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PAGE 4A August 2023
Etowah County Media Day 2023 By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger The Etowah County High School Football Media Day was held on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 at the Civic Center in Downtown Gadsden. Several coaches and players from around the area were in attendance to speak about the upcoming season and about their respective programs. The Gaston Bulldogs were scheduled to kick off the 2023 Etowah County Media Days. However, interim coach Jesse Pruitt was unable to attend the event. Last year, Gaston finished with a 3-7 record under previous head coach Matt Harris. The wins were against Asbury, Holly Pond, and Brindlee Mountain. Gaston is set to compete in Class 2A Region 6 and the Bulldogs will kick off the 2023 season on Friday, August 25 at Asbury. Other teams attending the Etowah County Media Day were West End, Glencoe, Hokes Bluff, Coosa Christian, Southside, Etowah, Westbrook Christian, Gadsden City, Sardis and Ashville. West End coach challenges team to elevate game West End head football coach Derrick Sewell recently said that he was “happy” about his program’s 7-4 season last year, but he wants to improve upon that this fall. “With success everything becomes harder,” said Sewell during the 2023 media days. The Patriots program has had a good summer and Sewell has challenged his team to elevate their game to be better this fall. Overall, West End has about 30 players on the roster. However, the team did lose 13 Seniors from last fall. Sewell added that he will be breaking in a new quarterback and new kicker for 2023. He is also working to develop depth and he wants his team to be more consistent. He wants this year’s team to “learn to compete from the first whistle to the last horn.” West End will also need to be physical, as the program will be competing in Class 2A Region 6, which Sewell believes will be “tough” and “competitive”. “I think you have five or six teams that can really Jockey for those top four spots,” said Sewell about the Region. “We’ve got to make sure we’re ready to play in a physical ballgame.” West End is set to open the 2023 season on Friday, August 25 against Gaylesville. “We’ve got to make sure we’re ready for a fight right out of the gate,” added Sewell. Last season, West End made the first round of the state playoffs. However, that was the end of their season, as the Patriots fell to Aliceville 62-13. By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Coosa Christian seeking back-to-back successful seasons Head Coach Mark O'Bryant, along with representatives from the Coosa Christian football program, recently discussed the upcoming football season with media members.
By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger The Coosa Christian Conquerors are hoping to have a “productive” season and build upon last year’s success. Last fall, the Conquerors were just a play away from reaching the State Championship game. Coosa Christian fell to Pickens County 44-40 in the state semifinals.
Last Coosa Christian finished second in Class 1A Region 7. The Conquerors will year, be trying to secure the First Place Region spot this fall and that quest will begin on Friday, September 8 at Gaylesville. O'Bryant also complimented Geraldine Head Coach Michael Davis adding that the Bulldog’s
This Coosa Christian will be competing in Class 1A Region 7, which will include several really strong and competitive programs. Head Coach Mark year, O'Bryant said that Valley Head is going be “really strong” and that Ceder Bluff will be one of several other region foes that will be competitive this fall.
By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger The 2023 Hokes Bluff varsity football team will field approximately 60 players, including nine seniors. “We feel like we got some players back that will be good leaders,” said head coach Michael Robertson, who is in his 28th year at the helm of the Eagle’s program. The Veteran Hall of Fame Coach said that his program has had a “good” off season and that he is ready to get the new year underway. Hokes Bluff finished last year with a 4-6 overall record with wins over Glencoe, Westbrook Christian, White Plains, and Plainview. The Eagles will be competing in Class 3A Region 6. Hokes Bluff will kick off the 2023 season on Thursday, August 31 at Southside. Hokes Bluff football he hopes his team can “make a run for it” and reach the state playoffs again this fall. leader is a “fantastic” coach and that the school and community are “lucky to have him.” Coosa Christian is set to open the 2023 season on August 24 in a non-region match-up at Geraldine. O'Bryant added that Etowah’s ultimate goal is to reach the playoffs and still be competing in December. Last fall, the Blue Devils earned a spot in the second round of the state playoffs but did not make it to December. Etowah’s season ended with a 36-33 playoff loss to Deshler. The Blue Devils defeated Northside 42-21 in the opening round. Etowah will resume their quest for a championship year, when the 2023 season kicks off at Springville on Thursday, August 24.
