A long time coming

For those of us who have been around the SaberCat football program for awhile, (this is my sixth year) Friday night's game is an opportunity that has been a long time in coming. This will be the first time a varsity SaberCat football team has ever lined up against a city opponent. Many former players who have laid the foundations for SaberCat football NEVER had the opportunity that you WILL have when you walk on to that field. Do not underestimate the significance of this. It is a personal battle no doubt, but you will also be representing all of the Fossil Ridge family. Band, cheer leaders, parents and future varsity players who will all be looking to the gridiron, doing all that they can do to support you. But only YOU will be able to determine the outcome. That is the great thing about being in the position that you are. The team who runs out on to French Field with the most determination to win will come away with the victory.
Like it or not, you will be judged by your peers in the city by the RESULTS of these games. They don't respect you just because you have moved to 5A. Respect in football, IS EARNED ON THE FIELD. EARN their respect. Lets have a tremendous week of preparation.

Coach Lefort

Congratulations Coach Vecchio

Friday Night was special also because it was the FIRST (with many more to come) VICTORY for Coach Vecchio as a Varsity Head Coach. Thanks Coach for pouring your HEART AND SOUL into the the BLACK AND GREEN. I don't think anyone enjoyed the VICTORY more than Coach.

Congratulations Coach!

Coach Lefort

A Homecoming to Remember

Friday was blessed with all the perfect ingredients for a Homecoming Football game: a picture postcard Autumn evening, a HUGE CROWD, the BEST band in the State, and most importantly a convincing VICTORY on the gridiron. You transferred the work from the practice field to the game and the results were obvious to everyone in attendance. The offense was executing from the opening PLAY, and the defense was SWARMING to the ball. You took the field with a sense of urgency and took the Eagles out of the game quickly. That is the way to TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.
Although it was a great win, there is PLENTY of room for improvement. On defense you must take care of your responsibilities, BE ONE OF ELEVEN. No gaps in the wall. There were missed assignments on both sides of the ball that must be eliminated if we are to have success in the future.
Congratulations on a memorable Homecoming Victory.

Coach Lefort

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

- How TREMENDOUS was THE RIDGE NATION

- the ALL-BLACKS were AWESOME

- Micheal " the Milkman" Harrison is becoming a BEAST

- The specials were SOLID ( kicker, snapper, punter and coverage)

- Nothing beats a RUNNING CLOCK

- Congratulations to THE KING #13

Homecoming 2010

The Thompson Valley Eagles will be the opponent when you take the field on Friday night. Thompson Valley will be playing their hardest and looking for a victory. It will take your BEST EFFORT to come home victorious. You have put in the work this week on the practice field. Be ready to focus your attention to the on one thing: WINNING!!

Coach Lefort

Arapahoe Ambush

Every time you take the field against an opponent you must come with your very best effort. Each team that you will face this year has the talent to make it a very long night for you if you don't. The Arapahoe Warriors brought their best, played with emotion and desire, and sent their fans home with a homecoming victory.
Football is a game loaded with life lessons and Friday night's game was no different. You WILL face adversity, your confidence WILL be tested, and you WILL have the opportunity to quit. But you must dig down and pick yourself up and get back in the fight. There are HUGE games awaiting you in the coming weeks. Everything you could want from this season is still ahead of you. It is your choice; let your work on the practice field and your play on Friday night answer that question.

Coach Lefort

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

-Whatever team BLOCKS and TACKLES better almost always WINS the game

- Ravin and Cody Dinkle have done a nice job kicking the football

- Alex Leonard's catch and run for a touchdown was tremendous

- The Warriors kicker was as good as I have seen

Arapahoe Awaits

A homecoming crowd will be waiting for you when you get off the bus to face the Arapahoe Warriors on Friday night. The Warriors are coming off a 30-8 victory and will have tremendous momentum heading into the game. They are going to hit the field and punch you in the mouth, with the hope you will decide to pack it up and go home. That is when you must FIGHT YOUR HARDEST!! FLYING to the football on defense, EXECUTING on offense and being EXPLOSIVE on the special teams. Four quarters of that kind of football, play after play is what it is going to take to steal a homecoming night victory from the Warriors. Use every available minute (on the practice field, on the bus, in film study) to prepare yourself to do one thing. WIN!!

Coach Lefort

Physical Falcons

The Highlands Ranch Falcons were not afraid to be physical and in turn came away with the victory on Saturday morning. Special Teams were improved, but must continue to get stronger and stronger with each game you play. The offense is seeing glimpse of the kind of production that it is going to take to win ball games. The defense must BE STRONGER. There is no replacing the PHYSICALNESS of football. It is a COLLISION sport, not a contact sport. The team that wins that aspect of the game is HARD to beat. The Falcons are a solid, tough hard running football team that will win a lot of ball games this year. The mistakes from this game are fixable, if you are willing to do what it takes to get them fixed. Here's to a GREAT WEEK of PRACTICE!

Coach Lefort


UPON FURTHER REVIEW

-It could not have been any more beautiful morning for a football game

- Alex Leonard's touchdown grab was one of the best I have seen

- Big Jake rumbling down the sidelines with the football quite a sight

- You MUST stop the run

- It was good to see my old car pool buddy, Blake Olsen (host of Football Colorado and the Denver Nuggets wrap up show) at our game to film it for Football Colorado

- Hearing the National Anthem played by the band on 9/11 is HONOR

- We have to play SMART, AGGRESSIVE, TOUGH FOOTBALL

SaberCats to host The Ranch in home opener

Saturday morning will provide another quality opponent when the Highlands Ranch Falcons fly into French Field. The Falcons victorious in their season opener, possess a strong running game and a stingy defense. They are a member of the Continental Conference, which includes some of the Colorado's best high school football programs.
Many things were learned from last Friday night. The effort and attention to the special teams MUST be translated to the field on game day. The defense MUST complete their assignments and keep the Falcons out of the end zone. Offensively, EXECUTION is the key to any successful game plan. Come READY TO WORK everyday this week in practice. Make sure that come Saturday morning you WILL PLAY YOUR BEST!!
It is here, the time is now!

Coach Lefort

Top Ten Trojans Tough

Friday night the Fountain Fort Carson Trojans proved to be worthy of their pre-season ranking. The margin of error at the varsity level against an opponent of this caliber is slim, and we made too many mistakes to bring back a victory.
There were bright spots on both sides of the football, and the effort was evident. The defense played well in the second half, but allowed FFC too many big plays in the first. Offensively we were close to putting together a series or two, but couldn't find the solid consistancy needed to complete a drive with a touchdown.
It is very hard to duplicate the speed of game situations in practice; that's why it is so important to take every practice rep with an attitude of improvement. Every game is important, but once they are done they are gone. Use the lessons learned from your time under the Friday night lights to prepare you for the most important game on our schedule, THE NEXT ONE.

Coach Lefort

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

-Playing in the shadow of Fort Carson and the reverence they showed in displaying the flag made me proud to be an American, and VERY GRATEFUL for the men and women who serve our country in the Armed Forces

-Those new uniforms were TIGHT; I overheard a couple of Trojans give their approval when you walked by

-FFC has as nice as an on campus facility as I have ever seen

- Special Teams are HUGE - you have to be a play maker every time you take the field on a Special Team

- Execution is VITAL

- The goal line stand on the last play was about one thing : HEART

- The injury to the Trojan quarterback in the forth quarter was scary. I know he felt your prayers and wish him a speedy recovery

- The game day Dress Blacks looked sharp all the way from the freshmen getting on the bus to leave for the game to the varsity loading back up for the ride home

-Thank You to the worlds greatest Boosters who were there all day taking care of any need