Warren Fitzgerald

Helmet courtesy of Michigan Helmet Project

League: Macomb Area Conference

Silver Division
Last season: 10-2
Opening game: 2 p.m. Aug. 28 against Madison Heights Lamphere at Eastern Michigan University

Offense

Key player: Larry Masters, senior, quarterback

Masters is the man on offense this season, and there is little questioning that. As a junior, he threw for more than 1,200 yards and had 16 touchdowns and just four interceptions on 176 attempts.

“Now in his second year starting, we need him to play as well as he did last year while becoming a better leader,” coach Jason Byers said.

The Spartans’ biggest challenge on offense will be replacing running back Edwin Limmitt, who rushed for 1,545 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2008.

Special teams

Key player: Rob Vojinov, junior, kicker

With the offense needing to play a more vital role in Fitzgerald’s success this season, Vojinov is going to have plenty of chances to shine.

“We’re pretty confident in what he can do,” Byers said. “He’s pretty accurate from about 30 yards and in.”

Coach’s outlook

While Byers knows his team is again the favorite in the Silver, he also knows any success this season may have to come in a different fashion than it did a year ago.

In 2008, the Spartans’ defense held opponents to an average of 8.2 points, while the offense scored nearly 30 per contest.

“There’s going to be a sort of role reversal,” Byers said. “Our offense is going to have to carry us while our defense matures. We’re much younger on (the defensive) side of the ball. With that said, we still expect to compete for a division title and win like we did last year.”