By HUGH CONRAD
For The Tribune-Democrat
LORETTO
August 25, 2008 11:59 pm
—
Scott Lewis could not have scripted his first collegiate season any better.
The Bishop McCort High School graduate made an immediate impact nationally and locally as a linebacker for the St. Francis University football team in the 2007 season. Lewis established a Red Flash freshman record with 126 tackles last season, earning him Northeast Conference Defensive Rookie-of-the-Year along with ECAC Rookie-of-the-Year honors. He finished 18th in the country among Football Championship Subdivision (Division I-AA) schools in total tackles.
Now, Lewis has been named to the NEC preseason all-conference team, but the sophomore realizes that last year is in the past.
“I have to keep on building on last year,” Lewis said. “I have worked as hard as I could this summer to get bigger and faster. I know that teams are going to be keying on me, but the players around me are just as good as I am. So, they will step up and make plays.”
The Red Flash defense hopes to improve overall, building on a good finish when they won three of their final four games. Coach Dave Opfar hopes that the attitude that the young freshmen like Lewis brought to the team becomes infectious.
“These (sophomores) are grounded. They know that they got there because of hard work, and they’re not afraid to do that,” Opfar said. “When they are on the field in practice, it could be game day because they’re playing at the same speed. That’s how you become a great football player.”
Because of that work ethic and success last year, Lewis was named as one of the four captains for the 2008 season, a tremendous honor for a sophomore. He was somewhat surprised by his performance right out of high school.
“Yes, I was a little bit (surprised),” he said. “You have those expectations, but you have to go out and play. But, you can’t let those awards get to you. You play the game because you love it.”
Opfar seems to have the program headed in the right direction, but he has not had a winning season yet. For a player from Bishop McCort who is used to success, that adjustment to a losing season was challenging.
“It’s a lot different coming from McCort, a program with prestige and excellence,” Lewis said. “That’s what we’re trying to do here. We’re trying to bring a winning program to St. Francis, to turn it around. We’re right there. We’re right at the cornerstone. We just have to have a great year this year.”
St. Francis will travel to Virginia Military Institute on Sept. 6 before hosting Marist at DeGol Field on Sept. 13 for the home opener.
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