After spending the better part of October on the road, the Spartans will finish up their regular season at home. And how they fare in their two game stand at The Graveyard could determine whether the 2019 campaign is extended or brought to a conclusion. It's been a roller coaster of a season for the team, and barring upsets over the next two weeks, a ride that will likely continue. Only the unthinkable happening in either of those games could alter what seemingly appears to be the squads destiny. However the remainder of the season plays out, it will do so in Sparta, which is a just reward for a group that has boarded a bus to compete in four of their last five contests. And with games left against two opponents, in which the pigskin prognosticators forecast the Spartans will win and lose handily, playing before the home fans could prove beneficial. Saint Mark's will indeed be sizable underdogs against Salesianum, but that is a discussion for a later date. First the Spartans must take on a Glasgow team that many expect them to dispatch easily.
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The Spartans will play their fifth and final regular season away game when they travel to Pennsylvania to take on Kennett High School Friday night. In their previous four road games, Saint Mark's opponent was favored to prevail by many in the media. For the most part they have proved the pigskin prognosticators wrong, forging a 2 - 2 record in those contests. Though they did lose two of those games, the Spartans led late in both, and were only a couple of plays from being unbeaten on the road. Saint Mark's has played well away from the cozy confines of The Graveyard, and will need to continue doing so if they want to leave the Keystone state with a win. The contest will mark the first out of state excursion for the program since the 2014 season, when Saint Mark's traveled to Maryland to take on Archbishop Spalding. Since the move to Division II, traversing state lines for games hasn't been needed, with no shortage of willing Delaware opponents. For the second straight year the Spartans find themselves sitting at 4 - 2, and facing an uphill climb for the remainder of their season. With eventual Division II State Champion Woodbridge, Division I State Runner-Up Salesianum, and State Semifinalist Delaware Military Academy on the back end of the 2018 slate, Saint Mark's saw a once promising season fade with a 1 - 3 finish. Scheduling is a tricky business. You can pick your opponent with a relative gauge on their strength, however that offers no guarantee on the quality of team you end up squaring off against. The Spartans opponent in two weeks, Kennett High School, is a perfect example of this. The Blue Demons had not enjoyed a winning season since 2012, averaging less than three wins per year. The Pennsylvania squad that Saint Mark's will take on is currently 7 - 1, and enjoying what some are calling an historic season. Along with Kennett, the Spartans finish up with Delaware Military Academy, Glasgow, and Salesianum. Combined, the teams have forged an 18 - 8 record, that becomes more daunting when taking into account the Dragons are currently 2 - 4. Like the Blue Demons, Saint Mark's upcoming foe, only has one blemish on their record thus far. After two tough road games, the Spartans return home to take on Newark High School Friday night. The familiar venue should serve as an elixir for the weary souls, whose season took a turn for the worse since they last played on the sacred grounds. Even though Spartan Stadium hasn't afforded Saint Mark's a huge home field advantage, it has offered them an edge throughout the years. In the 38 night games played at The Graveyard since 2011, the Spartans have forged a 24 - 14 record. And while not hostile or intimidating for opponents, the .632 winning percentage confirms there is at least a little magic in the air for those in Green & Gold. The Yellow Jackets are no strangers when it comes to moonlight battles in The Graveyard. They served as the Spartans opponent for the venue's first game under the lights on October 28th, 2011. Newark came from behind to win that game 39 - 27, and holds a 2 -1 record at the stadium since then. However, in the 37th meeting between the teams, Saint Mark's will be looking for their fourth straight win over their crosstown rivals. Unless it was a team's final game of the season, there are always complications when it comes to moving on to the next opponent. Physical recovery is obviously an integral part of the process, especially when it comes to contact sports. As equally important though, is addressing the toll competition takes both mentally and emotionally. It doesn't matter whether a team is coming off a win or loss, both present their own unique challenges. However, losing creates a more difficult situation to overcome. For Saint Mark's that hurdle is higher because of how they lost, and the opponent next up on their slate. Twelve minutes from improving to 4 - 0 on the season, with a big victory over a team that had dealt them a heartbreaking setback last year, the inconceivable happened. Archmere rallied once again, this time erasing a 17 point deficit to hand the Spartans another stunning defeat.
"Our mental preparation is key this week coming off a devastating loss last week were we had some breakdowns." - Joe Wright Coming off a tough loss, and facing a quality Division I opponent, I asked Joe Wright what would be the team's biggest challenge this week. He replied; "Our mental preparation is key this week coming off a devastating loss last week were we had some breakdowns. That is a major point of emphasis this week. Physically, we must be taking care of our bodies and preparing them for battle every Friday night. We talk about hydration and stretching and eating habits all the time. Football is a long season and we must be physically and mentally prepared each game if we want to be successful." The setback, while difficult to digest, was only the team's first, and with six games remaining, the season's success is far from being determined. However, the road won't get any smoother for Saint Mark's, at least for another week. In Appoquinimink, the Spartans could find themselves going from the proverbial frying pan into the fire. |
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