25 teams in 25 days: Resurrection Catholic Eagles
Another day, another stop on this year’s 25 teams in 25 days. We are up to our 11th stop as we visit with a team who racked up nine wins last season and saw a deep run into the playoffs. Today, we meet the Resurrection Catholic Eagles.
“It’s your team. If you want to be something special you will be here.”
Strong word from the Eagles head coach Eric Denmark who helped lead last season’s squad to a 9-3 record. While last season went well, this is a new year. Denmark knows that last year’s success does not guarantee this year’s team anything.
“It’s hard work coming out here and learning a new scheme that coach Rodgers is bringing in,” Denmark said. “A couple of weeks ago I was scratching my head. Now I am sitting here nodding it thinking we are starting to look like what we are supposed to look like.”
One of the biggest risks heading into this new season is at the quarterback position. Denmark and the Eagles have their man in Cortez King. The risks come in when you find out that King is currently in 8th grade.
“I am really excited because the other teams that I am competing against do not know that I am an 8th grader,” King said. “Just have to keep grinding. It’s really a challenge. Only thing you have to think about is you have to be a leader and you have to control your offense.”
“If he sticks with this, he will be incredible,” Denmark said. “The young man has a great head on his shoulders and he knows how to act on and off the field. You know that is true character. When people are not looking at you and they see the way that he acts. He is a good kid.”
All signs point in the right direction for Cortez leading the Eagles. While they may be young at the quarterback position, they have age and experience throughout both sides of the ball. Senior Joseph Foster says that while he is eager to teach the classes beneath him, he knows he can learn from them as well.
“It’s really important to me to be able to lead the team,” Foster said. “I have started since the 9th grade. It was important with the older seniors growing up. I want to fill in the same role they did to me to the younger players.”
Now that school has started, both coach Denmark and his players are ready to stop talking about the regular season and start playing the games.
“That can’t get here soon enough,” Denmark said. “You know you are talking about building off success. So, people – people – want to be a part of something positive.”
“We are all excited,” Foster added. “We all know it takes time a consistency. Everyone has to put in the team effort and we are all excited to get to Friday nights.”
Coach Denmark, King, Foster, and the Eagles will open up their season on the road against Bay high school on Friday, August 30th.
