Powell second grade team is impressive in title run
By Steve Williams
Powell’s second grade football team caught Brian Cole’s eye this season.
The commissioner of Powell Youth Football appreciated what he was seeing from Coach Charlie Fox’s team.
“As I watched his team practice and play this season, I noticed that they were doing more advanced techniques and complex play designs than what are normally being taught at that level,” said Cole. “They were pulling guards on offense and switching to the strong side / weak side on defense. They had complex pre-snap movements.
“But above all, the players seemed to know and understand the game of football better than any other second grade team I have seen at Powell in the past. That is a true credit to Charlie and his coaching staff.”
Fox’s team went on to win the Youth Athletic Conference championship with a 32-6 victory over Bearden at West High School.
Including two regular season games and the title game, the young Panthers posted a perfect record of 10-0, scoring an impressive 255 points and only allowing 47 points.
“As a coach, I could not be more proud of a group of young players,” said Fox. “This team was very coachable and had a team first mentality. The buy-in from the players and parents was a large part of our success.
“I was assisted by three wonderful men (Zach, Kyle and Allen), who helped coach and mentor these young boys. I’m excited to see what this team can accomplish in the years to come!”
Fox has been part of the Powell Youth Football organization for seven years.
“I enjoy coaching these young boys and hope to not only teach them the skills of football, but to also help mold them into great young men one day,” said Charlie. “My hope is to make a small impression in their lives now that will lead them to greatness as they grow and become contributing members of our community.”
Fox was awarded the Kelly Robertson Coach of the Year award this season. “It was an honor to be voted as the Powell youth coach of the year by a group of my peers whom I truly respect,” he said. “I plan to coach and be a part of this program for years to come, as I have at least 12 more years of coaching before my youngest son will start high school.
Alcoa third grade champions outscored opponents 406-6
Alcoa was a steamroller in the YAC Third Grade Division.
Head Coach Kent Johnson’s team defeated the Baby Roadrunners 19-0 in the championship game.
Alcoa was 12-0, including games in the Kickoff Classic, regular season and playoffs and outscored its opponents 406 to 6.
Johnson said his team used multiple formations on offense and a flexible 4-4 defense.
“We had 14 different kids reach the end zone this year and only gave up two first downs in the entire regular season,” added the coach. “We had some very talented, unselfish kids that blocked for each other, did their job on defense and put the team’s success as their top priority.”
Johnson was most proud of the “important maxims” that were instilled in his players. “We gave them a great foundation for future success not only on the football field but in life as well,” he said.
“One of these maxims was ‘4 Rings and 4.0s,’ which is how we want the kids to graduate high school – with four state championship rings and a 4.0 GPA.”
Core of Alcoa fifth grade team is on a 52-1 run
Alcoa’s fifth grade team continued its winning ways with a 30-16 win over Oak Ridge in the YAC championship game.
“This core group of players is 52-1 over the last four seasons,” said Coach Matt Cunningham.
“This year we were 10-0 in the YAC and 19-0 overall,” added Cunningham. “We averaged 35 points a game on offense and our starting defense only gave up four touchdowns all season.”
‘Southside’ team takes fourth grade YAC crown
“Aye-yoooooo!” is what you hear before going into battle with South-Doyle, a fourth grade football team known as Southside, said Coach Brandon Strickland.
The Southside squad achieved a remarkable championship win, defeating back-to-back defending champion Halls with a resounding 20-0 victory in the YAC championship game.
Throughout the year, this team dominated the competition, going undefeated and only conceding one score, added Coach Strickland. The defense was nothing short of ferocious, characterized by discipline, speed and unmatched physicality, he said.
South-Doyle ended the season with a perfect record of 11-0.
Southside was a team known for its commitment and dedication, said Coach Strickland. He also said Braydon Strickland and Brycen Mathis joined Crispen Bozeman, Sean Davis Jr., and Lawrence Howell Jr. as leading players on the team.
Under the guidance of Coach Kam, the team responded well to hard coaching, leading to improved leadership both on and off the field, said Strickland.
Week by week, Southside grew as a team, creating unforgettable memories and forming strong bonds among its players. Coaches instilled core fundamentals, but the most significant goal was to mold a foundation for young men to develop both in sports and in life.
Baby Roadrunners are 6U Flag champions
The Baby Roadrunners defeated Halls Red 27-26 in an awesome YAC championship game. Their only loss was 7-6 to South-Doyle as they were 7-1 in the regular season.
Ranked No. 2, the Baby Roadrunners defeated Gibbs Blue and Powell in the playoffs before getting past Halls in the finals.
