Phoenix hitting the road for opener
Sonoraville visits Model for tough non-region test
After sitting out of the action this past Friday, the Sonoraville Phoenix have spent the past two weeks gearing up to square off against the Model Blue Devils on the road for the first contest of its regular season slate on Friday night.
The Phoenix, under the guidance of new head coach Denver Pate, topped the crosstown rival Gordon Central Warriors 28-0 in a preseason scrimmage two weeks ago. While there are still some kinks to work out, Pate said he was pleased with his team’s competitive drive. He was also able to gain valuable insight on the strengths and weaknesses of his personnel.
“The scrimmage really allowed me to see who can make plays under the lights in those crucial, high-pressure situations,” Pate said. “It’s good to know that our guys got a few snaps under their belts, and I think we left that game a lot more prepared for the season.”
Heading into practice this week, Pate said he remains focused on nailing down a few fundamentals on both sides of the ball in preparation for the early-season contest against Model.
“Offensively, we have spent the past couple of days working on our execution,” Pate said. “During the scrimmage, we had some issues that we needed to clean up in the passing game and running game, so we have been focused on fixing those this week.”
“On the defensive side, we have to nail down our assignments. We have to continue working on being in the right spots and getting to where we need to be to stop the opposing offense.”
Sonoraville has also spent the week getting healthier, with starting running back Tristan Key completing his recovery from a lingering leg injury. He should be a fullgo against Model. This Friday’s clash will also be the first regular season appearance for the Blue Devils, who fell 42-0 in a preseason exhibition against an explosive Cedartown unit.
Pate had the opportunity to study the game tape from the scrimmage and acknowledged that even though Model lost a number of important players from last year’s team, they still have plenty of athleticism at a variety of positions that the Phoenix will have to contend with.
“Even though they start a lot of young players, we have to be on top of our game Friday,” Pate said. “They lost a lot of productive leaders in the offseason, but they still have a lot of speed and skill, and they will give us their best effort. They are still trying to figure out their identity just like we are.”
Sonoraville’s offense will once again be anchored by the dynamic quarterback Patrick Moore and the shifty running back duo of Key and Matthew Vincent. To earn a victory on Friday, Pate noted that it is paramount that his offensive personnel keep their hands on the ball whenever they have the chance.
“First and foremost, we have to maintain possession of the ball on offense,” Pate said. “We have to eliminate turnovers and execute. It is also important for us to establish leverage on the offensive line and block well in order to get our running game going early.”
Defensively, Pate said he’s expecting his players to attack the ball quickly and limit the big play opportunities that a team like Model that has quick playmakers often score on.
“We expect our defensive guys to fly around and make decisive plays on the ball,” Pate said. “Some of our younger guys will get some snaps, but that is a good thing because they are hungry. We just have to make sure we stick to our assignments to prevent any long scoring plays.”
The contest is set to begin at 7:30 p.m. at Model High School.
Prediction:
Sonoraville seems to have a significant edge in experience on the offensive side of the ball. I expect them to jump out to an early lead by establishing their potent rushing attack, and never looking back. The Phoenix will begin the season on a high note, defeating the Blue Devils convincingly.
Sonoraville
Score:
wins, 35-7.