LOXLEY, Alabama - Spanish Fort coach Mark Freeman, who starts his second season as head coach on The Hill, said his team is about where he expects it to be heading into August.

“I think we are where we need to be for this point in a season or preseason. It’s still July and we are going to cover it all — not going to leave anything out. But we are going to focus on the area or areas we feel need to improve the most. But honestly, I feel like we are so far ahead of where we were this time last summer. I feel very good about that. Of course, we are in the toughest — What I believe is the toughest —5A region (Region 1) in the state. So we have to be prepared mentally and physically for some hard-fought battles — one after another.”

Spanish Fort will play Muscle Shoals in the al.com Champions Challenge Aug. 24, then open the season at home against state football power Daphne for the first time in school history.

“...It’s time we played Daphne. But the real season (regional games for state playoff standing) for us starts after that. So we can’t spend all our time on Daphne. Our season really starts with that next game (First Region 1 game hosting B. C. Rain Sept. 7). We’re going to play to beat Muscle Shoals (preseason jamboree) and Daphne within the realization that our goals are 5A goals and our main goal is to make the 5A state playoffs. And (standing) in our way to doing that are some very good, and I mean very good teams like St. Paul’s, Vigor, Gulf Shores.”

He also was pleased with how well his offense and defense has transitioned to his system.

“It’s like night and day,” he said. “We made a lot of progress last year. You know that first year of transition is always kind of tough and it really takes about two years, but this group is ahead of schedule. During the spring I could see they retained so much from last year that we have been able to talk about other things we want to get to. So as far as the tempo and pace of calling plays was going, we felt like — as a team—we’re so far ahead that we can spend more time working on areas that need more attention.”

One of those areas is defense he said where a number of last season’s starters graduated.

“We lost some experience on defense but we have guys that make up for it with work ethic and sheer determination. It’s a high expectation school, but there’s a lot of support there all around. And that’s still the bottom line for me. We try to teach that the harder you work, the higher you can set those expectations. And I’m very proud of this group of kids.”

Joel Poe returns as the starting Toro quarterback with other experienced offensive players Jonathan Cook, Deon Johnson and Devonte Patrick as well as senior defensive end Chris Morehouse and junior punting/kicking specialist Alexander Theodore.

“Special teams are always important,” Freeman added. “And A.T. (Theodore) has really come on strong and is really going to be a an important part of our game plans this year. He will help us be able to do things you can’t do with a weak kicker or punter. He has worked so hard, very dedicated, very intelligent and he has those nerves of steel you want in your kicker.”