Published: August 04, 2008 11:51 pm            

Positive thinking

Huskies focus on team, newfound numbers at first day of practice

RACHEL — While one big, unwanted number still hangs over Gerry White and his North Marion football team, the longtime coach maintains a sunny outlook on things.

Take Monday, where, as is the norm this time of year, positive thoughts filled the humid August air.

• He talks about the Huskies’ quarterbacks, three-deep — Cody Morgan, Quint Cochran and Shawn McCoy all could see time — with loads of potential.

• He talks about a young offensive line that “may be as good as we’ve had in a while.”

• And perhaps most important, after working with a minuscule Class AAA roster two seasons ago, North finally has some depth on its side.

A total of 45 players attended Monday’s opening day of practice, and to be perfectly honest, White expected more to show.

“It’s about the same as last year,” White said. “We had six sophomores that didn’t show up that practiced with us in June. Really, I was looking for around 50, which would’ve been the best numbers we’ve had since probably (the early 1990s).”

Those numbers — a significant improvement over the ’06 Huskies, who began camp with a paper-thin 34-man roster — will provide additional building blocks after consecutive 0-10 seasons.

Offensively, North showed what it may be capable of during 7-on-7 tournament play earlier in the summer.

“I think (it was positive), because it’s something that’s never been our strength, spreading things out and throwing the ball around,” White said. “We’ve never had those types of kids.

“We’ve had hard-nosed, tough, physical kids. We’ve made a living with that over the years. So, if you can go out and have a little success at something we’re not supposed to be good at, it’s encouraging.”

Believe it or not, White is also encouraged with what took place last year, not to mention his nine returning starters.

“Last year, we didn’t win any games, but we had a good bunch of kids. We started with 43 and finished with 41, and I thought, ‘You know, that’s a measure of success coming from where we were the year before.’

“We didn’t have a great showing on the field, although we were competitive and had a chance to win three or four games. We lost a lot of kids, as far as who were players for us, but we’re encouraged with the young kids we have coming.”

Yes, there’s optimism all around, and for good reason, but will it be enough to get that winning feeling back?

White believes so, though he’s certainly not forcing the issue.

“We try not (to talk about it),” White said of the long losing streak. “There’s no use to dwell. It’s in the past and was just something that’s happened. If someone told me five years ago we’d lose 20 football games in a row, I’d tell them they’re crazy.

“We talked about it (Monday) in our first meeting. I told them you’ve got to forget about everything that’s happened in the past — whether it’s the good and winning state champions or being 0-20. You’ve got to forget that. This is your team and what you make out of it is up to you guys. And that’s the approach we’re going to take.”

NOTES: West Fairmont coach J.L. Abbott said the Polar Bears had 66 players (49 varsity and 17 freshman) report Monday. Abbott expects the total number, the highest since his arrival in 2005, to increase by as many as seven. ... East Fairmont had 71 total players to open camp with 53 varsity and 18 freshmen.

E-mail Nick Cammuso at ncammuso@timeswv.com.

        

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