With Liberty District Play on Schedule, Wooten is Ready to Start Winning

It is midway through Marvin Wooten's first season as South Lakes High School's head football coach. He is more than ready to win.

Wooten, 27, is the youngest head coach in Northern Virginia. He took over a team that saw some momentum - and an 8-4 record and a playoff win - under Andy Hill last year. Wooten, a South Lakes alum, got the job last May when Hill departed after a season with the Seahawks to coach at his own alma mater in Minnesota.

With eight sophomores starting, Wooten knew 2011 would be a challenge. An 0-5 record confirms that.

"It's frustrating," says Wooten. "I knew we were young going in and we have had some tough teams on our schedule."

To recap a little of where the Seahawks have been in 2011, the season began 48 hours after Wooten's mother died in a car crash. Wooten coached the opener against Westfield, one of the area's top teams. That game was a 52-6 loss.

After a 33-7 loss to crosstown rival Herndon, the Seahawks played Stone Bridge, which was coming off its first regular-season loss in 15 games. That ended in a 50-13 win for Stone Bridge.

The most recent games were 35-7 losses at Fairfax and 21-19 at Louisa County. The Seahawks had a chance to tie with a two-point conversion late in the game, but the 23-yard pass failed.

South Lakes returns home to host McLean (3-2) Thursday night.

"The kids have improved each week," says Wooten. "The kids are making fewer mistakes. Now we are getting into the meat of the conference schedule."

The Seahawks made a key offensive switch two weeks ago, moving sophomore quarterback Rashaan Jones to wide receiver and moving sophomore Calvin Vaughn to the quarterback spot.

"We are using Rashaan where we can really use his athletic ability," said Wooten.

Even if the Seahawks lose again Thursday, the weekend is bound to improve for Wooten. He is getting married in Washington, DC, on Saturday.