Pioneer football finally starts hitting and more notes from practices around campus
Pioneer senior Mario Sulaksana, left, and Seff Awwad run a drill during football practice on Thursday.
Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com
After three days of conditioning, the Pioneer High School football team was finally in full pads on Thursday and ready to hit.
As for first-year coach Paul Test, he’ll be happier once the technique catches up to the enthusiasm.
“It’s the first day of pads, so I’m not happy…But I’m never happy,” Test said.
Photos: Check out a photo slideshow of Pioneer's sports teams' practices on Thursday.
With Warren De La Salle and Birmingham Brother Rice as his team’s first two opponents, it may be awhile until Test is happy again. He knows he has to have his team at its best in short order to compete with the traditional powerhouses.
“I want them to realize the sense of urgency,” Test said.
Senior defensive end Aaron Nofke said he’s up to the challenge.
“I always want to play against the best. As a defense we can play against anybody,” Noffke said. “One-hundred percent of our focus is on the first game.”
Low numbers
Pioneer senior Garrett Halpert is one of just three returning starters from last year's state runner up team and the only singles player.
Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com
“At this time last year, I had about 50 players,” said Pioneer coach Tom Pullen.
The low numbers couldn’t come at a worse time for the Pioneers, who lost nine of its 12 players from last year’s Division 1 state runner-up team to graduation, including three singles players.
“Our concerns are, where are the players?” Pullen said. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Field justice
Pioneer boys soccer coach Lumumba Shabazz will have to replace 13 seniors from last year’s varsity squad this season. On day two of tryouts on Thursday, he allowed the players’ the opportunity to prove themselves on the pitch.
Within 10 minutes of the second practice of the day, Shabazz and his assistants retired into the stands as players took part in a full-field scrimmage.
It was on the players, not the coaches, to make tactical adjustments and use a limited amount of subs for most of the remaining two hour practice as Shabazz and his staff observed.
-- Bob Gross and Pete Cunningham contributed to this article.
Matt Durr covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at mattdurr@annarbor.com.
Comments
Brian Bundesen
Fri, Aug 12, 2011 : 4:22 p.m.
Best of luck to Coach Test, Pioneer football, and all other Pioneer fall sports. Pioneer football is in great hands under Coach Test, and I know there will be great community support.