Bracken Christian Spring Football Report
The Bracken Christian Warriors started the process of replacing seven players who lost their playing eligibility will result in many new faces in the trenches for the next season starting fall practice in 11 weeks.
Lost?
- Grady Achilles
- Peter Corey
- Jordon McDaniel
- Austin Wilkinson
- Ty Zunker
- Kevin Knapick
- Ehren Jacobson
That is a pretty good roster of players that contributed many points, yards, touchdowns, tackles, and extra points.
What are the expectations for this upcoming season with that many players gone from the sideline? Coach Fields and his staff were busy checking out what might be in store when spring practice started last week and the evaluation process got started.
“We are going to be big,” Head Coach Lloyd Fields started. “There will no year after this one, for the Seniors…and we have two players that can’t go full as they are recovering from injuries.”
Two players being held out is not uncommon for football, but when the game is six-man then that can represent one third of your offense or defense.
Joel Butler was one of the players that found himself in the thick of replacing an All-State Kicker and Punter in Kevin Knapick.
“Joel (Butler) has won the extra point job,” Coach Fields said. “ We are still seeing who can win the kick-off position.”
“The kicker and all positions are equally important,” Butler said eloquently. “Quarterback to receiver to point after kicker…you have to have them all performing and they all work together for the team.”
Another important position for the team will be the spot that was held by Running Back Grady Achilles.
Connor Simmons has been waiting patiently for the chance. Simmons has averaged 23 yards per carry and of those six totes with the ball the soon to be Junior has scored four times.
The sample size is not that large, but you have to admit that those numbers sure look very Grady Achillesesque.
“I can’t be Grady, but I will be Connor,” Simmons said assuredly. “I’m fortunate to have Eli (Achilles) back to block for me.”
Eli Achilles will be returning for his fourth year taking the snap for Bracken and this experience will be huge for a team trying to find the pieces to the puzzle as the season matures next year.
Eli has a knack for wanting to hit anything that might have a different color jersey than the one he will be wearing. Whether the two way starter is playing offense or defense, the other team will be dodging this blocking machine during their game.
Hence, the comment from Simmons as he only knows that Grady was good, but without the blocking of Eli and the rest of the team, many of those yards might not of been possible.
Center and Corner Back Davis Scott will be returning as a Junior and this young man has been promoted as one of the Captains for next year’s team.
“I will be with Eli (as captain),” Scott started. “I have got to step up for leadership and be me…if we work hard then we can do it.”
On moving from Defensive End to Cornerback, Davis exclaimed, “I just have to go out and do the best I know how to do.”
This will be a jig saw year for the Coaches as they start the arduous job of seeing how and what this puzzle will be and look like. “That is the fun part of the game and why they pay us the big bucks,” Coach Fields said with dry humor.
The ReSporter will have more articles this week covering the BCS Warriors with more interviews from the players and Coaches.
