Gameday Poll #16- Lions Try To Bite Back
Tallwood’s Marquis Sherrod and the rest of his squad are bracing for Beach District competition in 2009-10, which the Lions open Sept. 3 at Kempsville.
Before last season even started, Tallwood's football team had taken a beating; many of the players who'd helped the Lions to an 8-2 season in 2007 finished up their senior years.
Hampered by youth in 2008-09, Tallwood stumbled to a 4-6 year, including Kempsville's only victory of the season. As his eleventh round of Beach District Friday nights rolls toward him, coach Thad Harold knows his team isn't quite all the way back.
"We're very good at the skill positions, like quarterback, wide receiver, running back, and defensive back," says Harold, "but our line has to develop fast; we don't have any (returners) on the offensive line; on the defense, we have one." Still, with over 90 potential players coming out for this year's squad, he's got quite a bit to choose from - and Lance Waddell and other players are already seeing the momentum swinging back toward Tallwood.
"Our linemen have progressed since the beginning of the season in the weights," he said. "Last year, I only played three games. I want to play all 10 games this year, and get more catches and touchdowns."
But before practice even began, the Lions were working out in and out of the weight room, said fullback George Joyner.
"Our team's weakness last years was a lack of unity," Joyner said. "We've been doing car washes and things to get together. I've improved my vision and tackling."
He'll get to try it out in a revenge shot when Tallwood opens its season at Kempsville Sept. 3 (the Lions have a bye the first week of the season).
"Last year, I didn't do as well as I thought I would, tackling-wise," admitted free safety Byron Mitchell, about to start his final season on the Tallwood fields. "We'll do better than last season. We've got a lot of strong players coming up from JV."
At quarterback, Robert Brown leads an offense still in creation, though Harold has large expectations for running back Marquis Sherrod, and fellow back Nate Driver is anxious to get running after an injury-plagued 2008-09.
"I've been going to a lot of camps and working out," said Driver, who missed four games last year. I've progressed a lot over the summer."
Brown (along with Harold, Sherrod, and the rest of the Lion community) wants to see that progression continue.
"Last year, I played a couple of games, so it's not like I'm fresh meat in there," said the Tallwood snap-taker. "I think I can lead my team to some victories."
