War Eagles prepare for Rattlers
By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor
War Eagle Head Coach Scott Klees said his team had a really good practice over the past week.
“It was one of the best bye- week practices we’ve ever had since I’ve been here,” Klees said.
And the bye week came at a good time, Klees said.
The War Eagles are 2-1. They opened the season with a win over Port St. Joe, but then suffered a disappointing loss to the Taylor County Bulldogs before bouncing back two weeks ago in an upset of the Chiles Timberwolves.
The bye has given some dinged up players a chance to rest. Both running backs – Sion Ransom and Danny Godbolt – were hurt in the Chiles game: Ransom rolled his ankle and didn’t practice much last week; Godbolt was out the first half with a neck injury.
The line has been banged up.
And receiver Amonta Harris has been out since the first game with a shoulder injury.
Looking forward to this week’s opponent, the FAMU Rattlers, Klees said they’re an athletic team but young, like the War Eagles are young.
Klees wants his War Eagles to control the speed of the Rattlers, and set up the battle at the line of scrimmage where he thinks his team can win.
“Just be fundamentally sound,” he said.
In facing FAMU, Klees said “We have to stay disciplined and if we keep to the game plan we should have a good chance to win.” He added: “Don’t try to be someone we’re not.”
Looking back at the season so far, Klees said with a young team, you’re not sure how they’ll respond to a loss.
“From the NFL to peewee, a lot of teams when they lose don’t bounce back.”
But after the War Eagles loss to Taylor, he said his team viewed it as “a bump in the road” and the team continues working to get better.
They never gave up in the Taylor game, still pushing at the end of the game with a drive to score and tie or win.
“Taylor’s one we let slip away,” he said.
“But we didn’t put our head in the sand, we came back and worked hard and beat a good Chiles football team.”
Asked about how at times it seems the team hasn’t clicked, perhaps due to their youth, but it seems the players have bought in and believe in themselves, Klees said: “They play hard. It’s a Wakulla tradition to be tough, play hard and not give up.”
It is, he said, “a sign of a good team.”
Coach’s Corner
Last week: War Eagles had a good bye week, and practice went really well..
Scounting: FAMU is fast but young, like the War Eagles are young. Klees wants to control FAMU’s speed and dominate at the line of scrimmage.
Keys to victory; Stay disciplined and keep to the game plan. Don’t try to be something you’re not.
2024 War Eagle schedule
- Fri, Aug. 23 at 7 p.m. vs. Port St. Joe at WHS.
- Fri, 8/30 at 7:30 p.m. against Taylor County in Perry.
- Fri, 9/6 at 7 p.m. at Chiles.
- Thu, 9/20 at 7 p.m. vs. FAMU DRS at WHS.
- Fri, 9/27 at 7 p.m. vs Suwannee at WHS.*
- Fri, 10/4 at 7 p.m. vs. St. John Paul II at WHS.
- Fri, 10/11 at 7 p.m. vs. Godby at WHS.*
- Fri, 10/18 at 7 p.m. vs. South Walton at WHS.
- Fri, 10/25 at 7 p.m. at Baker County. *
- Fri, 11/1 at 7 p.m. vs. Gadsden County at WHS.
- * – District Game
2024 War Eagle JV schedule
- Thursday, 8/22 at 6:30pm vs Madison County at WHS
- Thursday, 8/29 at 7:00pm vs Gadsden County at Gadsden County
- Thursday, 9/12 at 6:00pm vs Munroe at WHS
- Thursday, 9/19 at 6:30pm vs Taylor County at WHS
- Wednesday, 9/25 at 6:30pm vs Chiles at WHS
- Thursday, 10/3 at 6:30pm vs Florida State University HS at FSUHS
- Thursday, 10/17 at 6:00pm vs Arnold at Arnold
