Stadium lights, concession stands, and student sections. Rushes, sacks, and scrimmage lines. Friday night football is back, and LCM is ready to dominate the field. Football Coach Eric Peevey’s team is ready to dive into the season and bulldoze their competitors.
“The main goal of the season is to continue growth each week,” Peevey said. “We’re getting better, and the overall goal is to make the State Championship.”
Peevey said he is ready to continue the team’s growth by training his many new varsity players.
The varsity players have a lot they would like to model for their apprentices. According to Peevey, senior varsity player Luke McDow has been a leader since he stepped on the field.
“I just try to be a good leader and role model for them, try to act right and show them how to be a Battlin’ Bear,” McDow said. “I hope to model being a good person, to show that it’s more than just being an athlete.”
Peevey also mentioned junior varsity player Carson Phelps doing a good job in their offensive line and being a leader. Phelps was also unanimously decided by the freshmen to be one of the best varsity mentors.
“I just show them the right stuff to do at the right times, how to work hard, and how to play hard,” Phelps said. “Just how to show toughness 24/7.”
Players also must balance a student-athlete lifestyle. Peevey, along with his team’s academic coordinators, do weekly grade checks on Mondays and Thursdays. Peevey said he wants them to understand the number one goal in all sports is to graduate high school.
“I will go to tutorials on Wednesdays and Thursdays to catch up,” freshman player Jakson Struwe said. “I really put school before football because if I can’t pass, I can’t play, so I always make sure I get to those tutorials.”
Players face more challenges than passing classes, however. Peevey said the challenge is the same every year; it is making sure the players understand the process of how a week goes. According to Peevey, the weekly schedule of coming to practice early and staying late can be hard on the body.
“Trying to adapt to the heat is hard,” sophomore junior varsity player Cohen Kalena said. “I’m trying to get used to waking up early, getting ready, and grinding on football.”
These Battlin’ Bears have overcome many challenges, even though it is still early in the season. McDow said he has overcome an ACL injury through physical therapy and working throughout the summer.
“One of my biggest challenges was becoming the starting quarterback,” senior varsity quarterback Dylan Payne said. “It was hard to learn all the plays and also know everybody else’s position because you have to know what they’re doing at the same time.”
Principal Ryan DuBose said he is excited for the Friday night lights and being able to watch his students perform because it involves so many clubs and organizations.
“My biggest inspiration is having the ability to play for a community,” Struwe said. “Playing for the guys beside you is a feeling like no other.”
The freshmen and junior varsity Bears will host the WOS Mustangs this Thursday and the varsity team will travel to WOS on Friday night.
