Crunch time has almost arrived for Marty Williams Jr., Devan Buchanan, Kevin Cloy and their Fox Creek High School football teammates, as the Predators' season opener is to be Friday evening at home (Lions Field) versus Branchville.

"We're very optimistic. We're just so much more athletic, and ... we're hoping that our speed will win us some ball games. We're not the biggest team, but we're much faster than we've ever been, and we hope that generates more wins for us, and maybe a playoff shot, and go from there," said Fox Creek coach Russell Schneider.

Kickoff time for Friday's game is 7:30 p.m. Branchville, from southern Orangeburg County, is now beginning the third year of its football program, drawing from a student body numbering about 180.

Schneider noted that this year's squad is particularly junior heavy and includes a generous helping of talent by way of transfer from Strom Thurmond High School.

The Predators went 2-8 overall and 2-5 in Region 4-A action during the 2009 season. The 2010 squad includes plenty of new talent among its 42 players.

"I'll bet there's 20 we've never seen in pads," Schneider said. "This is the first time we've had enough depth where the kids are competing for their positions."

Williams, a junior, may be the most high profile of the returning players, having served the Predators as quarterback, tailback and linebacker.

Cloy, also a junior, is a returning lineman serving on both sides of the ball, and junior Trevante Robinson was one of the CSRA's top receivers in 2009 in yardage. Buchanan, another junior, serves as linebacker and also gets some time on the offensive line.

"He's a skill player - a hard hitter," said Schneider. "Very athletic."

Another junior, C.J. Williams, is poised to make a major impact as a transfer from Laney High School, serving as the starting tailback and cornerback.

Top seniors include Ash Ergle, a three-year starter who plays offensive line and linebacker.

"(Ergle is) probably our hardest hitter," said Schneider.

Looking at the weeks ahead, the coach said Williston-Elko (Oct. 22) could be the roughest assignment of the season, as the defending state champs are absolutely loaded.

"We're projected to win it all again with no problems," said Schneider. "They've got everybody back."

Other major mountains to climb include Blackville-Hilda (Sept. 3), a team that "always scares you, just because of their tradition," and Calhoun County (Oct. 8), said Schneider.

"We've got more speed than we've ever had," Schneider said. "We're much quicker and we're more athletic."

He said he was pleased with his team's ability to move the ball in an Aug. 9 scrimmage at McCormick. The Chiefs are "supposed to be much better" this season, and Fox Creek made a good showing of it.

As for the Predators' defense, Schneider said he wants to be able to keep opponents guessing in terms of whether the blitz is coming or whether the Predator defense is looking to slam on the brakes by another means.

"We're running a 3-5 defense," he added.