The pressure's on

The most important thing Donnie Wainscott can do for his Hernando Christian Academy team this season? Don't get hurt.

The cold reality facing a Lions' football program just a year removed from a 10-0 season is a roster low on depth and experience, putting the onus firmly on the handful of veterans who remain.

Wainscott, a junior about to embark on his third season with the team, will slide into the quarterback spot this year. His backup is running back Dakota D'Ambrosio, who's backup is Wainscott. Get the picture?

"Wainscott and Dakota are under severe pressure," HCA Head Coach Mike D'Ambrosio said. "Donnie has got to play within himself. He's athletically gifted. He's got to play within himself and not try to do more than that."

However, in shifting from wide receiver to quarterback, the 5-foot-10, 170-pound Brooksville resident who turns 17 in September will be doing things he's rarely ever done since he started playing at age 6.

Due to personnel changes, he'll also have to operate an offense distinctly different from the run-dominated system installed by previous Head Coach David Raley.

HCA figures to spread out and take to the air far more than in recent seasons, meaning the left-handed Wainscott will have plenty riding on his throwing arm.

"I like it a lot," Wainscott said. "There's a bunch of different options we can do. It gives us more area to run.

"... I want to get the ball to where the receiver can get it. We didn't have much chance last year. I've been practicing a lot of passing. It's what I do the first 30 minutes of practice. I'm progressing a little bit at a time. I think I'm good enough right now to be a quarterback, but I can definitely work on it a lot."

As a former receiver - he caught six passes for 130 yards in 2009 - Wainscott feels he has a firm grasp on where to hit his target. He also believes he has the ability to run with the football.

He'll need to stay in shape, as he must continue to start at cornerback due the Lions' small numbers. He paced the team with three interceptions last year, and was in on 20 tackles.

This may all seem like a daunting amount of work, but Wainscott appears ready to embrace his role as he attempts to lead HCA back to respectability following last season's 1-9 showing.

"We need to be more challenging to other teams," Wainscott said. "Yeah we'd like to win, but we'd at least like to have a good game.

"... Everyone thinks of us as a small school. Teams think they can run over us this year. We have to try and stop that. I think as a whole team we can do it together."

BY THE NUMBERS: DONNIE WAINSCOTT
RECEIVING
YEAR REP YDS YPC TD LG
So 06 130 21.7 00 50

DEFENSE
YEAR SOLO ASST TTK TFL SK QBP CF FR BLK PB INT
Fr 09 02 11 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
So 13 07 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3
TOTALS22 09 31 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 3