Jeff Odom

After a spring filled with workouts, seven-on-seven workouts and key departure from a handful of seniors, the Steinbrenner Warriors returned to the field for a season with expectations higher than ever.

When the team opened its first full season of varsity play last season, the bar was set on a winning season, but with an injury plague that made the trainers’ room virtually standing room only, the team fought through 13 injury hardships over the course of their first three games all of which were losses. But when bright, young stars like then-freshman Jake Carroll were plucked off the junior varsity tree, the team began a tremendous turnaround including a three game winning streak and key victories over district opponents that put the team in position for a possible playoff run. However, a one-point loss at Strawberry Crest and a 45-7 loss against Robinson ended the run, but the goal spilled over into this season and with a new district in Class 7A District 7, the outlook is much brighter according to Vega.

“We’ve been picked to win our district,” said Vega. “Honestly the biggest challenge to us is going to be (Tampa Bay Tech), they’ve been out there for awhile … I think they’re going to be our biggest challenge.”

Fast forward to year number three, after failing to put up points against rival Sickles, the team worked on tweaking the offense and getting the defense ready to shut down opponents. The running backs worked on finding pockets in the defense to gain an advantage. It worked. Through the pre-game rain and a soggy field, the team pushed the running game and continued to win the battle off the line. Through the next two weeks, the team continued building on their success, winning the battle that means the most: on the scoreboard. The headaches of the past two seasons against Strawberry Crest were erased with a big 28-0 shutout on the road
in Dover, and then continued the next week against Homecoming district opponent
Freedom.

Everything seems to be clicking for the team, and according to junior running back Kendall Pearcey, that has been a major bright spot. “Everybody has confidence, everybody is giving 110 percent,” said Pearcey after the big win against the Chargers. “Playing hard, going to hit somebody every play and never giving up, that’s the key.”

As the regular season enters its final chapters in the next few weeks, the team as a whole still has the postseason on their mind, but with a newly-born consistency factor, sprinkled in with more heart and determination than in previous years, reaching the light at the end of the tunnel seems closer than ever.