By Jess Moshoginis

“If we keep our heads straight, we’ve got a good run to the playoffs,” said Damarkis Lee, senior cornerback for the Loy Norrix varsity football team. Lee and teammates have this positive attitude towards the rest of the 2011 football season. With a 2-1 record, the team is off to a good start. Lee believes that having a closely bonded team and better leaders this year contribute to the success of the team.

The captains, senior Valorian Cunningham, and junior captains Kane Cruz, Ronald Dodson, and Will Aeschbacher inspire the team to work hard in practice in order to win games. These four try to involve everyone on the team and act as role models in practice.

After a 22-12 win against Kalamazoo Central on September 1, the Loy Norrix varsity football team went wild.

“It was one of the defining moments of football life,” said Lee. The win encouraged the team to stay focused. It also gave them a positive, winning attitude, knowing that they could dominate on defense and score on offense.

Before every game, the team eats dinner together and they sing the school’s fight song after every game to keep the optimistic attitude they want for this season.

With the Knights new and improved team, they have had two wins, including the win against Kalamazoo Central. The varsity football team also beat Coldwater with the score 25-8 on September 9, with their new mind-set. The team needs four more wins this season to qualify for playoffs, which they expect to reach. Fan support and a positive outlook can lead them to this goal.