YOUNGSTOWN CHRISTIAN Inaugural season kicks off Sept. 4
Ed Witham is coaching the team, which had 27 players practicing.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Of all the high school football teams getting ready for the 2004 season, none will be as excited to take the field as the Youngstown Christian Eagles.
That's because this year's squad will be the school's first to compete in varsity football.
"I just can't wait until our opening game, definitely to see the crowd," senior center/defensive tackle Tim Batley said. "To run out under the lights and see the fans, that will be the payoff for these practices."
Youngstown Christian's football era will begin Sept. 4 at Bowerston Conotton Valley.
Last winter, the private school on Southern Boulevard announced plans to field a football team and named junior high science teacher Ed Witham as coach.
Witham, who played at Alliance High and has been an assistant coach with Alliance, Marlington and Dayton Fairborn, says 27 players have been practicing.
Enrollment estimate
Witham estimates the school will have between 40-50 boys enrolled this fall.
The 5-foot-9-inch, 170-pound Batley is surprised the turnout wasn't higher.
"I thought we'd have more -- what guy doesn't want to play football in high school?" Batley said. "It's not [so much] a dream, but it's something all young kids want to do, make a name for themselves."
The Division VI Eagles aren't rushing blindly into the season. Instead of the traditional 10-game slate, Youngstown Christian has scheduled eight games against varsity opponents plus a contest against Crestview's junior varsity.
Only one will be at home -- Newbury on Sept. 24 -- but the site hasn't been finalized.
Next year, Youngstown Christian will play a full slate of games as a member of the East Suburban Conference.
This year's team has five seniors and none of the players has varsity experience at other schools.
"About two-thirds them of them have no experience [playing organized football]," Witham said. "Maybe six to eight of them played junior high football."
Played as frosh
One of the few experienced players is senior Vinny Thomas, who played as a freshman at Ursuline.
Thomas stopped playing football after transferring to Youngstown Christian as a 10th grader and was excited when he heard his school was adding a football program.
"I was one of the first ones to sign up," the 6-3, 210-pound lineman said.
"I just want to do my best to try hard and set a good example."
Freshman Anthony Lagamba of New Middletown said the football program is one reason he remained at Youngstown Christian.
"I was very surprised," Lagamba said.
"I was actually thinking about going to Springfield and playing football if we didn't have it this year. So I was really happy because all my friends are here.
"I love hitting people and I've loved the game ever since I was little," the wide receiver/cornerback said.
"I used to play a lot of backyard football with my friends."
Lagamba agrees that playing for a first-year program means more opportunities for someone lacking experience.
"It's gone great so far," Lagamba said. "We had a scrimmage a couple of days ago and they woke us up -- we got hit pretty hard. We're just learning so we're doing [well] for a first-year program."
Batley said going up against players from Sebring and Mathews high schools was different.
"They were big," Batley said. "It was a little bit different [because of the size of] the guys.
"It wasn't like [going against] the freshmen and sophomores, and some of the juniors. Some of the guys [in the scrimmage were] twice [our] size -- it kind of puts everything in to [perspective]."
williams@vindy.com