Sanderson football
Sanderson's Derrick Powell (left) is one of several athletes the Spartans plan to utilize on offense this year. Although not big, Powell could add plenty of pop to the squad's running game.
Spartans ready to strap it up
With two solid scrimmages behind them, first-year Sanderson head coach Tony Lewis and the Spartans are ready to kickoff the 2009 football season Friday night.
Sanderson opens its schedule with Athens Drive, a likely contender in the Tri-9 Conference.
The Spartans got the better of the Jaguars last fall, recording a 46-34 victory in the fourth week of the season. But as any coach will tell you, last year's results carry no weight.
And with a new coach, several new assistants and new offensive and defensive schemes,
Sanderson won't look much like its 2008 version anyway.
"It's time to find out where we are at, and find out who we are as a team," Lewis said Wednesday. "It's time to strap up and see who we are."
That's a question a lot of programs are asking themselves right now.
Just a few days removed from opening night, Lewis said he's comfortable but not yet content with Spartans' progress.
"Overall, I am very pleased. I am pleased with our effort. It is where it needs to be," the coach explained. "With that being said, we are not there yet. There are certain things that we need to fix."
Lewis and his coaching staff has emphasized education during the preseason, and during last week's scrimmage in Harnett Central, the group used any available downtime to reinforce details.
After an offseason full of conditioning, training and practice, Lewis said his Spartans are just excited to be facing someone besides themselves.
"You can only measure yourself so much in the scrimmages and playing against yourself," Lewis said.
The first game of the season carries more uncertainty than another week on the schedule because game film is of little use, and information about opponents is limited.
Lewis traded tape with the Athens Drive staff, but explained only so much can be determined from a video of a scrimmage.
"You don't get to see special teams, people are wearing different jersey numbers, and you can't figure out what their tendancies are," the coach said. "There is a lot of information that you'd like to have but you don't get."
(
New Athens Drive transfers Pete Singer and Rob Crisp — both Division-I prospects, formerly of Chapel Hill High — didn't participate in the exhibition and weren't on tape.)
What Lewis does know is the Spartans have plenty of weapons of their own, notably Matt James, Chris Lampkins, Kevin Ott, August Jones and Derrick Powell on offense.
If the offensive line can provide first-year QB starter Sam Bauckham time to make the right reads, Sanderson should put up points in a hurry.
Defensively, the Spartans look to pressure the quarterback, utilizing the speed and depth of its linebacker corps, led by senior Brandon McCain. While Sanderson may lack the wide bodies on the defensive line, the squad showed great quickness penetrating upfield and laterally in its scrimmages.
Friday's kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m., with the Spartans schedule to enter the stadium at 6:50 p.m.
Check NorthRaleighSports.com this weekend for a detailed article of the Spartans' opener.
