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Highlands Today

Devils Already Want Revenge

Chris Hoffman/Highlands Today

Avon Park quarterback Albert Moses is still upbeat after an injury during practice has him sideline for tonight's game. The prognosis is that Moses will be back for next week's regular season opener against Ridge Community.

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By CHRIS HOFFMAN

Highlands Today

Published: August 29, 2008

AVON PARK - Albert Moses was all smiles on Wednesday as he threw the football around during practice, although one couldn't help but notice the Avon Park football team's starting quarterback was hurling the ball with his left arm.

The right hand of Moses was in a soft cast that immobilized his wrist and thumb on his throwing hand after it was discovered he'd injured his wrist and thumb during receiver drills early this week. The injury will keep Moses on the sideline for Avon Park's preseason game tonight against Lake Wales.

"I'll be alright," Moses said with a jovial tone. "It is already feels a lot better than when I injured it and the doctors say I'll just be out a week.

"I can't wait to get this cast off and start throwing again. I hate just sitting around while my team is practicing without me."

Avon Park head coach Andy Bonjokian confirmed that Moses should miss only the pre season game, but he also said he'd make a decision after seeing the senior quarterback in practice next week.

"I'm pretty confident that Albert will be back next week," Bonjokian said. "But with any injury, you've got to see how they come back from a setback."

Sophomore Avierre Conner has taken the majority of snaps in practice under center, making some nice deep throws to his receivers. Bonjokian has been impressed by the speed at which Conner has matured.

"I'm really fortunate to have a player like Avierre," Bonjokian said. "He's really stepped up and taken it upon himself to lead this team with Albert on the bench. It helps me sleep easier knowing that you have someone as capable to lead your team, especially against a team like Lake Wales."

The Highlanders took the Red Devils to the woodshed in last season's preseason match-up to the tune of a 39-0 whooping.

Lake Wales, who's coached by the legendary Rod Shafer, has a stable of Division-I prospects, led by senior defensive lineman Rod McMath, who received letters from South Florida, Florida and Florida State after his sophomore year and is expected to be a handful for the youthful Red Devil offensive line.

Shafer is in his 16th year as a head coach with a 134-39 career record and coached the Highlanders to the Class 3A-10 runner-up.

"Lake Wales is solid across the board," Bonjokian said. "They don't have many weaknesses, and Coach Shafer always has his kids in the right places to make plays. That kid McMath is a monster, and we'll have a heck of a time keeping him in check."

But don't think that Bonjokian is ready to concede to the mighty Highlanders.

"We're going into this game to win," Bonjokian said. "It is our job as coaches to give these kids the tools to win whoever we happen to be playing. We've been busy studying tape and I believe if we give everything we have, believe in ourselves and play the full 48 minutes then we've got a great chance of beating this team."

Last year, Avon Park had no luck in finding any weaknesses in the Lake Wales defense in the shutout loss. The Red Devil's longest play from scrimmage against the Highlanders was on a 17-yard run by Moses on the last play before halftime.

Bonjokian hopes for a better outcome from the Red Devil offense, as Conner showed that he can deliver the football to his targets, which include fellow sophomore Alonzo Robertson, who has great leaping ability and good hands to snag the tough passes.

Senior linebacker James Bland is one of the playmakers on defense and was anxious to see how the defense that Coach Lee Elder has installed will look against Lake Wales.

"We all remember what Lake Wales did to us last year," Bland said. "We've been working hard to learn the new defense, but it's one thing to run it in practice and the other to see it in action on game day. We all have to do our jobs and come out ready to play."

Bonjokian is confident in Elder's defense and also looks forward to seeing them against a top-line team like Lake Wales.

"Coach Elder is really good at putting these kids in good schemes and positions to make plays," Bonjokian said. "This is our test tonight. This is how it's going to be every week. It doesn't get much easier."

For the Red Devils to have success against a seasoned team like the Highlanders, Avon Park will have to run the ball effectively to keep the Lake Wales offense off the field and minimize the amount of scoring chances.

Virgil Cooper and Teddy Allen are a good one/two punch in the backfield, while fullback Buddy Duke could be key to keeping the chains moving and marching toward the end zone.

"We have a lot of bright spots on this team and we're not thinking at all about last year," Bonjokian said. "We've moved forward and we're ready to start a new chapter of Red Devil football."

Red Devils vs. Highlanders

at Joe Franza Stadium

TONIGHT at 7:30

COST $5

Chris Hoffman can be reached at 863-386-5827 or at choffman@highlandstoday.com.

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