The Cardinal football team headed to Paynesville on Saturday, Aug. 25, for scrimmage s against Paynesville and Zimmerman High School.
"It was a great opportunity for our kids to get some game-like experience," said head coach Matt Walter. "We never hit live in practice so it was fun to see our kids go at it and get physical."
Many of the varsity players this year have no varsity level experience.
"The varsity game is so much faster and physical compared to the junior varsity level," Walter said. "It takes some time for those kids to get up to speed with the game."
Walter thought the scrimmage went well.
"The kids had a blast and we improved today," Walter said. "That makes for a good day."
The Cardinal offense performed well behind the leadership and passing skills of Peyton Fobbe. Wide receivers were catching Fobbe’s spot-on passes right and left against both Paynesville and Zimmerman.
Walter indicated that the inexperience of the Cardinal defense showed early on in the Paynesville scrimmage.
"We were a little hesitant to start the day on defense," Walter said. "But they really picked it up as the day went along and took it to Zimmerman during the second scrimmage."
First game Friday night
The Cardinals open up the 2018 season with a non-district game against the Albany Huskies 7 p.m. at Cardinal Stadium.
The Cards faced the Huskies for their first game last year too. The Cards won 14-0 in a game where the Cardinal defense put on an awesome show. Along with the two goal line stands, the Cardinal defense had a fourth down stop, two fumble recoveries and three interceptions.
Albany lost 22 seniors from last year’s team.
"They are similar to us in replacing the majority of their starters from last season," Walter said.
The Huskies do return their top player from last season in fullback-linebacker Gabe Zierden.
"Albany is always physical and this year will be no different," Walter said. "They are going to be big up front and try and run the ball down your throat.
"They are extremely aggressive on defense, blitzing on almost every play.
"I think the team who turns the ball over the least, will have a big advantage on Friday night."
Rock and roll passing
On Wednesday nights, after the regular practice, the team goes up to the varsity field under the lights.
With music blasting through the loud speakers the coaches work with the special teams and go through passing drills.
"We do it to get used to tracking the ball at night," Walter said. "The kids have a lot of fun with it."
Be the first to comment