There’s a famous saying that goes, “everything old is new again”, and proof of that adage was on full display at the Largo High School Field on Friday night.

Former Packers star Marcus Paschal was roaming the sidelines for the first time as Largo’s new head coach, a position he was hired to in February after longtime head coach Rick Rodriguez stepped down following the 2013 season.

Across the field, Jeremy Frioud was leading his Northeast team into action for the first time, as well. The former Largo defensive coordinator took the Vikings job this spring after spending a dozen years as the man behind Rodriguez’s tenacious ‘D’.

But soon after Coach Rodriguez did the honorary coin flip, it was the same old story on the field for the two schools, as the Packers, who have won nine straight district titles, thrashed the perennially rebuilding Vikings by a score of 40-0.

“If you look at the score it says 40-0 and you’d say that was a total beatdown, and it was,” Frioud said afterwards.

“But we didn’t quit, and that’s what it’s about,” he added. “It just so happens we came out and played one of the best teams in the county, and they played like one of the best teams in the county.”

Indeed the Packers (1-0) came out strong right from the start, as star quarterback Donovan Hale (9-22, 138 yds, TD, INT; 37 yds rush, 2TDs) led Largo on two consecutive scoring drives in the first quarter, capping off both series with short touchdown runs.

A lightning storm delayed the game by nearly an hour at the end of the quarter, but when the teams took the field again, the Packers picked right up where they left off.

“I think that delay actually helped us,” Paschal later admitted. “We weren’t taking care of the little things, so I had a chance to go in and tell them to calm down and just do your jobs.”

Whatever he said, it worked.

Immediately following the delay, senior Jonathan Crawford intercepted Northeast’s wildcat quarterback Devin Bowers at midfield; eight plays later, Hale threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Dakari Allen (92 yds rec, 2 TDs), and Largo took a 19-0 Largo into halftime.

Things got a bit sloppy in the second half, but Largo used a strong game by junior John Clark (166 yds, 2 TDs) to control the tempo and Largo’s suffocating defense did the rest, as the Packers held the Vikings (0-1) to just 40 yards of total offense and three first downs, which was more than enough to get a win.

“We’re 1-0 officially now, but it’s time to move on,” Paschal said. “East Lake is up next, and we’re gonna have our work cut out for us.”

“Largo played an outstanding game, they have outstanding talent and I’m sure they’re going to have another outstanding season,” Frioud said.

“But as far as out team goes we’ve got to go back and work and get better. We’ve got Dixie Hollins Friday, and I’ve already forgotten about this game.”