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Peabody-Burns football coach David Pickens identifies his top returners as: back row (from left) Andrew Sheffler, Clint Jones, Daniel Martinez, Derek Price; front row, Daniel Brassfield, Trevor Foth, Storm Pickens, Spencer Moffett. |
After a down year saw the Peabody-Burns High School football team post an 0-8 overall record and finish last in the Heart of America league, fifth-year coach David Pickens?s team faces an uphill climb.
But with nine letter-winners returning, the Warriors will be a little more experienced than they were in 2008.
?A lot of our younger players got significant playing time last year, so we hope that helps,? Pickens said.
But in a league that includes behemoths like Ell Saline, Moundridge and Hutch Trinity, the Warriors will again be undersized.
?We are looking to battle harder and compete much harder this year,? he said. ?But size is a problem. We?re just not that big.?
Pickens hopes to make up the difference with speed.
?Overall team speed is one of our strengths,? he said.
With one senior?Daniel Brassfield?among his top returners, but also with five juniors ready for bigger roles, Pickens hopes to find players who will accept the challenge.
His top returners include quarterback Derek Price (6 foot, 1 inch, 175 pounds), running backs Brassfield (5-11, 175) and Storm Pickens (5-10, 155), and linemen Trevor Foth (5-11, 190), Clint Jones (6-1, 190) and Spencer Moffett (5-10, 185).
When possession changes, Price and Pickens will play defensive back, Brassfield will play linebacker, Foth and Jones will play defensive end and Moffett will play defensive tackle.
Freshmen Lucas Larson and Hunter Pickens figure to be the team?s top newcomers, Pickens said.
Larson (6-0, 180) will be penciled in for running back and linebacker assignments, while Hunter Pickens (5-9, 140) will be a quarterback and defensive back.
Peabody-Burns plays its season opener Friday at Ell Saline.
