March 28, 2024

Raiders on the mend; getting ready for opener with Gilbert

A difficult set of circumstances fell upon the Raiders of Collins-Maxwell/Baxter last week. It involved a football team, a shared illness and a public pool. Several of the Raiders fell ill after a trip to a local pool, putting their status in jeopardy for the school’s scrimmage on Friday. However, some good fortune allowed all of the boys to get some game reps, and most importantly, everyone is now back to full strength.

“It was a relief that we had everyone back,” CMB coach Rob Luther said. “All the guys played and were able to get some snaps.”

As for the on-the-field action, the Raiders’ spread offense looks about as lethal as ever. The first team took 14 snaps and scored six touchdowns, a ratio that wouldn’t bother Luther if it translated to the regular season. However, Luther downplayed the importance of the scrimmage compared to what it will be like when the Raiders take on Gilbert on Friday, Aug. 30.

“The game was really more for the fans to get to see the kids play,” he said. “We had a couple of positions we were focused on, and for the first time in a long time the freshman and sophomore squads put together some good football, which was really nice to see.”

With Week 1 on the horizon, the Raiders will be working on cleaning up special teams and adjusting to the brutality presented by a combination of a tough Gilbert team and what should be a boiling hot August evening.

“Our focus is staying healthy right now, as well as battling the heat,” Luther said. “Week 1 is tough. We’ve got to hope our offense is smooth and sharpen up on special team, which is an area where it is tough for us to practice. The offensive live looks good, and it looks like we’ve got some depth there, but Friday won’t be easy.”

The Raiders’ high-powered offense host Gilbert for a 7:30 p.m. varsity kickoff.