Young Unaka squad fully committed in 2024

STONEY CREEK, Tenn. (WJHL) – The Rangers may have won just two games last season, but they made both of them count.

Region 1-1A dominations over Cosby and Hancock County were enough to slip the squad into the postseason in 2023. They also came within two points of earning a third region win against North Greene and took Cloudland down to the wire in a ten-point loss.

“Little things matter,” head coach O’Brien Bennett explained. “When you see the big difference that little things make, you realize there isn’t such a thing as little things.”

This year’s team features a lot of young guys and rolls about 25 players deep. Many players are suiting-up for the first time at the high school level in 2024.

“After our first scrimmage, we know a lot more,” senior lineman Jacob Taylor said. “We’re still getting better – a lot of newer guys, but they’re picking up really quick.”

Bennett believes the group’s willingness to work, and veteran leadership, will allow this team to put up a fight every Friday night.

“We’re young, especially up front,” Bennett said. “We’re inexperienced, but we work hard – these kids want it. They want to get better, and so when kids want it, when they’re high character, when they work hard and they’re willing to do what you ask and they’re coachable – that’s what, as a coach, you get a lot of satisfaction out of.”

“Work for it,” junior quarterback and safety Connor McKinney explained. “Work really hard – don’t take any days off. Just work.”

The Rangers will welcome Chuckey-Doak to open the season on Friday at 7 p.m.

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