When: Friday, September 4th 7:30 P.M.
Where: Lincoln High School
Game Coverage:
It’s finally game week. For players it means the chance to have all their offseason preparation translate into an on-field product. For coaches, it provides the chance to see just how much work needs to be done to get their teams playing playoff caliber football. For fans, it means having the chance to see their favorite team in action for the first time this year.
The Grant High football team is no exception to this as they get ready to take on the Lakeridge Pacers. As a result of the absence of lights at Grant Park and the city putting a limit on the number of fall sporting events Grant could host at the bowl, the Generals will be playing a home game at Lincoln High School this Friday night. I’ll go into more detail on why it’s a travesty that the Generals can’t play night games at their home field later this week, but for now let’s focus on this week’s opponent.
Lakeridge is coming into the year off of a second round playoff exit last season at the hands of Sherwood. The graduation of current Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey and the loss of Massen Newton won’t leave the Pacers helpless this season, but they will have a lot to prove in the tough Three Rivers League. First year coach Elvis Akpla is confident that senior Keaton Wood can adequately replace Dungey, praising the dual-threat’s playmaking ability during fall camp.
For Grant, this opening game will reveal a lot about this year’s team. Being able to compete with a team with a successful track record over the past few season’s will be huge for the relatively young Generals. Randy Heath heads into his first game as a head coach in 15 years, but has long been considered one of the best and most aggressive defensive minds in the state and we can expect nothing less when Friday rolls around.
One of the more intriguing questions the Generals will have to answer this season is how will Grant Ewell Jr. replace Michael Waters’ offensive production? Ewell came up at the end of last season to practice with the varsity and showed an impressive skill set on both sides of the ball. Look for this dynamic sophomore to be a key component for the Generals this year.
A couple final notes before we get to the keys to this week’s game. First, our game has been nominated for the KGW Game of the Week. You can continue to vote through Wednesday at 1 P.M. and KGW will announce the winner during the 11 o’clock news Wednesday night. There’s no limit on the number of times you can vote, so help to get our Generals on the map to start out this season!
Second, were excited to announce we will be bringing you live coverage of games this season via the application: Periscope. With this app we can livestream games, practices, and interviews with coaches and players. Download the app and follow @grant_fb to watch live coverage of your Generals. Can’t be there to watch the coverage live? We’ve got you covered, as broadcasts from Periscope are available to watch for 24 hours from the time they are initially streamed.
With that being said, let’s take a look at this week’s keys to the game.
Limit big plays: Last season, the Generals had trouble limiting the amount of explosive plays for opposing teams, especially in key situations. If Grant wants to make a deep run this season it starts with setting a tone this Friday night that teams won’t be able to have big plays that can change the outcome of the game.
Dominate the line of scrimmage: One thing all elite teams in Oregon have in common is that they own the point of attack. Having a talented defensive backfield means nothing if the front seven aren’t wreaking havoc for the opponent.
Play fast: Bringing in Dom Ferraro from Westview was a great decision on the part of Heath, as the Ricky Bobby offense puts pressure on the defense on every play. However, if the players don’t play fast it will allow Lakeridge to get comfortable with the tempo of the game which would limit the number of explosive plays the Generals could make.
Communicate: It doesn’t matter if you have the best players in the state, if they don’t communicate effectively on the field then they will get beat. On both sides of the ball the Generals have to communicate and have all eleven players on the same page.
Enjoy the moment: You’re only guaranteed nine chances to strap it up on a Friday night. Taking advantage of the opportunity to make a statement to the rest of the state is vital for the Generals this week, but that can’t take away from the fact this game is meant to be fun.
That’s all for today everyone. Be sure to check back in throughout the week for updates on everything to do with Grant football.
Go Generals!
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