Cruce opens against his former team

Cane Bay High School crest

It's one of the more interesting plots in Week 1 of high school football.

Jeff Cruce, the coach of the brand new Cane Bay Cobras, goes up against his old school when the Hanahan Hawks come to town for a 7:30 p.m. showdown.

Cruce spent 12 years at Hanahan, and turned the Hawks into one of the state's top programs. After going winless in 1995, the Hawks won 112 games and 10 region championships. Cruce produced 51 players who have played college ball.

That was then, but this is now.

"Well, the big thing about it is Hanahan has moved on, and so have I," Cruce said. "I have a lot of feelings for those kids and we had a lot of success, but that's Charlie Patterson's team now. I have to worry about Cane Bay."

Hanahan was a rebuilding job. Cane Bay is new construction.

"It's a process," Cruce said. "You have to have a plan. It's not something you do by the seat of the pants."

The Cobras have a plan. And they have a motto.

"You better get us now," Cruce said, "because you won't get us later."

Cane Bay is at a disadvantage because its roster includes only freshmen and sophomores. The Cobras are playing at the varsity level, so you might want to judge them more by what happens on Thursday nights when they play junior varsity games.

Cruce said 123 players showed up for the first day of practice and 115 remained committed to playing. There are 74 players on the varsity roster, but only 60 dress for the games.

"Who dresses depends on who works the hardest in practice," Cruce said. "Here, you can be a starter on varsity on Monday and be on the junior varsity team the next day.

"Things change all the time. We just need to get the kids more reps. They need some live competition and a chance to play in a real ballgame. They're finally getting the chance."