The Allatoona Buccaneers and North Cobb Christian Eagles are in the same boat this year. They are facing the challenge of playing their first season of GHSA football. The test of building a football program has been taken on by head coaches Gary Varner of AHS and Terence Lott of NCC. Both teams have played limited schedules this year. With NCC playing a number of JV games and Allatoona scheduling a handful of contests, the two teams scheduled a game with each other that would become a varsity contest, given the nature of the two schools.
Both teams are still learning how to play the game the right way while trying to develop their own identities. Allatoona is in its first year of existence as a school, as well as a football program. There are no seniors on the team and no players have any varsity experience. Most of the young team is still learning the basics of football.
“With everyone being so young and so new we’re concerned with the fundamentals and getting better,” Varner said. Building a new team also involves getting new uniforms, equipment and workout facilities, and Varner added, “Our weight room was delivered the day before school started.”
The lack of a weight room during summer workouts, on top of being a brand-new program, has made things difficult for the young Bucs so far. They have played games against South Paulding and Chattooga, losing by a combined score of 106-21.
“The first thing that we needed to do was adjust to the speed and the aggressiveness of the game against those teams. I think you learn a lot more from a loss,” Varner said. “Our goal is to improve each week, not so much during games as much as in practice and in the weight room. We just need to develop an attitude, a ‘work hard’ attitude.”
SOARING EAGLES
Building a foundation has been more important than winning games up to this point for both schools, which is something that Lott over at North Cobb Christian agrees with.
“We’re going to get better and each week we’ve learned something from each game,” Lott said.
Some of the players gained experience last year playing football against “home-schooled teams.” None of them, however, have had experience playing varsity football before this season. The games have gone pretty much the same way as Allatoona’s: they lost their first three games by at least 22 points. Still, each week the Eagles have scored more points than the week before, showing signs of improvement.
“Our first game was a shock to our players, to see that many people out there watching us play. The second game we got knocked around and got our ‘first bloody’ nose. The third game we had a chance to win. So going into this game, that gives us confidence,” Lott added before Friday’s matchup.
The schools have had tremendous support from teachers, parents and students. The first few games that the teams have played have drawn a few thousand people.
“The atmosphere had been great,” Varner said. “The parents and the school are still learning and adjusting to our team. This game is good for the community.”
THE BIG GAME
Coming into last Friday’s game, it was understandable that both coaches did not know much about each other; they didn’t even trade film. The matchup took place at Allatoona and though the Bucs controlled the game through three quarters, it turned out to be a thriller. The early lead was due largely in part to Allatoona running back C.J. Best, who rushed for 120 yards on 13 carries and scored three times. The Bucs led 34-7 heading
into the final quarter but the Eagles refused to quit. North Cobb Christian running back Chas Collett ran for 210 yards on 19 carries and scored two touchdowns, while quarterback Eddie Denovellis chipped in by throwing for two touchdowns. The game was still up for grabs in the final minute, but Allatoona recovered an onside kick to stave off the furious comeback, holding on to the slim 34-31 victory.Both teams can take a lot out of this game. Allatoona players and coaches rejoiced after notching the school’s first-ever victory but know there is still work to be done.
“It feels good to win the game but we didn’t close them out,” Varner said afterwards.
For NCC, it was another good learning experience.
“We just ran out of time,” Lott said. “But it was a great game, great crowd, all that you could want.”
This season is just the beginning for these two programs and with all the support they have, they should have good things to look forward to in the future.
Deighton can be reached joedeighton1@yahoo.com.
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