“It is never easy to win a football game, or any sports game for that matter,” says previous Varsity Head-Coach, Mr. Morris. After a tough game on Friday, September 13th, nothing could be more true. With a sizable loss of 64-0 to the Edison Vikings, the SLV Cougars are licking their wounds, and preparing for the game next Saturday.
Mr. Morris went on to acknowledge that Varsity had already achieved its goal of winning one game, against the Marina Mariners, 12-41, the previous weekend, on the 7th, and he encouraged players to remember that, “Win or lose, you are learning to be part of a team, and that is never something you forget. It is a long road, and a tough season, but that is the challenge of every sport; what makes them meaningful is working through that adversity.”
Mr. Poetzinger, who replaced Mr. Morris as Varsity Head-Coach this year, said that despite what seems like a rocky start, the great part about SLV is that they “build upon each game; working tremendously hard mentally, physically, and spiritually to achieve their full potential.” Athletic Director, Mr. Mercer, who had previously been Head-Coach for this years seniors during their JV year, praised their fighting spirit, saying, “This year’s kids have a lot of speed and skill, and the challenge for this year will be to utilize it, although [he] has faith in them, especially after watching games in which, losing badly at the end of the first half, they were able to turn it around for a win.”
Unanimously, all interviewees agreed that the returning seniors this year are going to be a force to be reckoned with, with Team Captain and Running Back, Kjell Johnson, Wide Receiver Patrick Primeau, and Quarterback, Isaac Newberry being mentioned in every interview. Nicknamed “Touch-Down-Machine” by Mr. Mercer, Kjell Johnson said that while he doesn’t know what lies ahead for the Cougars, as he, “can’t see the future,” he hopes that they will win, and encourages the team to keep working as hard as they can.
Taking nothing for granted, and moving forward one game at a time, it is likely that the SLV Cougars will be back in the fray shortly, sprinting, fighting, and clawing their way to the end zone, and victory.
JV has currently won both of their games, scoring 41 points against the Marina Mariners, and winning 19 to 13 against the Edison Vikings. When asked about his expectations for the team this year, HC Kirk Jennings replied that his, “only expectation of his players is that they approach all aspects of the game, mental or physical, with purpose and enthusiasm at all times. If I can get 50 guys to do that,” he says, “we’re going to have a very special season.” Complimenting such players as Nick Salibi, Davon Northcutt, Connor Brooks, and Brighton Hart, Jennings insisted that his team remember that they are just that, a team, and hopes that they will try to uphold SLV’s reputation and tradition of being a respectable and hardworking team.
More than anything, Jennings says, “The most important thing in a game is to HAVE FUN!!!”
-Noah Chambers
The Claw 