Cape football battles Lake Forest in first scrimmage of preseason
Helmeted cats on a hot turf field crashed into each other Aug. 17 at Lake Forest. The humidity made it barely breathable for the first full-contact football scrimmage of the season.
“We just want to see how our kids respond in terms of hitting and assignments,” said second-year Cape coach J.D. Maull. “We want all the guys to get some work in, but we don’t want any injuries. We already have several players sitting out the scrimmage.”
Lake, a 6-4 team a year ago, is projected to be better this season. They are quick with good size and are well coached by Freddie Johnson.
The Spartans took the ball first in the 10-and-10 scrimmage, and they didn’t have much success running inside against Cape.
“Like coach Glenn always said, ‘If they start driving you off the ball in the knock-back game, you’re in trouble,’” Maull said. “We did pretty well taking them straight on.”
Lake runs the spread efficiently, riding a back into the line on option plays – sometimes he keeps it; other times it’s the quarterback getting outside with the option to keep or pitch. That sets up the short passing game into the flats and the backside post pattern. Lake can be a nightmare to defend once they get rolling.
Lake scored once and was intercepted once by senior Davonte Johnson.
“All in all on the day, the coaches were pleased with how we executed and how the kids responded,” Maull said.
Hank D’Ambrogi, a sophomore in only his second year of football, is Cape’s starting quarterback. D’Ambrogi wore a red jersey – not red cross – and after keeping the ball and cutting up inside, coach Maull told the refs, “Give me a quick whistle on that guy. I don’t have insurance on him.”
The Vikings have frontline running backs in Jaden Davis and Jo Jo Kirby, along with athletic seniors Davonte Johnson and Kevin Williams, and sophomore Jordan Baines.
Along the offensive line, Cape started Pat Emmett and Steve Ramirez at tackles, Cruz Harmon and Lucas Ruppert at guards and Josh Ippert at center. Josiah Miller sat out the scrimmage with a bruised foot.
“We only have two senior linemen in the entire program,” Maull said.
Cape will take part in a tri- scrimmage at Appoquinimink at 4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24, taking on the Jaguars and the Wildcats of Howard.
The Jags were 6-4 last season and lost in the first round of the Division I playoffs to Sussex Central 36-7.
Howard, a Division II school, went 8-2 last season and lost in the first round of the state tournament 28-0 to Woodbridge.
The Vikings open the regular season Friday, Sept. 6, hosting the Hawks of St. Georges Tech.
