Although this is a fairly new school, Leopard sports teams have had success from the start. Football is just one example. But after three consecutive post-season berths, some wonder whether this team can yield another long playoff run.

After suffering a disappointing defeat in the season opener, fans are already preparing themselves for an off year. To be fair though, they were playing an Argyle team that’s ranked No. 1 in Dallas Morning News SportsDay’s 3A rankings, and already has two seniors committed to Division 1 colleges for athletics.

For the Leopards, key players were missing on both sides of the ball; seniors Eddie Puskarich (kicker) and Nate O’Connor (left tackle on offensive and defensive tackle on defense) did not play for the entire game, while junior Nick LaSane (running back and linebacker) was injured in the first half and senior Trey Carson (wide receiver, running back, and safety) is now out for the season after tearing ligaments in his shoulder during the opening game.

With only 3 starters returning on offense, the unit is predominantly comprised of juniors such as Zach Saffle, Cullon Greene, Nick LaSane, Austin Turnbow, and Drew Scolaro. While the team did show areas that need improvement, there were several encouraging signs.

Starting his first game at quarterback, Saffle did remarkably well. Hitting on 11 completions in 15 attempts with no interceptions, he also had 21 carries for 67 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Greene, a transfer from Allen, playing his first game in a Leopard uniform, and had a 47-yard carry. Junior kicker Matt Sims, substituting for Puskarich, scored on all three of his attempts, including a 43 yard field goal.

Unfortunately, these accomplishments were not enough for the Leopards to win. It’s only the first game of the season, and first games can be far from perfect. The team is young and inexperienced, and before everyone begins to over-analyze, scrutinize, and theorize, the players should be allowed to become comfortable playing together. Once they are playing like a cohesive unit, we can see where their potential lies.

Another thing to remember, injuries can dictate the path of a team’s season. The key to success is to have all players healthy. So far, the Leopards are not off to a good start. Losing a captain, Carson, for the rest of the season is not the only problem they have to deal with, seeing as O’Conner will most likely be out until district play starts. Those are two experienced seniors the Leopards need out of the field.

So before you start mentally preparing yourself for a losing season, wait a few more games and let the players work out the kinks Argyle exposed. The talent of the team may not be near the level it’s been previously, but the team still has time to figure out how to combine all their individual strengths into a cohesive, confident team. Let’s just wait a few weeks before we evaluate.