Football season openers, or for that matter, a lot of games over the last 10 years, haven’t gone James Buchanan’s way.
The Rockets hope to change their fortunes by getting 2018 season started with a ‘W’.
Friday night, at 7, JB plays host to the York Vo-Tech Spartans.
The Spartans, a Class 6A team, have lost 13 straight, including going 0-10 last season. York returns only 6 starters, but one of them is play-maker Terence Romey (5-7, 155, WR/DB).
“They’re not a bad team,” JB first-year coach David Miller said. “They have some players. Romey is a pretty good defensive back and he’ll be all over the field on offense.”
Last season the Spartans were shut out 4 times, were held to 7 points or fewer 4 times and scored a season-high 22 points, but gave up 30 points, to Fairfield.
So on paper the Rockets should have the advantage: JB returns 8 starters on both sides of the ball, has 2 running backs (Cormac Houpt and Owen Stoner), who each rushed for over 600 yards and won a game last season and should’ve won 2 others, but …
“We just need to sustain blocks and execute,” Miller said. “They run a spread offense similar to ours which helps our defense, but we need to keep gap integrity and pressure their quarterback.”
If the Rockets, who are on a 4-game losing skid of their own, can get the season-opening win it would be their first since 2014 (33-19 over Hanover) and only the third since 2007.
NOTES: Charlie Troxell, who was the head coach at James Buchanan in the mid-80s, is the York Vo-Tech head coach.