NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- Maury isn't wasting any time getting into the meat of its schedule. With week one comes an opponent that is also coming off a state title victory.
The Commodores welcome H.D. Wise (MD) for a rematch of last year's contest this Friday night. After watching many other squads open up last week, Maury finally gets its turn to kick off.
"We've been beating up on each other at practice, throughout camp and throughout the summer time," senior quarterback Au'Tori Newkirk said. "We're just ready to get out and play against somebody else."
"We haven't played since December 9 of last year as far as a game actually counting," head coach Dyrri McCain added. "It was good to get the scrimmages and camp in, but we're excited to kick off our season."
A clash of state champions rings in the new campaign for the Commodores, who finished 15-0 last season. Wise visits Powhatan Field Friday night to open quite the non-district gauntlet for Maury. Highland Springs and Dinwiddie will follow before the squad jumps into its Eastern District schedule.
"We come out of the gate and you've got to come ready to play," the head coach noted. "It's not a 'let's feel this team that I have this year.' We don't have time to feel it out, like what do we have, what don't we have. We're going right into it."
Maury's 34-14 win over the Pumas to open 2023 was the only blemish in Wise's record on its way to a state championship. Coaches and players who were part of last year's team no doubt remember that loss, so the bulls-eye might be a little bit bigger on the Commodores, but they welcome that as always.
"We're your only loss last year and you win a state title. I mean, there's got to be some natural wanting get back," McCain said. "We were once at that stage before, too, so it'll be natural and that means we'll get their best."
"I don't think anybody's as hungry as us," added Newkirk. "We know we have a chance to make history, something more at Maury."
The history Newkirk is referring to is back-to-back state titles. That's something Maury has yet to achieve and everything this season is geared towards hoisting another trophy on December 14. Each and every week is a single piece assembling a bigger puzzle.
"It would be really good, actually a confidence-booster for the team, knowing that we have the ability and want to get better and win week one," said Newkirk of a hopeful victory to kick things off."
"We don't put in the work to lose any game," McCain pointed out. "We want to make our run undefeated. That's what we're shooting for, on top of other goals, so it would be good to get a win week one."
Maury and Wise kick off Friday night at 7:00 PM at Powhatan Field.
