Faith Christian School’s football team opens its 8-Man season on the road with a nonconference game in Kinston against Arendell Parrott Academy Friday night in a battle of Patriots.
Kickoff is 7 p.m.
The Patriots from Nash County finished 6-4 last season and lost to Wayne Christian in the state playoffs.
They suffered some key losses off last year’s squad, but these Patriots are quietly working toward the goal of playing for a state title on their home field come November, according to head coach Jeremy Jones.
“We knew that last year we had a good group of seniors who had a shot and just fell short,” he said. “The group this year is a blue collar group of players. They go to work every day and there isn’t a lot of talk; they just like to go out an compete. We are expecting to be playing on our home field when the NCISAA state championship is held on our field on Nov. 15.”
FCS is looking to replace Caden Hamlett (two-time conference defensive player of the year, two-time all-state and the team’s leading tackler, passer and rusher last season), as well as all-league wide receivers Michael Grant and Garrett Lewis, all-league defensive end Carter Boswell, Jacob Earp (two-year starter at right guard) and Thomas Sugg (quarterback, linebacker and wide receiver).
The Patriots have several players back who are expected to play key roles in their success this season.
Vince Wilson and Isaac Suber will step into starting wide receiver roles, while Ayden Tyndall moves from tight end to quarterback and will be splitting time at that spot early with Josh Parker, who missed the end of last season due to an ACL injury. Parker is moving from wide receiver to contend for the starting quarterback position.
Landon Williams returns to anchor the offensive line, and the Patriots will be boosted by the transfer of running back Austin Gaertner from Halifax Academy.
Parker (linebacker), Gaertner (linebacker), Suber (second-leading tackler at cornerback), Wilson, Tyndall (linebacker), Josh Barbour (defensive end) and Jackson White (defensive end) will lead the Patriots defense this season.
“While losing Caden Hamlett is big, Gaertner will step into his place and we return six or of our primary starters from last year’s defense,” Jones said. “We are expecting our defense to anchor us early.”
Jones believes the Carolina Independent Conference race could be intensely competitive.
“This year the conference is wide open,” he said. “There are probably five or six teams who will have a legitimate shot at winning it all come November. They key is you look at the last several years in 8-Man football and it’s who is healthy and peaking at the end of the season.
“Our offense needs to gel as we have the most changes there. Quarterback play will be crucial, especially in the air-raid style passing game we employ. We are expecting big things from our defense and they need to play up to their potential to carry us to the title,” Jones concluded.
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