Published: August 20, 2008 08:30 am         

Tigers face early challenges this season

Lebanon — There is going to be no easy road for the Lebanon football team this year.

The first two games of the season are going to serve as an early barometer of how good head coach Kent Wright’s team is.

The Tigers open up the season with Mooresville, a 7-1 team a year ago and then play Carmel, the defending state champions and No. 1 ranked team in the state.

“We expect to get better as the season goes on,” Wright said. “Obviously playing Mooresville and then Carmel is not going to be easy, but we will learn a lot about our team in the first couple of weeks.”

Wright’s team has looked good so far in the scrimmages and practices and it could be a good year for Lebanon in the Sagamore Conference.

The conference race is one that should be wide open, Wright said, with a lot of teams having an opportunity to win the conference championship.

“I think Frankfort is going to be a very good team,” Wright said. “The other key players are Crawfordsville and Tri-West, but the race is really wide-open.”

The Tigers are going to be anchored on offense by the return of sophomore quarterback Matt Beard.

Other key returners on offense are going to be running back John Sickles and wide receivers Austin Swafford and Win Jester.

The defense is going to be helped by the return of Andy Stevens and Caleb King.

The early season has shown Wright the early strength of his team — the defense.

“They really have been flying to the ball in practice and the scrimmages,” Wright said. “They have been getting to the ball and making plays.”

If there has been a downside to the beginning of the season it would be the level of intensity not always being high.

“We are not always staying motivated throughout the game,” Wright said. “We go in and out. We have to stay motivated and energetic every play if we want to compete at the highest level.”

     

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.