JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Spring football is in full swing and the News4Jax sports team is making stops at high schools across the area in its annual Spring Swing tour.
After a disappointing and unusual 2020 season, the Mandarin Mustangs are ready to compete in 2021.
Anything is better than how last spring played out. The pandemic was surging across the country and high school spring sports were wiped out. The regular season started a few weeks late, and made it across the finish line, but this feels like a much more normal spring.
“Not having a spring, once we didn’t have one we realized how important it is, especially establishing an identity as a team,” said Mandarin coach Bobby Ramsay, whose team hosts Fleming Island at 6 p.m. on May 20 in its spring-ending game.
Last year, the Mustangs were a veteran team. With many of those players graduating, the Mustangs will have to rely on some young players.
“We have some players that have been working hard waiting for their opportunity.” he said. “And from what I have seen on the practice field, it looks like they are ready to take advantage of it.”
After going 3-6 last season, the Mustangs will be looking for improvement across the board.
Defense was the strength of the team last year and Ramsay hopes that unit will continue to improve in 2021.
“We want to be known as a school that plays really good defense year in and year out,” he said.
It is early in spring, but neither the Mustangs defense nor their offense has dominated during practice so far.
“There has been some give and take in the 11-on-11 and competitive session and that is what you want to see.”