This one doesn’t seem too complex. It promises to be the “anti-Martinsburg” game: very small crowd, very little excitement, and maybe even some bad weather thrown in, to boot. Cave Spring will hope that Salem squanders a few scoring opportunities, and allows the visitors to keep it close-ish for a half. The Knights have absorbed three big beatings in a row, and appear to just be trying to get another dismal season over with.
Salem finds itself in uncharted waters this week. The Spartans are coming off their worst-ever loss at Salem Stadium - yes, morbid curiosity compelled me to look that up. The previous worst loss was by 32 points to Northside, in 1993. Martinsburg’s 49 points are also the most ever allowed by the Spartans at the Stadium, eclipsing the 48 scored by Magna Vista in the 2010 playoffs.
So - how will the Spartans respond? The scheduling gods seem to have provided the ideal gift in the form of Cave Spring, which should be the worst team Salem plays all season. Salem needs to be clean, efficient, and score early and often. If the Spartans continue to waste multiple touchdown opportunities, against the likes of the Knights in week nine, that will not bode well for the playoffs. This game needs to be over by halftime. Salem’s starters hopefully will be done after one series in the third quarter, on both sides of the ball. Salem will welcome back Zavione Wood after two games lost to a knee injury, and a two-way lineman who missed two games.
Put simply, Salem needs to get well physically and mentally; Cave Spring would seem to be just what the doctor ordered. But, the Spartans will still have to show up and get it done.
Salem finds itself in uncharted waters this week. The Spartans are coming off their worst-ever loss at Salem Stadium - yes, morbid curiosity compelled me to look that up. The previous worst loss was by 32 points to Northside, in 1993. Martinsburg’s 49 points are also the most ever allowed by the Spartans at the Stadium, eclipsing the 48 scored by Magna Vista in the 2010 playoffs.
So - how will the Spartans respond? The scheduling gods seem to have provided the ideal gift in the form of Cave Spring, which should be the worst team Salem plays all season. Salem needs to be clean, efficient, and score early and often. If the Spartans continue to waste multiple touchdown opportunities, against the likes of the Knights in week nine, that will not bode well for the playoffs. This game needs to be over by halftime. Salem’s starters hopefully will be done after one series in the third quarter, on both sides of the ball. Salem will welcome back Zavione Wood after two games lost to a knee injury, and a two-way lineman who missed two games.
Put simply, Salem needs to get well physically and mentally; Cave Spring would seem to be just what the doctor ordered. But, the Spartans will still have to show up and get it done.
