Southern Tier Sports ReportSOUTHPORT — After no football for the past few years, the Notre Dame Crusaders are back Saturday getting ready to start the season.
The Crusaders open the season with a 1 p.m. game against Waterville.
“It’s good,” Notre Dame coach Mike Johnston Sr. said of having football back. “Early 20’s (in number of kids), levels from seventh to 12th grade.”
The Crusaders weren’t able to keep every kid from modified, which has numbers a little lower from varsity, but this team only has two seniors, and two juniors, setting up for a big future for the program.
“Unfortunately we lost seven kids who were on the modified team last year,” Johnston Sr. said. “So, if we had them we’d be right around 28-30 kids. Some made decisions they didn’t want to play football and some just decided they wanted to do other sports, like soccer, which is fine, that’s their call. But, if we kept those kids we’d be even better (with numbers) right now.”
For Notre Dame the game opens the season, while Waterville opened the season with a week zero win over South Lewis, 48-20.
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES
PHOTO GALLERY FROM PRACTICE:
