Cougars Begin New Season Friday
It’s not even mid-August yet, but the Piedmont Academy football team will welcome a new season Friday when the Cougars travel to Bethlehem Christian Academy, located in Barrow County.
The Cougars, under the direction of third-year head coach Wes Tanner, are beginning the 2016 campaign with one of the earliest start dates for a regular season game in program history. Friday’s contest will begin at 8 p.m. in an effort to help combat the hot weather conditions.
“It’s ready or not here we come,” Tanner said. “I believe the way we have structured practice will help us be ready. We have tried to make sure early in the preseason that we worked on special teams. That’s always an area you worry about, especially in the first game or two.”
Piedmont finished the 2015 regular season 8-2, including a 28-7 victory in the season opener against BCA, but was upset in the first round of the state playoffs. The Cougars are hoping to get back to the postseason and know Friday’s game is the first step, even though the match-up with the Knights is a non-region event.
Like all seasons, Tanner and his coaching staff lost some key players to graduation but there is a solid foundation back for 2016. Seniors on the roster include Michael Edwards, Chris McClain, Mack Brady, Wyatt Galloway, Ben Smith, Tyler Mills, Joseph Anderson, Jay Sheets.
Tanner and the Piedmont coaches will look to this group of seniors for leadership on and off the field.
There is also a solid class of juniors this season including Talon Anglin, Corbin Burrell, Chase Twedell, Rustin Starker, Parker Clark, Jackson Waddleton, Kevin Davis, Tanner Coppock, Brett Bush and Jaron Autry. Sophomores on the 2016 will be Dalton Whitley, J.T. Webb, Logan Conner and Matthew Griffin.
Freshman on the varsity roster include Tate Marks, Dylan Coe, Trent Coots, Ezra King, Payton Wallace, Owen Brady, Blake Calhoun, Hagan Hinson and Zach Spivey.
Offensively, McClain, Edwards, Galloway, Brady, Autry, Sheets and Webb saw plenty of action in 2015. On the defensive side of the football, Mills, McClain, Edwards, Galloway, Conner and Sheets each return.
Tanner said the special teams duties will be handled by King (kicker), Brady and Galloway (punting) and Clark (long snapper.)
This will be the third meeting between Piedmont and BCA in varsity football. The Cougars have won both games including a 77-0 victory in 2014 and a more competitive 28-7 win last season. The Knights are in their fifth full season of playing varsity football.
“The game will be about not letting the fact that it’s early in the season bother us and to not let certain situations affect us in a negative way,” Tanner said. “It’s early for everyone. All teams have to prepare for the opener and be ready for whatever transpires. We have to do the basic things properly and make sure unexpected things don’t rattle us. We have to understand that some things may not go well, but have to adjust.”
BCA coach Lance Fendley said Piedmont looked good in its scrimmage last Friday.
“They are a good, physical team,” Fendley said. “They have some talented looking players. We know it’s going to be a tough battle for us. Piedmont is solid year-in and year-out.”
Tanner said last season’s competitive game will likely be duplicated in 2016.
“I expect everyone at BCA to be excited about the first game of the season,” Piedmont’s coach said. “This is their second season on their home turf. Last year was a hard-fought game and I expect it to be that way again Friday.”
Both teams had a chance to take part in a preseason scrimmage last week. The Cougars hosted Trinity Christian-Sharpsburg while the Knights competed at Briarwood Academy.
“It was good for us to line up against someone else before the first game,” Tanner said. “We were able to work on the kicking game so that will certainly be beneficial.”
Helping Tanner with the 2016 varsity program are assistants Alvin Hawkes, Zach Norris, Rick Ringer, Ray Schad, Michael Wilson, Nick Rebuelta and Tyler Landress.