After two years of playing one of the toughest schedules in Class AA football, Newton County Academy football coach Rob Roberts was looking for something different.
And he got exactly that when the MAIS released his new schedule.
The Generals will have five new teams on the schedule this year and an almost entirely new district.
“There are a lot of new faces on the schedule,” Robert said. “There are five teams we didn’t play last year and most of them I don’t know a lot about. But we had to do something different. The last two years, with the schedule that we’ve had, if we hadn’t had won district, we wouldn’t have made the playoffs. As far as power points are concerned, you are better off to schedule games you can win rather than play tough competition.”
After participating in the Tri-County Academy jamboree, the Generals will open the regular season at home with Class AAA Winston Academy, who is coming off a 4-6 season after starting 3-1.
“I feel like we have a chance with Winston,” Roberts said. “But I don’t really know anything about them. I don’t even think I saw them on film last year. I suspect they will be bigger than us but that’s about it.”
After Winston, the Generals hit the road for Oak Hill in West Point.
“It has been a good series with them,” Roberts said. “They have beat us the last two times we have played up there.We beat them here last year but they beat us pretty bad two years ago.”
Then the Generals return home for perhaps the most important game of the season when they host rival Sylva-Bay. In last year’s 41-20 win over the Saints, several players were ejected along with Roberts.
“We have had them the last game of the season for years,” Roberts said. “After we had that problem with them last year, I told them I wanted to play them up front. If you have a district game the last game of the season and they don’t have anything to play for, there’s a chance it could get out of hand like it did last year.
“I don’t know what they have coming back but I know they graduated a big class like we did and have a new coach. Coach (Terry) Underwood knows football and will have them ready to play.”
After Sylva-Bay, the Generals will travel to Carroll on Sept. 8 and then host Leake Academy on Sept 15.
“I don’t know anything about Carroll,” Roberts said. “I think they have made the playoffs the last years. I’ve never been to Carroll and don’t think if I’ve ever seen them on film before.
“It’s been four years since we played Leake and have never beat them. We came close once. I like playing them because it makes you better if you don’t get hurt. They are always where they are supposed to be on the field.”
After Leake, the Generals will play AA power Tri-County Academy, a team they lost to 28-25 in the second game of the season who is coached by Decatur native David Blount.
“They are always going to be in the hunt for the championship,” Roberts said. “You never know who they are going to have from one year to the next but they always seem to come up with some good players.”
The Generals then made the long trek to Pickens Academy in Alabama, who was added late last year in replacement for Heidelberg Academy.
NCA will then play two straight district contests at Ben’s Ford and at home against Benton.
“Ben’s Ford was in our division about four years ago,” Roberts said. “They were down last year but I didn’t see them on film so I really don’t know a lot about them.
“Same thing with Benton, they have a new coach this year and I don’t really know a lot about them. They were in our district a couple of years ago and beat us 7-6 for the district title. They were really scrappy.”
The Generals will then end the season with Wayne, a team they beat 42-8 last year.
“Wayne was really young last year, I think they have 19 or 20 tenth graders,” Roberts said. “So I expect them to be a lot better this year.
“I think the key for us is we have to stay healthy. If we win against Sylva-Bay, I think we will be in good shape in the district. If we can get out of Leake and Tri-County healthy, I feel like we will be OK down the stretch.”
