COLDWATER – The Greenville football team faced a tough test on Friday when the Green Wave traveled to Coldwater to scrimmage against the three-time defending Division V state champion Cavaliers.
Coldwater’s varsity scored 10 touchdowns in the scrimmage compared to just one for Greenville’s varsity. While the Green Wave didn’t play great, Coach Aaron Shaffer said, there still were several positives they can build off of for the upcoming regular season.
“We had some good stuff happen today,” he said. “Obviously had some bad things we’ve got to get fixed, but that’s what we come here for. We know when we come up to Coldwater Coach (Chip) Otten’s going to have a good team … big, physical, fast. Their skill kids this year are phenomenal so it’s good for us to see that stuff. And my general gut feeling was not a bad day. Not a great day by any means but not a bad day either. We’ll be able to turn the film on this afternoon and find out what are flaws were and see if we can’t get them fixed for next week.”
Friday’s scrimmage, which lasted about 2 hours and 40 minutes, included 10-play series for each offense, goal line situations and a down-and-distance format in which each offense had to gain 10 yards to pick up first downs like in a game situation. The teams also worked on kickoffs, punts and extra points.
“It’s a chance for kids to go out and compete against a good team and see what we’ve got,” Shaffer said.
Greenville’s varsity offense started off the day with a 10-play series starting at its own 30-yard line. The Green Wave didn’t score during the possession.
Coldwater then took five plays to score its lone touchdown of its opening 10-play possession.
After Greenville went scoreless in another 10-play series, Coldwater scored on the sixth and 10th plays of its second possession.
After possessions by both schools’ junior varsity and freshmen squads, the varsity teams returned to the field for goal line situations. Both varsity offenses got sets of five plays beginning at their opponent’s 10-yard line.
After Greenville went scoreless in its first goal line possession, Coldwater scored on the second, third and fifth plays of its first goal line series.
Greenville’s varsity offense then scored its lone touchdown of the day on its final play of the second goal line possession when Logan Eldridge caught a deflected pass for a score.
Coldwater then scored on the third and fifth plays of its second goal line series.
After some extra-point kicks, the varsity offenses returned to the field for some down-and-distance play.
Greenville gained 25 yards in its first series and picked up a pair of first downs but didn’t score.
Coldwater needed just one play to strike with a 70-yard touchdown pass for its first score of the down-and-distance format.
The Cavaliers then turned around and marched 70 yards down the field for another score.
Greenville’s offense picked up a first down during its next series but didn’t score.
Then with Coldwater subbing in some backups, the Greenville defense came up with a stop in its final series of the day.
“When we got to the down-and-distance portion we got a little bit of fire under us,” Shaffer said. “We hit the screen and got down the sideline, had a couple nice runs.
“After that (70-yard Coldwater touchdown) we settled down and made them drive a little bit so there were some positives there.”
The scrimmage ended with the teams’ junior varsity and freshmen squads each playing a final 10-play series. The Greenville junior varsity defense came up with a pair of interceptions in its final series of the day.
Greenville will take on Fairborn at 7 p.m. Aug. 21 in its final scrimmage of the season. The Green Wave then will start the regular season a week later on Aug. 28 when they welcome Eaton to town.
