Exciting times at Strawberry Crest

Posted Sep 3, 2009 by Adam Adkins

Updated Sep 3, 2009 at 01:43 PM

It was all smiles out at Strawberry Crest on Wednesday afternoon, just two days before one of Hillsborough County’s newest football programs takes the field.

“It’s exciting, no doubt,” said Chargers coach Todd Donohoe, whose team will host the county’s other new school, Steinbrenner, in the season-opener Friday. “The kids are excited. Everyone’s starting to get jacked up.”

Donohoe got a glimpse of the excitement surrounding his program last Thursday, when the team held an intrasquad scrimmage. Even with steady rain falling, nearly 600 people turned out to watch the Chargers go through the motions.

As for the first game, Donohoe is “looking for us to do the smart things. Not jumping offsides, knowing that the special teams are lined up and ready to go, things like that.”

But, the coach also wants to win – and badly – because he knows this first game will be regarded as the measuring stick for how far the Chargers program has come.

“People are going to look at you in terms of being a new school against a new school. That’s just the reality of it,” Donohoe said. “They’re going to be judging us based upon how to we compare against another new school. That’s why we’ve been working since May 1. That’s why we haven’t taken any time off. Hopefully that makes a difference for us.”

Friday will be the first of two meetings this season between Strawberry Crest and Steinbrenner. The teams also meet in Week 8.