Second-year Spring Creek head football coach Ron Wise, left, has a spirited discussion with two players during a practice in ‘The Swamp.’ The Gators entertain Hobbton on Friday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
SEVEN SPRINGS — The two-week wait is over.
Spring Creek is chomping at the bit for a gridiron battle and it will come Friday at home against Hobbton.
Kickoff is 7 p.m. in “The Swamp.”
“I’m ready to go,” second-year SC head football coach Ron Wise said. “I wish the game was today. I want to get our guys on on the field, want them to have that energy they had against Lejeune. We were firing on all pistons.
“Am interested to see our kids come out and match that intensity.”
A long lightning delay kept the teams in the locker room.
When play started, Spring Creek seized a 6-0 lead before Mother Nature’s anger intensified and suspended the game. The makeup is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 27 in Seven Springs.
Since that outing on Aug. 30, Wise and his staff have examined game film – particularly from a season-opening loss at Lakewood. Admittedly, there were bright spots.
At the same time, the coaches noticed fundamental things that needed addressing in practice.
“That’s in the past,” Wise said. “[In practice], we’re trying to keep our plays fresh with repetition – wide receivers’ first step, running backs pressing the line, our linemen’s first step [to block], defensive line getting off the ball quick.
“We’ve been able to get a few things done. I’m seeing a lot of improvement, things that kids were able to do last season, they’ve adjusted.”
Junior lineman/tackle William Zapata and senior tight end/outside linebacker have been named captains. Wise anticipates granting two or three additional players that honor within the next couple of days.
Freshman Rennie Street Jr. and Pablo Zapata have raised their respectively level of play. Zapata had six solo tackles against Lakewood. Malachi Moore has drawn praise. Nysir Kenon, a freshman, continues to show flashes of promise on both sides of the ball.
Wise added that efforts from sophomore tackle/LB Angel Castaneda, sophomore two-way starter Peyton Summerlin, quarterback Darius “DJ” Deal and Brennan Chambers have began to increase their level of play.
“Someone who has really surprised me, though, are Christian Lopez and Zay Johnson,” Wise said. “They’ve raised their level as well.”
Lopez and Johnson are linebackers.
Wise wants to see the same intensity and high energy level his team displayed against Lejeune when Hobbton visits Friday. The Wildcats ended an early-season, two-game slide last week and look to build momentum from that victory.
“We’re going to be ready, put our best product on the field and be ready to play,” Wise said. “[Against Lejeune] all pistons were firing for the first time since I’ve been here and we looked good. [We] implemented things learned from the Lakewood game and they worked during the Lejeune game.
“We expect to play hard and win every game.”
Spring Creek looks to halt a 16-game skid. The Gators’ last emerged victorious in 2022 — a 52-50, triple-overtime conquest of Union.
You may reach Rudy Coggins at prepswriter2@gmail or call/text 919-709-9257.
