So far, Austin Sternberger’s prep career has gone far from smoothly. First the Hernando High left inside linebacker broke his collarbone two summers ago, costing him his entire sophomore season. Then he broke it again last spring, and though it didn’t officially cost him any games, it certainly had an impact.
“I had to overcome a lot. I was smaller than everybody, weaker than everybody,” Sternberger said. “I was out a total of 25 weeks. I really never got back to my top strength until way into my junior year.
“I felt like I favored my collarbone. But now I’m feeling like I have my confidence back. This year hopefully will be my best year.”
The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder who will be a senior next season still finished the 2014 campaign second on the Leopards in tackles with 61.
He points to the Oct. 3 game against Nature Coast as the turning point, and he twice reached double figures in tackles over the last four contests, with 11 versus Pasco and 13 against Central.
“I started hitting more guys, I was in for more tackles,” Sternberger said. “After the Nature Coast game, I started leading the team in tackles. I felt more aggressive. I flew to the ball more.”
His performance impressed head coach Bill Vonada, entering his second year with the team.
“He goes really hard. He works hard, trains hard,” Vonada said. “He’ll do whatever you ask him to do. A good student. He’s one of those guys with integrity.
“He had an injury last year at the beginning and came on and became one of our better reading linebackers, attacking linebackers. I think if he continues that he’s going to have a good year.”
Sternberger had equally complimentary things to say about Vonada in the Leopards’ second spring under the veteran mentor, who guided the team to a 3-6 mark last year.
“I think we’re a lot further now than we were at the end of last year,” Sternberger said. “We’re starting to get used to Coach Vonada. I think as a team and with him as our coach we’re more prepared than we’ve ever been.
“He’s like an extra dad. With him out there we’re all looking to play harder.”
To that end Sternberger wants to become the county’s leading tackler, and gain the exposure he lost due to injury.
He’d also like to play in the postseason, and Friday’s spring classic at home against Sunlake, starting at 7 p.m., will begin to show where Hernando stands.
“I just want to win the game. I know we can win that game,” Sternberger said. “I think if we win that game, it’ll show everybody as a whole; Sunlake gets talked up a lot, everyone knows they’re a pretty good team. I feel like if we beat them, that’ll give everybody on our team more energy when we play hard teams.”
