Published: August 03, 2009 11:39 pm      

Eagles look to experience

The Woodrow Wilson Flying Eagles had plenty of familiar faces on the field as the 2009 version started practice Monday.

Coach John H. Lilly said 38 letterwinners returned.

Still ...

“They’ve got to prove it on the field,” Lilly said.

The most notable battle is at the quarterback position. Dominic Hairston had four starts in place of the injured and since-graduated Ryan Stafford last fall. He will be competing with 6-foot-4, 185-pound sophomore J.C. Pennington for the starting nod. 

Pennington was undefeated as the field general of the freshman squad last year. Lilly said he will find somewhere on the field for both players but there will be no two-quarterback system for Woodrow Wilson. 

“The guy who earns it is the guy I am is sticking with,” Lilly said.

The coach said there were 66 players in the first practice and 78 out for the second. 

“Some kids had some grade issues to get worked out,” Lilly said.

With the large amount of players coming out, the coach stuck to his guns when asked if he would have cuts.

“I will have three teams if I have to,” Lilly said.

When asked about the schedule, Lilly said that he was happy with the teams that his team is playing, but he would have loved to have a tenth game scheduled. Lilly said he looked for a team to play, “from Maryland to North Carolina and everywhere in between,” but had no takers. 

The Flying Eagles will play four home games and five games on the road.

The Eagles open at home Aug. 28 against George Washington and Greenbrier East comes to town on Sept. 4, and Riverside makes its way down I-77 on Sept. 11. The Flying Eagles then go on the road for more than a month, heading to Brooke Sept. 18. The only remaining home game is in late October against Cabell Midland.

Lilly isn’t complaining about the schedule, saying he is, “pleased with where we are at (the Mountain State Athletic Conference).”

Lilly hopes to improve upon last year’s 5-5 season and hopes to have the Eagles in position for a playoff berth when the season is complete. One thing is guaranteed: With only nine games, there will be no .500 season this year.