Veterans Will be Key for LS Football Team

Experience and health equal confidence for this year's Lincoln-Sudbury High School football team.

The Warriors are hoping this confidence will lead to a Dual County (Large) championship.

"This preseason we have looked the best I have seen in a few years," said junior quarterback Matt Cahill. "We got a whole plethora of guys we can go out and use."

The Warriors, who finished last year 5-6, started the season with three of the team's captains injured and a receiving core that did not have a single varsity reception. While the Warriors do not have many seniors returning as starters, they do have seven juniors with starting experience.

"We are surrounding (Cahill) with experience," said head coach Tom Lopez. "Last year we were surrounding him with inexperience."

Cahill spent last preseason competing for a starting position. This year the quarterback feels more confident with his team, himself, and the Wing-T offense.

"Last year was a great learning year," said Cahill. "This year I feel a lot more confident and comfortable with the guys I have around me."

Protecting Cahill will be senior linemen Zach Smerlas, 6 feet and 270 pounds, and Mark Vogel, 5 feet 11 inches and 230 pounds.

"We have a lot of speed and a lot of ability to break out," said Smerlas. "For the most part I think we have better linemen."

The Warriors prepared for this season with a scrimmage against Wellesley High School on Saturday. Lopez noticed strength in his team's secondary, but believed there was room for improvement in both tackling and pass routes.

"We noticed little things such as the splits in our lines, but those little things are correctable" said Lopez. "If the kids continue to work hard, we will be OK."

The warriors have two weeks of practice before the season begins Sept. 10 in Tewksbury. The football team is using this time to work out the kinks.

"(Summer) practice gives you time to come out as a team and see what you are able to do," said Cahill. "Last Friday we came out flat and had a tough practice in the morning.

"The second practice we were hitting people, yelling, running around and flying after the ball."

Smerlas believes a strong start will be crucial to the team's DCL success.

"Last we just started out flat and we did not feel as close," said Smerlas. "This year we got to keep doing what we are doing and use the first couple games to build our confidence level."

While Lincoln-Sudbury is confident, they are not cocky. Cahill noted that there are no easy games on the team's schedule this year.

"We do not have the talent to go out and play an average game and expect to win," said Cahill. "If we play, hard we can win ball games. But we got to go out there and work as hard as we can every game."

Lincoln-Sudbury 2010 Varsity Football Schedule

Friday             September 10                        Tewksbury                 Home              7:00 PM

Thursday       September 16                        Marshfield                  Home              7:00 PM

Friday             September 24                        Masconomet              Away               7:00 PM

Friday             October 1                                Wayland                     Home               7:00 PM

Friday             October 8                                Concord-Carlisle        Away              7:00 PM

Friday             October 15                             Reading                      Home                7:00 PM

Friday             October 22                             Waltham                     Home              7:00 PM

Friday             October 29                             Westford Academy   Away             7:00 PM

Friday             November 5                          Acton-Boxboro          Home              7:00 PM

Friday             November 12                       Boston Latin              Away               7:00 PM

Thursday       November 25                       Newton South            Home            10:00 AM