ON TAP TODAY: ATHENS OPENS 2019 SEASON WITH LONG ROAD TRIP (2019-08-23)
Valley Sports ReportTHE VALLEY "” Athens opens the season with a two-hour road trip to Hanover Area in a rematch of last year's non-league season opener on the gridiron.
FOOTBALL
Athens (4-7 in 2018) at Hanover Area (3-8), 7 p.m.: The Wildcats dominated in Week 1 of the 2018 season with a 38-6 win at Alumni Stadium.
The Hawkeyes finished 2018 with a 3-8 record, with two of their wins coming against winless Holy Redeemer and GAR (1-10), which combined for a 1-20 record. They were outscored by an average of 21.2 (34.5 to 13.3 points) points per game.
Hanover Area graduated eight seniors, including a pair of 300-pound lineman, and its quarterback.
The Wildcats are coming off a 4-7 season, and like Hanover Area, two of their wins came against that combined for one win - Cowanesque Valley (0-10) and Wyalusing (1-9). Neither team beat a team with a winning record, although Athens did beat Midd-West, which finished the season with a 5-5 record.
Athens coach Jack Young said the Hawkeyes look similar to last year.
"They have a new head coach, but it's a familiar coaching staff. Most of the guys were on the staff last year.
"They remind me a lot of the team they had last year," he said. "They still have good size up front, and a couple of big, rugged kids at linebacker."
He's not exactly sure what to expect from them offensively.
"I think they might be struggling at the quarterback spot, but in their scrimmage they had a left-handed tailback, who I think is their best athletes," said Young. "I would almost predict if they struggle offensively, we're going to see him at QB.
"That's what's crazy about the opening weekend "” the unknown. You never know exactly what you're going to get," he added.
Young said there are two keys to victory for the Wildcats.
"We've been working really hard on special teams," he said. "I told the kids Monday, "˜there's no doubt in my mind that we have better playmakers, but the key to this game is the fundamentals of football and special teams.
"I'm a true believer if we can be more fundamental than them, and win special teams, we're going to be in great shape," added Young.
