Pioneers on track as opener nears
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Wrapping up three days of camp on Wednesday afternoon, and traveled to Murfreesboro Thursday, for a joint practice with the Siegel Stars followed by a three-way scrimmage with Davidson Academy.
Madewell and his staff were pleased with the results of the scrimmage, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
“Defensively we looked good, especially our linebackers — they did a great job and delivered some big hits,” Madewell said of Thursday’s performance.
“Even offensively, we looked good at times. We moved the ball 3 or 4 yards at a time, and I can’t remember ever getting caught in the backfield.”
As for the first three days of camp, while Madewell admitted his team’s enthusiasm wasn’t as consistent as he would have liked it to be, when challenged, the Pioneers answered their coaches’ call. That was proven especially true on Tuesday, when — after a sub-par morning practice — coaches elected to bring the team back onto the field for a late-night repeat performance.
“When we went back out Tuesday night, that was the best practice we had all camp,” Madewell said. “The guys enthusiasm was up, and they went out and had fun while still working hard.”
If there is a down side to the Pioneers’ preseason thus far, it’s a high number of injuries — especially on the line. But on the bright side, the program will get at least one of its injured players back this week in Conova Qualls, who had been sitting out after undergoing surgery earlier this summer.
“The injuries have put us a little bit behind, mainly because it’s forced us to put some people in big roles who we normally wouldn’t expect to start,” Madewell said. “Hopefully we’ll get some guys back on the field soon, but it takes time and that’s just something we have to deal with.”
Overall, Madewell said as the team begins its normal after-school practice schedule this week — which will include a trip to Mt. Juliet for a Tuesday scrimmage — they will focus mainly on proper execution of what the players have already learned.
“Defensively we’re right at where we need to be, but we still have some work to do,” he said. “Offensively we’re not to far from where I’d like to be, either. If we can get a block here, or keep from making the wrong step there, we’ll be fine. It’s those kinds of little execution things we need to work on fixing the most.”
The 2005 Pioneer season begins Aug. 19, with a home game against Bradley Central.