking over the reins," Gonet said. "On Friday, he did what he does best: he ran the football team and the offense. He understands the offense and we kept things simple.
"Plus, he threw for a high percentage and that's what we're looking for."
Gonet lauded the play of the Ravens' offensive line Friday, especially considering starter Monroe Brown was sidelined because of an injury. But Chris Struthers, Austin Moorman and Walter Scott — all experienced returners — stepped up to the challenge.
The trio's leadership helped bring along younger players like junior Nicholas Ritcher and sophomore Matthew McDowell.
"We challenge our linemen to understand the plan of attack and to play hard between the whistles," Gonet said. "We have really emphasized technique, too. We got the size, we have the experience, it's just putting it together."
If 40-6 isn't a finished product, the Ravens' upcoming opponents might be in a world of trouble.
The Ravens' game at Louisburg kicks off at 7:30 p.m.
