Cougars Ready for Season Opener
After months of offseason workouts, conditioning and eventually preseason practices and scrimmages, the Piedmont Academy football team will play a game that counts this Friday night.
Coach Danny Camp’s Cougars begin the 2006 campaign on the road against Nathanael Greene in Siloam. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
The Cougars enter game week banged up as Camp said several players are either out or questionable for the opener. Still, Camp said if he can patch together a team, his players should be ready to take the field.
“I think we will be as ready as possible,” the third-year head coach said. “We are banged up right now. I hope we get some other players to step up. We need all 29 players on the roster to play their roles.”
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Piedmont was unable to scrimmage Brentwood last Thursday night in a jamboree game hosted by John Hancock Academy. Due to stormy weather that moved into the area that day, Camp and Brentwood coach Brent Brown decided to not play. It may have turned out to be a blessing since the wet conditions would have increased the chance for more players to be injured.
“We hated not to play, but we decided it wasn’t worth it to take a chance,” said Camp, whose team made the trip to Sparta, but then left to come back home shortly after arriving.
The injury list is somewhat long for Piedmont. Already, sophomore center Nick Reubelta has been lost for the season because of an ACL injury suffered before practice began this month. Defensive tackle Gree Roberts will also miss this week with a neck injury. Junior linebacker Patrick Simoes, an All-Region performer last fall, has an injured knee as does Lance Richardson, one of the team’s top wingbacks.
Clint Fields, who had moved to center after the loss of Reubelta, is also suffering from a deep calf muscle bruise.
Despite the injuries, the Cougars have several key players ready to go this week including senior quarterback Zac Hauther. Whit Morgan is back at tight end with Ben Cleary being moved from that position to center.
Joey Schroeder will also see time at tight end while Charlie Needham and Jake Landress will be at guard. Randy Reagin and Andrew Stevenson are expected to line up at tackle.
D.J. Allen, who is a junior this season, will be counted on at a host of positions including running back, center, linebacker and even quarterback. Justin Atkins returns at wingback as Christopher Hornibrook will be at fullback.
Junior Tony Deleza will also be counted on by the coaches this season. Other players who will be counted on in a variety of roles this fall include sophomores Tyler Landress, Wade Roberts, Josh Stevenson, Hugo Huerta, Kale Blackshear, B.J. Benjamin, Ryan McBroom and Andy Hall.
Freshmen who will contribute at the varsity level include Buddy Morrison, Luke Harvey, Matt Wilson and Wyley Deleza.
“It will be important for us to know our assignments,” Camp said. “That is something we have been stressing.”
Camp was able to scout Nathanael Greene in the Patriots’ preseason jamboree last week against Edmund Burke, a game the Patriots won.
“I believe we are about even when it comes to size and speed,” Camp said of this Friday’s foe. “They run the double wing and it is the perfect offense for their personnel.”
Nathanael Greene will be a tough opener for Piedmont, said Camp, who noted it is always tough playing in Siloam.
“It’s time to play,” the Cougar coach said. “It would really be nice to go down there and open up with a win on the road. Having to deal with injuries is part of football so we can’t use that as an excuse. Luckily, we’ve had plenty of time to get other players plenty of reps in practice.”
Playing well on special teams and winning the turnover battle will also be keys for Piedmont, its coach said.
“We’re ready to rock and roll and get it started,” said Camp.
Defensively, the Cougars will use a variety of looks including the 5-2, their base, and some six man front. Camp said the team may also play a 4-4 at times.
Assisting Camp with the varsity program in 2006 are Bubba Nelson, Luis Reubelta, Johnny Stallings, Burt Jones and Walt Nelson.