West Morgan Football

Articles of Note

Class 2AAddison
Head coach: Randy White (14-1 in one season as head coach at Addison).
2005 record: 14-1, won Class 1A state championship.
Win totals for 2001-05: 12-8-11-9-14.
Whom to watch in 2006: Quarterback Jake Gilliland returns from last year's state title-winning team and the senior has the leadership qualities to lead the Bulldogs back again. He's also a linebacker. Look for Blake Turner to fill in the shoes of DAILY all-area player of the year Caleb Parker at tailback. Jesse Wiggins will be a leader at center and at linebacker, and there might be a surprise in store if Addison uses junior Andrew Privett at quarterback and splits Gilliland off at tailback for a few series.
What to watch: It'll be interesting to see how this team responds from its first state title since 1976, and just how much of that had to do with Parker.
When to watch: After a tough 41-6 loss to Clay County in Saturday's Champions Challenge, it gets no easier this week when the Bulldogs host R.A. Hubbard. A visit to West Morgan on Oct. 27 could have region title implications.
Why to watch: Let's see if Addison is up to the competition level of 2A football, which is a step up from last season. The Bulldogs might not notice much of a change from last year, but will be tested if they make a deep playoff run.

Tanner
Head coach: Laron White (27-9 in three seasons at Tanner).
2005 record: 10-3. Made it to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs.
Win totals for 2001-05: 3-7-10-7-10.
Whom to watch in 2006: Demarcus King already has proven himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the area. He threw for 1,845 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Although most of his best skill-position players have graduated, he should remain a solid passer and leader for the Tanner offense.
The offensive line bears watching, too, with senior tackle Matt Smith, sophomore tackle Amos Draper and senior center Kenny James. All three are solid.
What to watch: White is looking for his team to play more physical at the line of scrimmage, and he's shown in his three previous seasons at Tanner that he's good at getting what he wants from his offense.
The defense should be good, too, after a year in which the Rattlers gave up eight points or less in its 10 regular-season games.
When to watch: The Rattlers face West Morgan on Sept. 8 in the second game of the season. It's the first Class 2A, Region 8 game for both teams, and West Morgan's first region game since moving from 3A. This could turn into one of the best small-school rivalries in the area.
Tanner hosts Red Bay on Sept. 15, and those two schools have played great games the last four years. The Rattlers won last year 48-21 after a series of close contests. Tanner travels to East Limestone on Sept. 28 after winning this matchup last year 19-18 on a late touchdown and extra point.
Why to watch: Tanner has turned into an excellent 2A program, and even though the Rattlers lost 13 seniors from last year's squad, they're good enough that others are waiting to step forward. Can they match last year's record, which included 10 wins and a state quarterfinal berth? Who knows? But the possibility is there.

Hatton
Head coach: Paul Czervionke (1-9 in his second year at the the school. Went 12-8 in two seasons at Speake in 1996-97.)
2005 record: 1-9. Did not make the state playoffs.
Win totals 2001-2005: 6-9-2-7-1.
Whom to watch in 2006: Senior Nathan Berryman (5-foot-7, 130) moves into quarterback slot after a strong 2005 at wide receiver. His ability, smarts and instincts will be called upon throughout the season. The Hornets return their entire secondary, which should be a plus.
What to watch: The Hornets have had a year to learn Czervionke's spread offense. Better execution should lead to more productive drives for Hatton.
When to watch: On Sept. 1, the Hornets visit Speake, where Czervionke coached for two years. The next week, Hatton travels to Class 1A champion Addison. On Sept. 29, longtime rival Lawrence County visits Hatton.
Why to watch: Czervionke has preached better conditioning through running and weight lifting will help make his team a winner. Czervionke and his players don't plan to disappoint with another dismal season.

West Morgan
Head coach: Pierre Coggins (31-13 in four seasons as head coach at West Morgan).
2005 record: 5-5. Did not make state playoffs.
Win totals for 2001-05: 10-11-10-5-5.
Whom to watch in 2006: Senior linebackers Andrew Elliott and David Allen give West Morgan a boost on defense. Elliott made THE DAILY's all-area team after making 143 tackles. Allen made honorable mention all-area.
The kicking game is solid with junior Jared Spooner as place-kicker and punter. He made all-area as well and has held the starting job since eighth grade. It's hard for small schools to find reliable kickers, and West Morgan has one.
What to watch: With a new quarterback in Josh McAbee, it might seem like West Morgan's offense could start slow. But the Rebels have a senior-dominated offensive line in front of him, and a solid receiving corps that has the potential to be great. That will help take some of the pressure off the new quarterback, but even so, McAbee's coach and teammates appear to have great confidence in his athletic ability.
When to watch: In their first season in Class 2A, Region 8, the Rebels will face three tough region games in the second, third and fourth weeks of the season when they host Tanner on Sept. 8, visit Phil Campbell on Sept. 15 and host Red Bay on Sept. 22.
Even without playoff implications, all three simply should be fun, exciting games for football fans, especially the one against Tanner. Both programs are solid and well-respected in the area, and West Morgan coach Pierre Coggins and Tanner coach Laron White are friends as well.
Don't overlook the season opener — West Morgan at Munford on Friday. It's a tough way to start. Munford made the second round of the 3A state playoffs last season.
Why to watch: Although West Morgan is dropping from 3A to 2A, the road to the playoffs isn't much easier. The Rebels landed in a tough region, but with a roster that includes 17 seniors, they've got the ability to handle it.
After consecutive 5-5 seasons that ended without playoff berths, this West Morgan team is eager to get back into the spotlight. With that motivation, this group should be even more interesting to watch than usual.

posted by Coach Shaw @ 10:09 AM