We are past the Fourth of July now, which means one thing in the Robertson household.
It means we are less than a month until school starts which means that high school football is right around the corner.
At this point in the summer, it’s hard to say what our local football teams are going to look like this fall but I’ll take an early stab.
In Decatur, I really expect Newton County Academy to continue doing what they have been doing in the eight-man league and that’s winning. Coach Stevie Nelson has had a lot of success since coming to NCA and I suspect he will continue doing so. The Generals will rely heavily on the running game again, which suits Nelson just fine.
Up the road at Newton County, Bobby Bass is back for another season with the Cougars. The non-district schedule is a little more favorable than in year’s past. After an early test from Morton, the Cougars have a stretch of winnable games. An Oct. 10 trip to rival West Lauderdale will likely crown the district champion. The Cougars have some weapons coming back on offense but will have a new offensive coordinator after Rob Roberts took the Clarkdale job. And if I know anything about Bass, they Cougars will be good in the kicking game and scrappy on defense.
In Union, the Yellowjackets finished strong last year and made the third round of the playoffs. The Yellowjackets were young last year but finished strong. If they can answer the quarterback question, I think the Yellowjackets will be better. There are some tough tests on the non-district schedule and a date with Quitman on Oct. 3 that will likely tell the tale of the season.
Over in Lake, the Hornets have struggled with injuries the last few years. But coach Tate Hanna returns an experienced team this year. The Hornets return an experienced offensive line and a stable of running backs, led by Jamarion Blaylock. If the Hornets can stay healthy, I think they have a chance to be one of the surprise teams in Class 2A this year.
In Sebastopol, the Bobcats come off one of the most successful runs in school history, winning 18 games the last two years. But gone is back-to-back Class 2A Mr. Football Adarius McDougle. But the good news for coach Keith Brown is the Bobcats are dropping back down to Class 1A. Brown has toughened up the non-district schedule and should be a contender for the district title. They will get stern tests from Noxapater, Nanih Waiya and Ethel. I think a tough non-district schedule will prepare the Bobcats for a long postseason run.
In Newton, the Tigers haven’t won a football game since the 2022 season when they beat Port Gibson 34-31 on Oct. 22 and are currently riding a 22-game losing streak. But word on the street is that second-year coach Jeffrey Crosby has been working hard to instill discipline and pride into the program. They open with Choctaw Central which will be tough but there are several winnable games on the schedule this year. A Sept. 5 matchup with Mount Olive, who was also winless last season and gave up 487 last season, will be an early chance at a win. It’s hard to say how improved the Tigers will be but I do think they will be better and end the losing streak this year.
Robbie Robertson is sports editor for The Newton County Appeal. You can email him at rrobertson12811@yahoo.com
