Rays Victim of Bigger, Stronger, and Faster NSU University School

In football, if your opponent is bigger, stronger, and faster, you’re likely in for a long night.

That was the case in Marco Island Academy's preseason game against NSU University School Friday night, August 19, at Winterberry Field. NSU University School scored early and often, while holding the hometown Rays scoreless. There were no live punts or kickoffs during the scrimmage.

Second year Rays head coach Lew Montgomery was upbeat after the scrimmage.

“They were impressive,” Montgomery said of NSU University School. "For a team that is only in their first year, they seem to really know what they’re doing. It was an impressive group. Size that we haven’t seen.

"We’ll get our offense clicking. I think that the offense is showing so much more promise this year. We had more first downs in the first half tonight than we probably had in the first two games last year. I felt like we were moving the ball.”

Montgomery likes the effort and attitude of his young team that has eight freshman and seven sophomores on its 23-man roster.

“I’m just so proud of our core guys coming back,” Montgomery said. "I’m also so proud of our young guys stepping up. I was telling them, 'Where else are you going to get some freshman kid going out and lining up against varsity athletes?’ The guts and manhood. I told them, ‘You guys are stepping up.' There wasn’t one of them who backed down.”

Montgomery said the Rays are easy to coach.

“I told my boys that they did everything we asked of them,” Montgomery said. "They’re just so coachable. At one point we were struggling and kind of frustrated. I looked at our line coach and said, ‘Look out there. Everyone is lined up exactly where they’re supposed to be - their splits are perfect.' They’re doing what we’re telling them. We just need more reps so we can focus on some other things. I think we need to spend some more time on tackling, obviously.”

Montgomery has seen his coaching staff double in size. The Rays had nine coaches on the sidelines Friday night.

"We’re all meshing very well,” Montgomery said. "Not just as a team, but as a coaching staff. We all played our roles the correct way. We all walked out of here with our own brotherhood, that wasn’t challenged at all. But we still made some mistakes that I want to fix. What I like is that everything is fixable. Nothing is major. It’s not a lack of talent. It’s not a lack of size. We’ll be okay."

Montgomery was also delighted with the size of the crowd on hand for the scrimmage.

“It’s 40 minutes after the game,” he said, surveying the landscape, "and this place is packed.”

MIA open their regular season on the road against Canterbury, Friday, August 26, at 7:00 PM. NSU University School hosts Ft. Lauderdale Pine Crest Thursday.