Football 2013: Lakeview hoping to maintain momentum

GAINESVILLE -- After years of building and striving, the 2012 season provided a breakthrough moment for Lakeview Academy football.<br /> <br /> The 2013 Lions are focused squarely on not letting that momentum slip away. And with eight key seniors returning from last season's squad, Lakeview feels it knows what it takes to notch another stellar campaign -- as it eyes a move to region play in the near future.<br /> <br /> "We hope to move to region football next year," said Gruhn, whose team went 6-2 last year and has added a ninth game to the schedule in 2013.<br /> <br /> If this year's team can replicate 2012's success, it could be an easy transition.<br /> <br /> <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/72421323" width="500" height="375" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/72421323">2013 Lakeview Preview</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/wduntv">WDUN TV</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p><br /> <br /> "Last year's team left a good legacy and established a neat brotherhood. They were real close, and that wore off on group that's coming up," Lions coach Matthew Gruhn said. "The seniors we have now want to keep that chemistry; it's one of our biggest strengths. We don't have big numbers, but we play hard for each other."<br /> <br /> After fielding 40 players and 17 seniors last season, the Lions will go to battle with 27 players in 2013, but included in that group are some playmakers and the backbone of perhaps the best line of scrimmage the program has produced.<br /> <br /> "Every year we make strides in our physicality and what it takes to play the game," Gruhn said. "Sometimes we want it to grow faster than it is, but hopefully it will keep improving."<br /> <br /> Anchored by seniors J.T. McClung (captain), Paul Avery, Chase Unger and David Fadool, along with tight end Patrick Avery, Lakeview's offensive line should aid an offense that will be looking for a spark from several new faces in the backfield.<br /> <br /> Quarterback Jackson Strickland will guide the Lions' triple option attack after starring as a running back in 2012. Meanwhile, senior Drake Hollander -- who was a back-up fullback last season -- will take over as the team's top option at running back.<br /> <br /> "We will rely heavily on those two guys and Patrick Avery at tight end," Gruhn said.<br /> <br /> On defense, Lakeview will look for leadership from many of the same faces, including Strickland in the backfield and Hollander at linebacker. Chris Ball and Patrick Avery will also feature at linebacker, while the offensive line will provide plenty of reps on the defensive front.<br /> <br /> "Last year we were able to two-platoon; this year we've got a lot of two-way guys," Gruhn said. <br /> <br /> Those players will be challenged by a schedule that features plenty of shake-ups -- as five of the Lions opponents will be under new head coaches. There is also the addition of Wesleyan, which won the 2008 Class A GHSA title but finished 4-7 last season -- its first in Class AA.<br /> <br /> "They called and had had someone cancel, so we picked them up," Gruhn said. "We feel like we need to find out where we are, and that will be a good benchmark. I just hope we like what we find out when we play those guys."<br /> <br /> So far, Gruhn likes what he has seen in the build-up to 2013.<br /> <br /> "I've seen a pretty good work ethic and desire to continue what was built," Gruhn said.