VALDOSTA —
After a week off, the Lowndes Vikings were back at work Monday morning.
The whistles were blowing, the sweat was rolling, weights were being lifted and the balls were flying. All in a summer morning’s work for the Lowndes Vikings.
Monday’s workout restarted the offseason summer workout schedule for the Vikings, who have been working out three times a week since classes let out for the summer in late May.
“We are going three days-a-week with some 7-on-7’s mixed in there,” Lowndes head coach Randy McPherson said. “Basically, it is three days of workouts and one day of 7-on-7’s.”
Last week, the Vikings were off due to a Georgia High School Association mandated “dead week”, which required all high school athletics to seize activities for the entire week.
Now that the week off is behind them, the Vikings are focused on the start of training camp on July 25. McPherson says he is pleased with what he has seen from his team this offseason.
“I think they are going very well,” said McPherson. “We have a really good turnout. They work hard and I am very pleased.
“We just have to keep getting better and get into a little better of shape,” McPherson added. “You don’t want to wait until July 25 to be in shape.”
To help prepare for the season, Lowndes has participated in several 7-on-7 passing tournaments and lineman camps this summer. Today, the Vikings will host Brooks County for a passing competition at Martin Stadium, which is set to begin around 9:30 a.m.
“(Offensively), they are more comfortable doing what they are doing, for sure,” McPherson said. “Defensively, on the back end of it, in the secondary, we are way ahead than where we were last year at this time.
“I didn’t say we had Josh Clemons replaced, but we have some kids out there that want to do good and they know what the heck they are doing and are working hard. I don’t know how good we are going to be, but I like what I see so far.”
Following today’s 7-on-7 competition with the Trojans, Lowndes will compete in four to five more competitions, including one in Tampa, Fla. on July 21, says McPherson.
The participation in the tournament will likely keep McPherson from participating in the South Georgia Media Day, which will feature local area coaches discussing the upcoming year. The media day is set to take place at the Rainwater Conference Center on that same day.
Monday’s workout was one of the first since the death of rising senior lineman Jacob McCook, who died last month after suffering injuries to the head following a fall off a pick-up truck.
Despite the distraction of McCook’s death, and the shooting death of former player Ed Christian, McPherson said his team is working hard and that he can tell “hearts are heavy.”
“We had a good practice, but you can tell their hearts are heavy,” McPherson said. “It is just going to take some time. You can talk about it forever, but it is just going to take some time.”
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Related Photos
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Ed Hooper | The Valdosta Daily Times Lowndes quarterback Alex Stephenson throws a pass to Tevin Orr (not pictured) during Monday morning’s workout at Martin Stadium.
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Ed Hooper | The Valdosta Daily Times Lowndes’ Tevin Orr catches a pass during Monday morning’s 7-on-7 passing practice at Martin Stadium. The Vikings will compete in a 7-on-7 competition against Brooks County today.
Discussion
Vikings back at work
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