Game gives glimpse into next season

As I laced up my tennis shoes and headed out the door last Friday night, I couldn’t help but smile.

Within the hour, helmets would be clanging, grass would be flying and tackles would be made.

Football had finally returned to the East County — well at least for a few weeks.

My expectations were high as I strolled onto the sidelines at Braden River for the Pirates Spring Game.

But it didn’t take long before I realized that with only eight days of practice under their belt, the odds of either team making plays worthy of the ESPN highlight reel probably weren’t very high.

Sure enough, I was right.

It was by no means what I expected, but it was exactly what the Pirates coaching staff had expected.

Sure, Braden River would have liked to come out on top, but the Spring Game and its outcome provided much more important data than stats and yardage.

It gave a glimpse at who will be starting for the Pirates this fall. It showed who the potential playmakers will be and areas where the team still needs to improve.

And selfishly, it gave me a chance to get back out on the field and experience all of the sights and sounds that come with high school football.

Luckily, The Out-of-Door Academy and Lakewood Ranch still have their Spring Games to play. And then the countdown to the season begins: 99 days until preseason.

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].