Trending
TORONTO -- The Toronto football team is focused on the task at hand.
That task is its season-opening game against East Canton. The game between the Red Knights and the Hornets is set to kick off at 7 p.m. Friday night at Clarke Hinkle Field.
Toronto has spent the last couple of weeks gearing up for this game.
"It's been great," Toronto head coach Josh Franke said. "The biggest thing is we made it through August camp healthy. This is the first time since I have been at Toronto that we will not have anyone missing on Friday night, and that's huge.
"You hate to lose players who should be starting on Friday night. We have a lot of experience coming back. We can't wait to play. We have been ready to play for a while.
"In year's past, I have to break in a new quarterback or some other players. It takes time to learn and to get experience.
"We have been ready since summer camp. We're ready to play. We have found the right groove. We have hit the ground running."
East Canton has moved from Division VII up to Division VI this season.
"This is their first year on the schedule," Franke said. "They were a .500 team last year. They are Division VI. They are one step bigger than us, but we have more kids on our roster. They have a roster of 27 kids.
"They are senior heavy. They have a lot of senior returning players. They are going to be a good test for us. They are not going o to lay down. They are going to be prepared. Their coach has been there for a while. He has experience, and he is going to have his team ready to go."
The Hornets had an up and down season last year as East Canton missed out on the playoffs in Region 25 as the visitors from Stark County ended up 17th in the standings.
East Canton began last season with three straight losses as it lost to Dalton (42-13), United (55-21) and Southern (34-6). The team rebounded to win four of its next five games. East Canton defeated St. Thomas Aquinas (35-0) and Sandy Valley (34-28) before losing to Newcomerstown (26-20). The Hornets rebounded to win its next two games -- defeating Strasburg (21-6) and Tuscarawas Central Catholic (47-14) before dropping its last two games to Buckeye Trail (7-0) and Malvern (28-12).
"Offensively, they are going to run a couple different sets," Franke said. "They are going to spread you out with four wide receivers. They have a sophomore quarterback. He is making his first start for them. They are going to want to get him started with some easy things and with some easy passes.
"They like to run wide receiver screens. They like to get their tailback out of the backfield.
"They will bring in a wing. They will run the counter. They will run some zone. They can make their quarterback a runner. He can pull it out and run outside."
Defensively, the Hornets like to bring pressure.
"They run a unique defense," Franke said. "They run a 3-4, but they their outside linebackers come up and they blitz nearly every time. It looks like a 5-2 with the way they run it.
"They are going to have seven men in the box. It's going to create a challenge for us.
"We are going to have to use our speed to break it, or we are going to have to go double tight and match them seven on seven. It just depends. They are going to present a challenge for us."
The Red Knights have the size advantage up front.
"They have a couple big kids, but we have some really big guys on the front line," Franke said. "When you have big guys, sometimes speed can hurt you. We have to make sure we communicate on the offensive and defensive line. We don't want to play to their strengths.
"We want to use our size to our advantage. We have the advantage up front. Our smallest guy on the line is 232, and their biggest guy is 220."
There is a lot of excitement in the air in Jefferson County as the Red Knights get set to kick off the new season. The Toronto Touchdown Club is holding its first Tailgate Party Friday. The event is set to start at 4:30 p.m.
"The thing is no one sets higher expectations than we set for ourselves. We want people to be excited. We want things to be meaningful. We want this to be a community event.
"That is what a program is. That is what I think it should be. It's about everyone. It is about the band, the cheerleaders and the team. We want the community to come out and support everyone and not just one kid."
"We're excited," Franke said. "The community is excited.
"We have to make sure the kids understand that the expectations are high. We have to prepare to meet those expectations. I think last year prepared us for this year.
"We got off to a good start last season. We were undefeated. We were looking ahead to Edison, who was also undefeated, and we overlooked Oak Glen. That provided us with a good lesson. We have to be prepared to play every game.
"I talked to the kids today, and I told them there is no rest button. The kids know the expectations. The kids know the goals, but if we mess this up, there is no reset button.
"We have to prepare for every game like it is our biggest. We have to be prepared. We have to be focused. If we do that, I think we will be OK."