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Coosa Christian quarterback John Davis Justus prepares to throw the football during the program's fall jamboree against Handley on Thursday, August 17, 2023.
Etowah plans to mix up offensive play calling in 2023
By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger Southside High School has what head coach Miles Holcomb believes is “one of most talented” group of student athletes he has been around during his coaching career. Holcomb said the 2023 football team is a “great group” and that they are “fun to coach.” “I’m excited to see what this group can do,” he said. Holcomb noted that the key factors for his team are good communication and accountability. By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger Etowah High School head football coach Matt Glover is looking forward to getting back on the gridiron this fall. During the recent Etowah County Media Day, he said that his team has had a productive summer, and that the kids have “bought in” and “got stronger” in the weight room. Last year coach Glover assumed that his players knew how things should function and what roles they should have on the team. However, now that
will allow us to be a little bit better later (in the season),” said Holcomb, while also noting he hopes the coaching staff will be able to help give the players the tools they need to be successful on the gridiron and in life. “We’re just trying to get a little better at what we do,” added Holcomb, who is in his third year as head coach at Southside. “We want to control the things that we can control, day in a day out.” This fall, Southside will be competing in Class he is in his second season at the helm of the program, he said that most of his team “knows” what to expect and how he wants things done. Some of the players have “figured it out” and he believes they will be stronger and more physical this year. On the field, Glover plans to try to mix in some new things on offense and some new formations during the 2023 season. “We’re just trying to see how it goes and see what works,” he said. The Blue Devils will
still have a spread concept, but some of the new things he is working on may be a little different and a little harder to defend for opposing teams. Etowah will be competing in Class 4A Region 6, and the Blue Devils are looking to improve upon last year’s 8-4 overall record. “In Class 4A, teams run different offensives schemes, so as a coach, it makes it harder to prepare,” said Glover. “It’s a daunting task, but it’s fun,” he added.
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Last fall the Glencoe High School football program finished with a 2-8 overall record that included wins over Weaver and Holly Pond. During the off-season, head coach Scott Martin said that the Yellow Jackets have been through a “total transformation.” “We went through the transfer portal within our own High School,” said Martin. The second-year head coach added that his program will have a lot of new kids on the field and fans could see up to three different quarterbacks during the season. “We had a total transformation in our secondary,” he added. Overall, Martin hopes that his program can be more like the school’s basketball team by competing with a more “up tempo” style this season on defense. “Offensively, our philosophy has not changed,” added Martin. “We will be physical.” Glencoe will be competing in Class 3A Region 6. “On paper, Sylvania would be the odds on favorite,” said Martin about his region foes this year. The Yellow Jackets will kick off the second half of the season against the Rams, on Friday October 6. However, for the first part of the year, the Yellow Jackets coach is not worried that much about other teams, but more about the consistency of his own program and how his team will perform on Friday nights. “There are no days off,” he said. Glencoe is set to open the 2023 season on Friday, September 1 against Weaver. The Yellow Jackets are also set to host Pisgah in a Jamboree on Friday, August 25. West End's Kane Lawson (#20), Triston Chaney (#7) and Rocko Sainsbury (#6) recently took time for a picture during the 2023 Etowah County Media Day in Gadsden. Glencoe to field several new players
Talented Southside team looking for return trip to state playoffs “Player leadership
5A Region 6. The Panthers finished fourth in the region last year and finished with a 5-6 overall record. Last year’s team also reached the opening round of the state playoffs, falling to Ramsay 61-25.
Southside will kick off the 2023 football season at Guntersville on August 25. Holcomb stated that traveling to Guntersville to battle the Wildcats will be a “great environment to open the season.”
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