Faith Academy football welcomes Valor in a scrimmage

CAPTION: Senior Colten Lane leads the Flames in running laps as part of their conditioning at the end of practice Aug. 19. Following closely behind is senior Andrew Houy (second row, left). Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

The Faith Academy of Marble Falls football team will face Austin Valor South at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22, at Britton Field on the Faith campus.

It’s the Flames’ only scrimmage before they take on Sugar Land Logos Prep at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, at Bryan Allen Academy.

Faith head coach Jay Silvers said he has simple objectives for his players during the scrimmage.

“Just a good clean offense and a good clean defense, knowing their plays, knowing their jobs and what they’re supposed to be getting done,” he said. “It really is just to make sure we’re starting off the season on the right foot, knowing our jobs when I’m in the A or the B or the C or my X or Y or centers or whatever, and making sure that they understand that. Here’s the basic stuff. Everything else is built off our basics. Iif you understand that, we can go do a whole lot of other things later on in the season.”

He has specific plays he wants to see with key personnel.

“I’m putting a lot of people through the rotations,” the coach said. “I’m trying to see which group is going to gel the best … and then which combination is going to be the best for our offense. I’m playing around. I’ve got a list of guys who play. These guys work really well together. These guys block really well, these guys run routes really well. So how can I hide them in there with some of the other guys?”

Silvers said he is following the same formula he used a year ago and even then, he didn’t settle on a group of starters until late October when the Flames faced San Marcos Academy in their first District 4, Division II game in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.  

“Most of those guys all came back, so I have an idea of how they gel,” the coach said. “But I’m also mixing in some other things — some speed and some blocking on some of my bigger packages — things like that.”

Though Silvers has an idea of who is starting and where, he pointed out the Friday night lights in Texas reveal plenty about players. So he wasn’t ready to proclaim he has his starters selected. He is interested in seeing who can play the best with seniors Drew Houy and Adam Merlick, junior Wade Dillard and sophomore Landon Silvers. The four are considered the program’s playmakers because they typically decide if they’re going to run to throw the ball.

“Who’s performing better and who’s going to surprise me?” he said. “There may be some surprises. They’ve been doing really well, especially in the practices. Who’s been working hard and who’s been wanting to study and watch film? Those are big things for me. I always hope I’m surprised every week by guys. I have an idea of some of the ones that I know will start, but there’s always that opportunity for others to bust it this week. Let’s put them in and let’s see what they can do, and maybe it’ll pump up the other guys.” 

CAPTION: Jackson Henry, Asher Galyon and Cooper Hansard are in the midst of running laps as part of conditioning for the Flames. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro