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PIGSKIN PREVIEW TEAM CAPSULE
Athens Warriors
COACH: Ryan Knox (38-25, 7th season at Athens)
2014 RECORD: 8-4 (5-3 Sangamo)
POSTSEASON: Lost to Maroa-Forsyth 44-6 in 2A Quarterfinals
TOP RETURNEES: DB Dalton Fletcher (9 career interceptions), DL Devon Bounds (6’0”, 310), OL/DL Jacob Taylor (6’2”, 250), LB Hunter Hammitt (6’1”, 180), WR Devin Richardson (24 rec, 403 yds in 2014), LB Hunter Maxwell (6’3”, 210)
BIG LOSSES: Chris Basso (1,417 yds rushing, 22 TD’s), Scott Grieve (838 yds rushing, 12 TD’s), Jacob Schurman, Carrigan McMahon, Brad Hall, Kyle Thomas
WHAT THE WARRIORS DO WELL: Defense, defense, defense. “There’s some experience there. The defensive line, secondary, linebacker,” Knox said. “That’s probably the best thing going for us.” With a handful of seniors that have made starts since their sophomore year, this group knows the terrain in the Sangamo. “I thought that (two seasons ago) was one of our best jobs as a coaching staff. When these kids were sophomores, we didn’t know what we had. We won a playoff game that year.” Athens also has the benefit of having three returnees on the offensive line with four or five players competing for the remaining spots.
ATHENS QUESTION MARKS: Junior Nick Hanner returns at quarterback, but Knox says the Warriors are going to be a lot different this year. Gone is the three-headed running back monster of Chris Basso, Scott Grieve, and A.J. Antonacci (38 combined rushing touchdowns in 2014), “We’re not going to have a fullback rush 20 times a game,” Knox notes. “We’ve got plenty of skill guys, but their mostly receiver types. We’re a little more athletic, but a little slower if that makes sense.”
WORTH NOTING: No injuries. That might seem strange to make a note of, but Athens has been hit by the preseason injury bug the past three years, and that wasn’t a concern entering August practices. The Warriors captured the title at the Maroa-Forsyth 7 on 7 this summer. That was a first for the program, and coach says, “It doesn’t mean a whole lot, but it was a good day and gave our kids some confidence against schools that have won state championships.”
COACH KNOX SAYS: “We’ve got a lot of multi-sport athletes. We’ve got basketball kids, we’ve got baseball kids”, Knox continued. “A lot of the guys we’ve had in the past just played football. This year we’ve got more athletes”. And they’ve been around the block. “This group probably has more experience than teams in the past. Besides having to teach the young kids some things at camp this summer, everyone knew what they were doing. It was rather nice.”
