The Salem High football team is ready to put 2025 behind them and return to being one of the area powers when the high school football season opens Friday. Salem is in Lynchburg to take on E.C. Glass in what promises to be an exciting opening game.
The Spartans were 5-5 last year and won five of their last six games, but that’s not the standard coach Don Holter is looking for. Salem did not make the playoffs for the first time since the 2003 season, and they were 8-2 that year when not as many teams got to go.
If last Friday night’s scrimmage is any indication, Salem is back. With both starting teams on the field the Spartans had a 42-0 lead at the half against Amherst County. Salem dominated the benefit game on both sides of the ball.
“We started to do things right,” said Holter. “The defense was flying around and we played with focus and intensity. When you give it that kind of effort good things will happen.”
Holter realizes this was just a glorified scrimmage against a team that was 4-6 last year, but it was indeed a step in the right direction.
“It was a scrimmage and it was what it was, but on the other hand we grew immensely,” he said. “Now we have to build on that.”
E.C. Glass defeated Salem in last year’s opener at Salem Stadium, 27-21. The Spartans are just 3-7-1 against Glass since Salem High opened in 1977 but three of those losses came before Willis White arrived in 1983 to turn the program around.
“Same old Glass,” said Holter. “They have athletic skill people and they’ll get after you. Their quarterback is back and he’s a good player. We’ll have to do the little things right on defense because this one counts.”
Kickoff is Friday at 7 p.m. at City Stadium in Lynchburg. 5 p.m.
