HONAKER, Va. – Area High School football practice begins this Thursday, July 30. Most, if not all, schools have been working non-stop except for VHSL ‘dead periods’ in the weight room and at numerous 7-on-7 competitions.
The Tigers are similar, having worked hard after finishing 7-5. Honaker defeated Northwood in Region 1D playoffs but then lost to Eastside in a regional semifinal.
“We’ve had a good summer,” Honaker coach Aaron Lowe said. “All the kids have worked hard since January in the weight room to get stronger. Coach Dave Honaker has done a good job with our weight room this offseason. We started 7-on-7s in June and continued through July.
“Our kids competed. They understand what we have to do.”
The Tigers have been in approximately 32 games this summer, losing only five. What has been the biggest surprise?
“It’s been the kids’ attitude and how hard they’ve worked,” commented Lowe. “They’ve been here. As coaches, that’s what we want. We want them here and working. The linemen have been working hard to get stronger. Coach Lucas O’Quinn has had our O and D-lines out here four days a week to get the work in. The kids are trusting the process and working hard. That’s where it all starts.”
There is no doubt where Honaker needs the most improvement. They allowed opponents to score more than 31 points per game last season. In their five losses, the opposition scored more than 41 points per game.
“Coach Jeremy Miller has done a great job with the defense this off-season,” Lowe stated. “Defense is our biggest concern. We’ve made sure our kids know that. Coach Miller has implemented some things and made it a high priority. It’s a mindset. We have to play the Honaker brand of defense. There are no other options. We have to be good defensively.
“At the end of the day, you have to be good in all three phases of the game. The kids understand that.”
On Aug. 15, the Tigers will play in a preseason Jamboree at UVA-Wise. Honaker will host Lee High in a Benefit Game on Aug. 21, before the Russell County Coal Bowl, when they host Lebanon on Aug. 27.
“The kids have bought in and understand the task at hand,” noted Lowe. “You want your summer work to catapult you right into the season. I think we got a lot done this summer with great numbers.”
Keith Ray | For the Lebanon News
1. Cole Morrison (19) picks up yardage on the outside against Ridgeview.
2. Tyler Hubbard (5) grabs a pass from Parker Lowe in the game against the Wolfpack last season.
