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Wayde Sims - (Jerit Roser, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
Skylar Mays - (Jerit Roser, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
Jalen Johnson - (Jerit Roser, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
It?s not often that coaches can refer to their sophomores as the experienced ones on the team. But when the group consists of Jalen Johnson, Skylar Mays, Wayde Sims and D.J. White, it?s a bit of a different story.
The quartet have played varsity ball for University Lab since eighth grade, and come opening day in November, they?ll already be two-year veterans for the Cubs.
Johnson, Mays, Sims and White headlined U-High?s 2012 campaign that resulted in a 30-3 record as well as a trip to the 2A semifinals, but now the star-studded sophomore class has a new challenge ahead as the Cubs bump up into 3A for the 2013-14 season.
?They realize it?s going to be tougher,? said U-High Coach Joe Spencer. ?We?ve got a tougher schedule and our district is going to be tough. It?s not going to be an easy walk through the playoffs at all.?
U-High will join District 7-3A which already consists of Parkview Baptist, Brusly, Port Allen, Glen Oaks and West Feliciana ? all of which made it past the first round last postseason ? as well as Baker, who also made the playoffs as a No. 28 seed.
Spencer and staff have already begun preparations for the amped up slate this season, attending LSU, Southeastern and Tulane team camps during the summer, posting a 20-4 record so far this offseason.
?We started playing better as the summer went on, which was nice to see,? Spencer said. ?We got to play a lot of good competition. Every team camp we played in, we were in a group with the top teams. That?s what we needed.?
Spencer said his squad is also planning to play in a tournament in Florida this season as well as the Sugar Bowl Prep Classic in New Orleans, hoping to have the guys fully prepared come district play.
?What we really tried to do is load up the schedule with as many 5A schools as we could,? Spencer said. ?We?re trying to play as many tough teams as we can before we get to district. I don?t have any idea what our record is going to be like, but hopefully it?ll prepare us for district and the playoffs.?
The biggest transition for the Cubs this offseason has been mixing in the new talent ? many of which are ironically older than the standout sophomores ? with the returning players.
Along with the four former freshmen, Spencer pinpointed John Jones and junior forward Maxwell Starwood as other potential playmakers, giving U-High a steady eight-man rotation during summer action.
?We?re trying to integrate these guys with the other guys and the guys coming off the bench,? Spencer said. ?That was the biggest thing ? getting some of those guys to play with the guys that have been here a while. (The sophomores) are doing a really good job at getting the other players the ball.?
And while U-High has already accomplished a lot in recent years, one goal is still on the horizon, making the motivational part of Spencer?s job pretty easy.
?With all the social media and all this stuff, a lot of things could go to (the players?) head but so far I don?t think it has,? Spencer said. ?They?ve stayed humble, they?re continuing to work. Their goal is to win a state title and we haven?t done that yet.
?That?s definitely the ultimate goal is to win a state title.?
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Mark Clements can be reached at prep@nola.com or 504.826.3405.
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