25 August 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – A new season means new game plans for Seaman football.
“We have adapted,” head coach Jason Swafford said. “We have made some change. Part of our job is to make sure we’re putting our players in the best position.”
The Vikings return core players, such as quarterback Max Huston and two-way player Callen Barta.
“I would say we added some better things to the offense,” Huston said. “We look more together as a team, not kind of separate, and our defense is looking pretty good.”
Groups are coming together since young players have more game-time experience.
“Us, being more mature and smarter, we can actually read an offense and read a defense, and come together to make a play,” Barta said.
However, they had some key seniors leave big holes to be filled.
“It’s about trust,” Swafford said. “We had a fairly young team last year and, yeah, we lost a good core of seniors, but we were young. We played a lot of young guys on specials and on both sides of the ball. Having all of them back, I feel like we are ahead of maybe where we were last year.”
The team has been up bright and early to avoid practicing in the evening heat, but their games could still be played in those conditions. Swafford’s confident that at this point in their preparation, they’re ready to play in any condition.
“I think that part of the heat and the guys still sweating, learning how to take care of their bodies on and off the field,” Swafford said. “There has been that acclamation period, even though we are in the morning.”
Seaman starts its season at home Friday, Sept. 1 against Topeka West.