Varsity Insider: It's go time
Editor's Note: Sean Cultrera is a senior at Souhegan High School and a two-way tackle on the SHS football team. His Varsity Insider column will appear each week throughout the season.
Well, it's that time of year again. It's the time in New Hampshire when the leaves start to change colors from green to their various shades of reds, yellows, and oranges, and kids return to the classroom after enjoying their two months of freedom.
It's also time for something else. It's time for another exciting season of New Hampshire High School football across the state and for the Sabers of Souhegan High School. After spending much of August learning the offensive and defensive playbooks, the Sabers look ready for the start of the season this Friday against the Goffstown Grizzlies in "The Jungle."
It's been a great lead up to the season for all of us at Souhegan, and we're feeling very confident after strong showings in the preseason against higher-division teams like Manchester Central, Manchester Memorial, Manchester West, and Timberlane.
Many among the senior and junior classes can still remember the taste of last year's Division III state championship, and are eager to do everything to reclaim that title for a second year in a row. However, it will not be easy. Division III is always a very hard division to forecast. For instance, last year few thought Portsmouth could reach the playoffs in the preseason after going through a rebuilding phase the season before, but the Clippers rose to startle the state with their powerful new Spread offense that made planning for them a nightmare for coaches across the league.
Every year in Division III it seems like there are teams like that. Teams some had written off in the preseason, and yet others that were thought to be contenders that couldn't keep up with the hype. That's why we at Souhegan cannot afford to be cocky. Many, including the Union Leader, have written articles about how Souhegan will roll this season. However, everyone from the coaching staff on down to the freshmen are determined to not be the team that crumbles under the pressure. The coaches and captains have done an excellent job of reminding us all of last year's second-half shock as Portsmouth cut a 28-0 Souhegan lead to 28-21 before running out of clock, and we're listening.
As a whole, the team is ready to do what needs to be done. Each time one of us is tired or hurt, we just remember how even the mighty can fall, and it motivates us onward to do everything we can to be prepared and get better, whether it be by taking home copies of scrimmages and games to do some extra studying, or just giving it our all in practice day in and day out.
So for now we will continue to prepare for Goffstown this Friday, knowing that we need to take it one game at a time to reach the ultimate goal. However, despite how tough it will be, I believe we have the team to do it. With a receiving corps about 10 deep, an excellent and nasty offensive line, and great returning quarterbacks and running backs, the offense looks to have tremendous potential to make some fireworks, and with a defense that has yet to be burned in the preseason we look to stop teams in their tracks.
It should be an interesting season, but we all know deep down that we can make it back to the Big Show, and that is what fuels us for the Grizzlies this Friday night, under the lights.
