Lehman football players (l-r) Gavin Brown, Nate Mercado and Charles Williams go through a warm-up drill during two-a-day practices Monday morning. The team will showcase its talent this week in the Lobo Kickoff scrimmage Saturday night. The kickoff is free for fans to attend. (Photo by Jason Gordon)
by JASON GORDON
Senior Matt Riojas looked out over the Lehman High practice field Monday morning and noticed more Lobo teammates than he ever has before during his career as a varsity football player.
He also took notice that this will be the last chance he and 26 other Lobo seniors have a chance to make a lasting impact on a football program that is still trying to establish a gridiron foothold in Central Texas.
“As seniors, we know we’ll never have this chance again,” said Riojas, who will play receiver and defensive end this fall. “We’re a team that’s ready to prove what we can do.”
Fellow senior Levi Medley, whom head coach Steve Davis predicts will have a big year as running back for the Lobos, agreed.
“It’s an amazing feeling to be back on the football field again as a team,” Medley said. “I think this is the team that can take Lehman to the playoffs for the first time. Focus and teamwork will be the key.”
Junior fullback/cornerback AJ Armonta said the summer didn’t last long.
“It seems like two-a-days got here pretty fast, but we were all ready though,” Armonta said. “Now we can’t wait until Friday.”
Friday is when Lehman will have its first full pads practice. The Lobo Kickoff scrimmage will take place Saturday at the Lehman practice field.
The freshman and junior varsity teams will kickoff at 7 p.m. on Saturday and after the Lobo band and cheerleaders perform in between games the varsity will kick off at 8:30 p.m.
The Lobo Kickoff is free to attend.
“When we strap pads on our chest is when football really starts,” Armonta said. “That’s when we find out who wants to hit and who doesn’t.”
Lehman head coach Steve Davis is also looking forward to this weekend.
“When we put the full pads on it separates the men from the boys,” Davis said. “We really want a good turnout from the community so we can showcase what we’ve been working on in two-a-days. It also gives us a great chance see all our players, evaluate talent and decide who might have a chance to move up to varsity and who would do better getting more playing time at the lower levels.”
Davis added while there’s still room for improvement, he’s pleased Lehman’s numbers have increased immensely over the past few years.
“Last year we graduated 17 seniors off of varsity, and this year we’ll have 27,” Davis said. “That gives us a lot more senior leadership and gives more guys the opportunity to take charge as leaders. If you don’t have a good core of senior leaders, you’re going to be in trouble.”
The Lobos will scrimmage Marble Falls and Wimberley in Wimberley August 13 and Canyon Lake High August 18 at Shelton Stadium before opening the season at St. Michael’s on August 26.
