Chiefs face tough challenge in 2008

By Andy Brown

Published: June 19, 2008

Lakeside’s Tom Clements may feel more like an architect than a coach this season.

That’s because the first-year head coach, who replaced Duane Mock after four seasons at the helm of the program, inherits a program that graduated 10 of its 30 players from last season’s squad, including nine starters.

“It’s no secret we’re in a rebuilding phase,” Clements said. “We lost a lot of guys that have played a lot of football at Lakeside over the past four years.”

But the Chiefs, who posted a 7-3 mark last season and advanced to the first round of the Alabama Independent School Association playoffs, may have caught a break with their schedule – which Clements describes as the “toughest” he’s had to deal with as a coach.

While Lakeside will face a trio of playoff teams that posted a combined 26-8 record, including a pair of nine-win teams, all three of those games will be played in the final four weeks of the season.

That could give the Chiefs a chance to grow and develop before hitting the toughest stretch of their schedule.

That’s not to say the first half of the season will be a cakewalk.

“Every team on our schedule has some kind of winning tradition,” Clements said. “These are teams that are year in and year out very competitive.”

Lakeside will open the 2008 season Aug. 29 in Louisville against cross-county rival Dixie. The Rebels, who are coming off their second consecutive postseason appearance, finished with a 3-8 record last season.

“It’s going to be tough,” Clements said of the showdown with Dixie. “You’ve got two teams that are in a rebuilding phase, but I think it’s going to be a good game. I know Coach Mack (Williams) will have his guys ready to play. He’s a very good coach and he’ll make it tough on us. We’ll do whatever we can to have our guys ready to play and hopefully get a win.”

The Chiefs will open their Class AA, Region 1 slate the following week on the road against Shelby – a team that posted a 6-5 record in 2007.

“They’ve been a traditional power on the Class A level,” Clements said.

Lakeside’s first home game of the season will come Sept. 12 when it plays host to region-rival Lowndes. The Chiefs blanked the then-10th-ranked Rebels 13-0 last season. The win snapped a three-game losing streak to the Rebels.

On Sept. 19, Lakeside will face off with Edgewood, which is dropping from Class AAA to AA, in a region contest in Eufaula. The Wildcats were 3-7 in 2007.

“Edgewood has been one of the best Class AAA teams in the state for the past six or so years,” Clements said. “That’s going to be a tough game.”

On Sept. 26 and Nov. 3, Lakeside will take on region-rival Evangel in Montgomery and Class AAA Hooper in Eufaula. Both teams finished 2007 with a 1-9 mark.
In the following week, things get tougher.

The Chiefs will host region foe Autauga, which has been one of the more dominant Class A programs in the state in recent memory. The Generals posted an 8-3 mark in 2007.

“Autauga has a great tradition,” Clements said. “They’ve been a Class A powerhouse for years and now they are moving up to Class AA.”

After a Nov. 17 road date with region-rival Springwood – which won just four games last season, including a 13-7 win against the Chiefs – Lakeside will host Clarke Prep, which posted a 9-3 mark last season.

“To me, Clark Prep is the best team on our schedule,” Clements said. “Clark Prep is one of the more consistent programs in the state as far as winning goes.”

The Chiefs will close out the regular season Oct. 31 on the road against Class 3A Glenwood, which finished the 2007 season 9-2.

“It’s going to be a tough challenge,” Clements said. “We’re just going to work hard and try and do the things you have to do to win football games. That’s all we can do.”