Local Prep Football Teams Ready for Full-contact Practice as Season Looms

After a long string of repetitive conditioning drills through the spring and summer, football team finally gets to do some hitting. The helmets and pads come on Thursday, and first-year coach Christian Pierce says it will be nice for the players to hit something other than a blocking pad or a sled.

“I’m excited because this feels like the season is finally starting,” Pierce said. “I took a vacation to Bermuda, and you know what? I couldn’t wait to get back because I knew this was coming.”

Pierce said the objectives are clear from this point forward.

“We want to redefine and re-establish our leaders, we want to redefine and re-establish our toughness, and we want to re-define and re-establish our winning ways,” Pierce said.

The Coyotes finished 3-7 last year after winning a total of four games over the previous four season.

Brandon Marin is the starting quarterback, but not by much because the senior is being pushed by junior Ike Fuchs.

“The snaps are going to be about 60-40 right now,” Pierce said. “They’re still competing.”

For this week, Marin will see just about all the action because Fuchs is participating in the Maccabi Games through Friday.

Pierce said he does not expect the quarterback situation to clear up until after an opening scrimmage Sept. 2 against Oak Park.

VIEWPOINT READY TO HIT, TOO

also begins hitting on Thursday, and coach Chris Adamson says the players are motivated.

“Between spring all the way through summer, we have probably had 25 to 30 practices working on techniques and skills, while the line has been hitting bags and sleds and that kind of stuff,” Adamson said. “They’re definitely ready to hit some people because that other stuff, it gets stale after a while.”

Among the objectives is to finalize the starting unit in the secondary, as several hopefuls are competing for four spots – a situation that got more crowded when Alemany transfer Dakota Williams arrived this past week.

“We’ve got good competition in the secondary,” Adamson said. “We’ve got to figure it all out.”

Adamson said Amir Karian, a senior, is the only guaranteed starter. Karian had 50 tackles last season, including 18 against Webb.

“He has had a solid spring and summer, and he deserves one of the spots at strong safety,” Adamson said.

Most importantly, Viewpoint wants to improve and become tougher after finishing 2-6-1 last season, as the Patriots are yet to win a playoff game since graduating from eight-man football in 2004.

“Obviously, we have to be more physical and a better-tackling team,” Adamson said. “We want to make a big step forward in both those areas.”

VIEWPOINT BASEBALL ALUM READY TO ROCK

Viewpoint High grad Alex Pachino, a former baseball standout, is trading in his bat and helmet for an electric guitar.

He has been acccpeted to the prestigious USC school of music, and he plans to be a pop music performer.

“It’s a pretty tough school to get into,” Pachino said. “I play guitar, and I sing, kind of more of a solo act than joining a band. I wish I could do some big gigs or have a CD, but so far I’ve just been practicing a lot in my room and writing songs.”

Pachino has been playing guitar since the fifth grade.

“I have kind of a bluesy style, kind of like John Mayer,” he said.

Pachino batted .403 with 25 stolen bases to help Viewpoint finish 21-6 this past season, and he also was 5-3 with two saves as a pitcher.