The Marathon Dolphins’ annual spring football game, a culmination of what amounts to a mini-season on the gridiron to prepare for fall, was scheduled a bit early this year. Marathon played the spring contest May 15 at Glades Day School. The Dolphins made the long trip just south of Lake Okeechobee to test their offensive and defensive schemes against the Gators.
Marathon’s biggest concern heading into their spring football season was the staffing of their ball handlers. The Dolphins were taxed with replacing their entire starting offensive backfield. Due to the inexperience of the team’s new ball carriers, head coach Sean McDonald was not surprised with a pair of fumbles which dampened their hopes of winning the team’s spring contest.
“When a player is new to running with the ball, he usually has a fumble or two,” McDonald said. “That’s to be expected. It isn’t ideal, but it’s not something I was shocked by.”
Despite the miscues, Marathon managed three touchdowns against the Gators.
“Many of our guys know the system and even though they were in new roles, they had a good understanding of what we do,” said McDonald of the team’s single-wing offense. “We run the single wing because it works well for our kids. A lot of them don’t have a long background in playing football. A lot of the time they come out for their first season as freshmen. It also matches our disposition. We are tough and like to be physical. The team is gritty and with the single wing, kids like ours can have more success than with what everyone else is running.”
Scoring for the Fins was Steven Stotts, the team’s center during his junior campaign. Stotts carried the ball in touchdown runs of seven and 13 yards.
“Only in Marathon can you go from playing offensive line to running back,” said McDonald. “He carried the ball well. Stotts did not fumble, and he’s big and strong and hard to bring down.”
Freshman Khoa Nguyen accounted for the other Marathon score. Nguyen ran the ball in for a six-yard score and Elliott Greenmaki, another freshman, was good for all three points-after. Greenmaki’s kicks showed marked improvement.
“He’s been working with coach Wise in the off-season,” said McDonald, referencing longtime Key West kicking guru Judd Wise.
McDonald expressed confidence in his team scoring points this fall, and the trio of TDs against Glades Day backed up his beliefs. What the Fins will need to work on, however, is their defense.
“It’s a concern. Our guys are green and our system on offense is something we can follow for most scenarios, but defense is another story. We are going to continue to teach individual skills and continue to emphasize proper tackling and get the kids more confident,” said McDonald.
“The more they understand their individual positions and the more experience they have, the better they will get.”
McDonald felt that the spring season helped bolster the players’ repertoire of skills, but also exposed some areas of weakness, which he and the rest of the Fins’ coaching staff will address in preparation for the upcoming season.
“We had 38 players dress. Seven were eighth graders and that is huge for our program to have so many athletes involved and finish out the spring,” said McDonald. “The coaching staff has a good handle on who can do what come fall.”
Key West and Coral Shores play their spring contests this week. The Conchs play Thursday, May 22 at Somerset Silver Palms at 1:30 p.m. in lieu of their typical Red and White intrasquad scrimmage. The Hurricanes test their plays at home the same day in their annual Spring Football Jamboree, which will begin right after their senior parade scheduled for 6 p.m. The Hurricanes will play one half of football against St. Brendan School, then another against Miami Beach High.
Photos by TINASHAY CUNNINGHAM/Contributed
