Summer Football is Underway!
Varsity Footbal summer practice got underway this week as the Lightning begin preparation for one of the toughest schedules they have faced yet! Eight of the nine teams the Lightning will play this year were in the 2009 playoffs. The Lightning still feel confident, even with the tough schedule, they can make another run at the Championship. The Lightning are returning some key players and that is what summer practice is all about, developing the new players.
Here's a two minute view of the upcoming 2010 season and its biggest challenges.
The Lightning will be moving to the Victory League this year where it will be very competitive. The eight Agape League trophies are in the case and now the focus will be on being competitive in the much stronger Victory League. Desert Chapel alone has won three divisional championships in four trips over the last eight years. Desert Christian (CSOD) was one of two teams to defeat the Lightning while they were in the Agape League. They have won championships is several sports in the last few years. CC Moreno Valley has a good football program that made it to the playoffs last year. So, the league games will be tough for the Lightning this year.
The big game of the pre-season will be an away game on Sept. 17th to Nevada to take on the Panthers of Pahranagat Valley HS of Alamo, Nevada. The Panthers are 56-2 over the last five years and have won 23 straight. The Panthers have won their division title 4 out of the last 5 years. The Panthers averaged 60 pts a game last year and only lost 5 players to graduation so the Lightning defense will have to play championship caliber to win this one.
If that's not enough, the Lightning will play their first home game of the season on September 24th, the very next week, against their arch rival Faith Baptist of Canoga Park. The Lightning have not beaten the Contenders since 2007 when the Lightning beat them for the 8-Man Division I title.
The Lightning and the Contenders are two of three teams in 8-man Football history to go to the divisional championships 6 times in a 10 yr period. The third team is Rio hondo Prep of Arcadia, CA.. The all- time record is 7 times in 10 years held by Templeton High school from 1978-1983. If either team makes it this year and the other doesn't they will be tied for the all time record. No pressure on the Lightning here.
Then October 29th will be a rematch of the 2009 Championship game when the Hope Center Lions will be coming to Lightning stadium with some payback on their minds. It was defense that won the game last year so look for a big defensive game from the Lightning on this one as well. The Lions did lose seven seniors to graduation but look for them to still be a force offensively.
When asked how the team was shaping up this year, 2nd year head Coach Israel Hagerman said, "It's still too early to know just how good we will be this year, but with our MVP running back Tyler Carlisle returning and our line anchored by Senior Michael Samu our offense should be solid.
Defensively I am excited about our entire secondary returning featuring last year's sophmore sensations Erik McClay, Levi Garrido and Greg Lindblom and last year's sack leader, until he got injured, Jono Sullivan. The kids are really working hard right now and that makes me feel confident we will have another successful season."
The first showcasing of this year's team will be the annual purple vs gold game held this year on Aug 21st. Call the school office for exact times of the games.
