Published Tuesday, Aug. 26, 1997
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1997 season preview
Sailors' coach faces tough task
There are two things the Lakeview High football team hasn't had over the past three years _ wins and stability.
Hoping to change that is first-year head coach Jim Walter, the Sailors' third head coach in three years and sixth in the last five years (The Sailors had co-coaches in 1994).
``I expect nothing less than the French Creek Valley Conference championship,'' Walter said. ``I deal with failure and losses as they come. I certainly don't expect them. Should we lose, my expectations will fall to 9-1. Should we lose another, they'll fall in order that way.''
Walter ran the junior high program and served as an assistant under Arthur ``Herky'' Polding last seson and saw the Sailors go 2-8, an imrovement upon 1995's 0-10 record. Lakeview is 23-44-1 in the '90s and hasn't had a winning season since going 5-3-1 in '92.
Despite having little time to build a staff Walter feels can turn the Sailors' fortunes around. He said he couldn't have put together a better staff if he had a year.
``For putting a staff together in just a couple of months, I couldn't have asked for better.''
Walter will be aided by defensive coordinator Lance Stewart, JV coach Bill Beith, John Reynolds, Gary Burke and Joe Davis.
``Having been here last year, I knew exactly what I wanted to accomplish,'' Walter said. ``We've got something good started and, hopefully, we'll be able to take a big step each year.''
They are responsible for getting a roster of 29 ready for the season opener Aug. 29 at Linesville.
``Camp has been real exciting,'' Walter said. ``The effort is there. I'm a little disappointed in the numbers. This is what I expected, not at all what I had hoped for in terms of numbers.
``Almost every position is wide open. We have two or three guys who are really fighting it out (at each position). That's pretty good with a roster of around 30.
``We have a real solid core, guys that we are pleased with in camp and the things they are doing.''
On the field Walter will look to eight seniors for leadership. Most importantly, the weight of the offense will fall upon the shoulders of quarterback Jeremy English.
``Definitely, we'll have to have leadership from him,'' Walter said. ``Thus far I'm pleased. We're on the right path with him. He's becoming more disciplined.
``In the last few years fundamentals have not been stressed here. We've been going over, from the basic 3-step drops, to every little thing. He's taken to it well and is getting on track.''
Then there is 5-8, 155-pound Matt Long who will ``handle the ball a lot'' as either a running back or flanker.
``Whatever position he ends up at he's going to have to be a workhorse,'' Walter said. ``In some capacity he's going to have to handle the ball 15-20 times a game.''
Anchoring the offensvive line is 5-10, 215-pound junior Brad Bell who is making a position switch from fullback to the offensive line. On defense, Bell will play linebacker.
``He's going to be our key to taking us where we want to go,'' Walter said.
That's a lot of pressure for a junior, but Walter thinks Bell, who has grown three inches and put on 35 pounds since last year, can handle it.
``He's going to be tough for anyone to deal with,'' Walter said. ``He's just a stud for a junior. People are going to have to account for him with one and two guys and sometimes maybe more. He runs through blocks. And his leadership, even though he's changing positions and is probably a little frustrated, we don't hear about that from him.''
A newcomer Walter said would add a bit of excitement to the Sailors' offense, is freshman Justin George. At 5-7, 170-pounds, he is the fastest man on Lakeview's roster.
``Who knows where he could end up,'' Walter said. ``I'm hesitant to start a freshman but at the same time, if he's ready to play, stick his nose in there and hit, you can't go wrong.''
Lakeview lost 13 seniors to graduation last year, and perhaps the Sailors' biggest loss was Mike Dye, a 3-sport star who excelled on the football field, wrestling mat and baseball diamond. He led Lakeview last year in scoring with 8 TDs and 59 points.
``We lost some great athletes, but we also lost some bad attitudes,'' Walter said. ``This team is real focused, real together as a team. If we can make some of our own breaks, there's no reason that we can't step through into the upper level of the conference.
``For these guys to understand what winners are, I think we have to come out expecting to win. As soon as you don't expect it, you don't have a chance.''
If Walter's enthusiastic attitude carries over to the players, and he is given a chance, Lakeview may finally have the stability it needs to resurrect the once-proud Sailor program.
