By Aaron Burns

LINCOLNTON – David Maness’ first season as coach of North Lincoln High’s football team won’t officially begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday when the Knights scrimmage Gastonia Hunter Huss.

But the game will give Maness a better idea of what he’ll have for North Lincoln’s first official opponent, Newton Foard on Aug. 17.

Maness is the Knights’ third coach in the past three seasons. Zach Bevilacqua coached North Lincoln to a 1-10 mark in 2011 after Scott Stilwell was fired last July. North Lincoln went a combined 4-29 in the past three years.

Maness compared the Knights’ coaching carousel – and the change in leadership that went with it – to a car.

“The biggest thing the school did was change the driver,” Maness said.

But one of its key parts will be the same.

Quarterback Cory Blake was one of North Lincoln’s top offensive players in 2011 despite missing part of the season with a shoulder injury. He’s spent preseason practice at full health and No. 1 on the depth chart.

North Lincoln follows its contest against Hunter Huss with a scrimmage at 6 p.m. Friday at Morganton Freedom.