The Sonoraville Phoenix football team will kick off the 2008 season against a new school.

Heritage High, in Catoosa, will have its first football season this year and leading that team will be former East Ridge High coach Tim James.

James, like Sonoraville head coach Chuck King a few years ago, isn’t expecting anything but the usual in a first year program.

“We know we have to crawl before we walk and we have to walk before we can run,” said James. “We had to start from scratch and there is still a lot on my to do list when we are not practicing."

The Generals will have a roster of 80 kids, including eight seniors and 11 juniors.

A few key players to watch include, junior (WR) Matt Chattin, senior (TE) Micah Marshall and “the boys,” 6-foot-2, 275-pounder Chase Duke, Cody Hughes (6-3 and more than 300-pounds) and Dylan Lowe (6-3, 240).

The Phoenix will go into the game looking to match their career win total right of the bat.

It is no longer about trying to be competitive at Sonoraville. It is about getting the respect that King believes his seniors deserve.

“On the football field respect isn’t earned, it is taken,” said King. “We need to go out there and take it.”

The opening game is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. at Heritage.