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All photos taken by Tyler Perez.
The Varsity football team is heading into the 2015 season with high expectations, as there is much discuss about the Raiders contending for the district title.
This is a district that has been dominated by Booker T. Washington High School in recent years as they have won twelve straight district titles and three straight state titles. However,Add Media the players are not focusing on the past, as there seems to be nothing but positive vibes during practice.
“The transition has been great so far with this team as they have so much camaraderie which leads me to think that we can win districts this year and challenge Booker T,” said Back-up senior quarterback and Miami Beach High School transfer Osky Serbin.
With big expectations there are responsibilities. However the team is not letting the hype get in the way of getting the job done.
When asked about the hype going into this season Head Coach Sims, said “For elevation in our game to occur we need to aspire to a higher goal.”
The team was focused throughout their early morning practices that start at 6:30 am and go on for several hours. The dedication and desire to succeed this upcoming season was apparent from the vibe around the team and coaches.
“We just had a very tough practice that included a scrimmage, everybody has room for improvement,” said Coach Sims.
The roster may be small in numbers but whatever the team lacks in depth they make up for in raw talent and dedication. As the roster includes several Division 1 bound Athletes including four University of Miami Commits- seniors Dionte Mullins, Cedrick Wright, Joseph Jackson, and junior Robert Burns.
Some of the top players will be at skill positions like receiver which will help ease in the new starting sophomore quarterback who was a back up a year ago, Harrison Easton.
“I think the biggest strength is the wide receivers as there are a lot of go to guys, in part due to their speed, and their great hands that lead them to always go grab the ball when it’s up in the air in addition to their route running,” said Easton.
The 2014 season was full of highs and lows as the team’s performance was inconsistent. The team had wins where they dominated opponents such as wins over Archbishop McCarthy (47-15), University (53-0), and Monsignor Pace (22-0). At times they looked very underwhelming such as their losses against American Heritage (38-0) and Booker T. Washington (42-8). There was only one game in 2014, which was decided by single digits or less.
“The biggest thing is not be cohesive as a team in which we believe in each other, the systems we run, and the coaches so that the team will fight for each other, and not let the outside dictate what goes on the locker room and inside the team,” said Coach Sims.
In this upcoming season the team will play a spread, no huddle, type of offense, which will be fast paced and use a variety different formations. According to Coach Sims, on the defensive side, the team will use multiple formations, but base out of a 4-3 defense, which means four players on the defensive line and three linebackers.
This talent will be showcased in their first game against Somerset Academy High School in the preseason classic on Aug. 21 on the road.
“Of course we expect to win the game but they will be good, but we will be coming out with fire and motivation,” said Easton.
The team opens up their regular season on the road on Aug. 27 vs. Oxbridge Academy.
