WARRIORS
STORY BY RUSSELL MOORE
West Point fans will
see familiar names
scattered across
the field in 2020, comprising
what Warriors coach Don Farley
considers his most experienced
squad in quite some time.
West Point returns 17 seniors
this season, 10 starters on offense
and a strong defensive nucleus.
The offensive trio of quarterback
Will Cochran, receiver Kobe
Bowers and tailback Kelton
Washington are among those
offensive returners.
Farley and the Warriors expect
their veteran leadership and
talent to yield profitable results
as the team seeks to snap a brief
two-year hiatus from the Class
5A postseason. Before that, West
Point made four straight playoff
appearances (2014-17) under
Farley.
“This is our most experienced
team since 2014 across the board,
and that’s exciting. It can carry
you a long way,” Farley said.
“Our seniors were freshmen the
last time we made the playoffs,
looking up to the seniors and
juniors who got us to that
point. They’re now the leaders,
and freshmen this season are
counting on them to lead. Things
haven’t transpired the way we’ve
wanted the past two years, and
this group is hungry and ready
to change that. We’ll face a
tough road but hope to be in
contention until the end.”
West Point remains in Region
7, but is the lone holdover.
Newcomers are Fairview, Boaz,
Crossville, Sardis, Douglas and
Guntersville. Take Fairview out
of the equation, and the Warriors
have played their new region foes
a combined 12 times in program
history.
OFFENSE
Cochran is back under center
to engineer West Point’s offense.
The three-sport star has worked
diligently in the offseason to
improve his precision and quick
reads.
“Will’s accuracy is better,
and he’s focused a lot this
summer on becoming a
better decision-maker,”
Farley said. “No one can
deny his arm strength.
That’s the first thing that jumps
out. Will has embraced a huge
leadership role, and that’s an
added benefit for the team.”
The Warriors’ receiving
unit is littered with seniors,
including Bowers, the team’s
leading pass-catcher
and Cochran’s favorite
target last season.
SCHEDULE
Aug. 21: at Priceville (Jamboree)
Aug. 28: at Good Hope
Sept. 4: Lawrence County
Sept. 11: Boaz*
Sept. 18: Fairview*
Sept. 25: Hayden
Oct. 2: at Crossville*
Oct. 9: at Sardis*
Oct. 16: Douglas*
Oct. 23: at Guntersville*
Oct. 30: Curry
*Class 5A, Region 7 Game
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2020 FOOTBALL PREVIEW