Live Oak — corey.davis@gaflnews.com



Since the end of May when Spring football practice ended both Suwannee and Branford have been extremely busy in the summer preparing for the fall.

The wait over, as both schools will participate in their annual Kickoff Classic tonight. One of the many things that kept the teams busy was competing in a  7-on-7 passing league, conditioning and attending camps.    

Branford coach Bill Wiles said in addition to his team playing 7-on-7 they have been lifting weights and conditioning.

"This 7-on-7 helps everyone, for us you can't simulate the speed out here. It's good to see good competition, we have gone against Fort White, Taylor County, Santa Fe, Nease and Hardaway. If you don't do it right, you will get toasted."

Branford competed in the Gainesville FCA 7-on- camp and played well.

"We won two pool games and an elimination game before losing to eventual runner-up Hardaway, which lost to host Gainesville in the championship  game. It's good competition and good chamadirity too.”

Branford finished up its final 7-on-7 games and then attended camps before beginning fall practice. Wiles talked about going to camps over the summer.  

"We will carry on after this and go to a FCA camp in Deland July 25 and compete against Apopka (6A), Gainesville (4A), Lakeland (5A), Santa Fe (2A), Fort White (2B) and two other teams in our session. As you can see that's some solid competition there," Wiles said.

"From there we will continue to lift for a week and then get ready for practice (Aug 9) which begins at 6 p.m. the first week before getting ready for a week long camp here like two-a-days where we will focus on offense, defense and kicking in segments."

Suwannee has been just as busy competing in several 7-on-7 games at Madison County, Fort White and Branford as well as sending several guys to camps.

"We sent 10 offensive lineman to Florida and we're going to Deland and Marianna for FCA camps the last weekends in July," Spears said.

Spears added they have been lifting weights from 8-11 a.m. Monday-Thursday as well as running four days a week, conditioning and speed drills and some football specific stuff.

"Things couldn't be better right now," said Spears, who has been at six different schools in six years, "We're on pace to get better and the kids are responding well working hard and enjoying getting better.

Spears initially gave the team Monday July 5 off for the holiday but the seniors wanted to practice and 45 kids showed up at 5 a.m.    It's that kind of determination that Spears hopes will translate over into the fall.

"I wouldn't have come If I thought we wouldn't be any good, we have a lot of potential, blessed to be at a good one, Spears said. "I'm committed to be here, I just need the community to be patient to build a program."

As fall practice began recently, Spears also commented about his teams performance over the summer.

“We went to Marianna and competed against Chipley, Pace, Wakulla and West Florida Tech), we went to Deland and competed well against Apopka (6A), Lakeland (5A), Thomasville (Ga), Fort White, Santa Fe and Gainesville High. Against Apopka in their first five plays they didn’t get a yard however on the sixth play they scored a touchdown. We also went to a one day camp in Quitman, Ga. and we scrimmaged three 6A teams, worked on speed drills, played in 7-on-7 games and our our line competed in line challenges. It’s good for our kids to see some good teams.”

Spears commented about some of the players standing out so far since the summer.

“Marvin Orange quit in the spring but has come back and been one of our best lineman. Derek Smith moved from wide receiver to running back and is battling for the starting position and both quarterback’s Jackson Brown and Jimmie Taylor have been neck and neck so far.”    

Tonight both coaches will get to see how their summer workouts and scrimmages paid off as both participate in kickoff classics, one week before the season officially kicks off.