MACON — The 2011 season is only two weeks old, but Central Academy football coach Ronnie Sciple already has enough gray hair.
Sciple doesn”t want any more, so he hopes the Vikings can shake their penchant for late-game heroics at 7 tonight when they take on Delta Academy.
“I don”t know how they have (won two games), but they have done it,” Sciple said. “It worked out just perfect, except for the part that we should have been ahead when we got there.”
Sciple was referring to Central Academy”s 24-22 victory last week against Calhoun Academy. The Vikings trailed in the fourth quarter before senior Britt Reynolds forced a fumble. Central Academy capitalized — barely — as senior quarterback Cole Newman scored on a 4-yard run on fourth-and-goal.
Coupled with a come-from-behind 22-14 victory against Calvary Christian in the season opener, Sciple feels the Vikings (2-0), the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools 2010 Eight-Man runner-up, are living a charmed life.
“As far as statistics, we should have had more than 24 points,” Sciple said. “We gave up a touchdown on a kickoff return and we had a touchdown called back (against Calhoun).
“Calvary is a good team. Calhoun is a good team. Calhoun ha a lot of juniors and sophomores. They”re going to be really tough, but I have six seniors, and I expect a little bit more than what has been happening.”
Sciple said the Vikings have been sluggish in the first half, possibly due to its success last season. Kemper Academy was the only team to beat Central Academy last season, and both squads figure to contend for playoff spots this season.
Given his team started slowly in the opener, Sciple thought his team would respond better last week. It didn”t. This week, he hopes the fact that the Vikings are nursing some bumps and bruises will help them to be more focused.
“I was thinking we would have a lot better showing than we did, but don”t take anything away from Calhoun,” Sciple said. “But these boys love to make an older man out of me quick.
“We could just as easily be 0-2 as we are 2-0. If that boy doesn”t fumble right here (Sciple said pointing the spot on the Vikings” field) and if a kid doesn”t slip in the end zone on fourth-and-goal, we lose that game. Against Calvary, we won that game on a screen pass. The coach is hollering on the other sideline, ”Watch the screen, watch the screen,” and the kid blitzes by. If he stays at home, he might pick that off. We”re not near as intimidating as we were last year when we walk on the field.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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