SHS football will be kicking off their season by playing Roncalli High School for the fourth year in a row on Aug. 23, and some players can’t wait another minute for the season to begin.

“I’m (excited) about it,” senior running back LaMarco Yates said. “It needs to get here a little bit faster.”

According to Yates, this season opener means a little more than the times they have played Roncalli in the past.

“It’s the last one for me, so this is a big one,” Yates said. 

After a 36-28 win by the Cards when the two teams met last season, many players hope to start the season the same way. 

“I obviously expect us to win,” senior Jordan Tweedy said. “I just expect us to get better from this game moving forward.”

Last season, the Cards started their opening offensive drive against Roncalli with a 99 and a half yard touchdown pass, which broke the record for longest touchdown in SHS history. 

Even though some of the team’s key players have graduated, Yates says younger players have been able to step into bigger roles this year.

“(Junior) Carson Moore, he’s playing slot receiver, played defense last year but he’s picking up a really big position,” Yates said.

The SHS defense played a great role in the football team’s win over Roncalli as well. The team had a total of four interceptions between two players over the course of the game last year. 

“(Our defense) expects to be even better than we were last year,” Tweedy said. 

According to  Moore, their defense has more experience than they have in past seasons.

“We have an older defense now, more seniors and juniors,” Moore said.

According to Yates, the team is very confident going into the matchup against one of their biggest rivals. 

“Always confident in my team,” Yates said. “I feel like we can work together and get the job done.”