Posted by Dylan Savela,
Manistee News Advocate
August 12, 2013
ONEKAMA — The Portagers practiced in waves Monday evening, as three offensive units took turns stepping up to the line of scrimmage.
While age and varsity seasoning determined the makeup of these groups, knowledge of the system wasn’t as much of a separation.
Onekama’s work at the younger levels is coming to fruition at the varsity, coach Jim Hunter said, and that was evident on the first official day of practice.
“It’s nice this year, because we’ve been running our camp, doing the Pop Warner thing for a few years, and the difference between what we covered tonight and what we’ve done in the past is light years,” he said. “For the few kids who haven’t been part of that, all they have to do tonight is watch when the first group runs it right.
“We’re not correcting 90 mistakes anymore,” he added. “Even the younger group had kids who have run this stuff now for two or three years, and that makes a huge difference. It was nice to see.”
Hitting the ground running is essential in the football season, considering games start in less than three weeks. The Portagers have always emphasized a strong start to the schedule, but were unable to gain traction until late last season. After an 0-3 start, the young Onekama squad finished 3-6.
Quarterback Tyler Johnson is part of the returning core, and said the first day of practice is about getting everyone on the same page.
“It’s basically a learning day,” he said. “You want to get your footwork back, and you really want to get all the new guys accustomed to the offense. Even us, we take it as a chance to relearn some things.”