Monday, August 26, 2019

2019 Season Week 1 Update





Dear Colonel Parents and Family,

It's finally football season! Thank you to all who came out to support our team last Friday vs Corbin. While we didn't finish the game the way we would have liked, the staff is very proud of our team's effort and toughness. They came to win and competed very hard. We have a long way to go to become the type of football team we want to be, but this was a positive first step in every way except the scoreboard.

Our food sponsor for the pregame meal vs Corbin was Brooklyn Brothers Pizza - please stop by there for a meal when you can and be sure to thank them for being a sponsor.

Bojangles' donated our game day breakfast for our players on Friday morning.  Please support our sponsors.

We are very excited to play our first home game this Friday vs Scott HS from Huntsville, TN. This Friday's game is Elementary Football Night, so get here early as it will be packed to recognize our Future Colonels.

I hope to send a weekly email updating the program and what is ahead for the coming week.

Here are our players of the week for the Corbin Game:


Co-Defensive POW: Sr DT Colten Bargo (9 tackles, 1 TFL) and Jr DT Zack Saylor (11 tackles, 3 TFL)

Credit to Dylan Wilson and John Crisologo for these action shots from the game


Sr DT Colten Bargo



Sr DT/RB #31 Zack Saylor

Offensive POW: Jr RB Woody Lawson - over 100 all-purpose yards. Honorable mention to QB Cole Brown (1 rush TD), QB Seth Mills (1 rush TD, 1 pass TD) and RB Zack Saylor (1 rec TD).



Jr RB/LB Woody Lawson


Special Teams: Fr Holder/Punter Mason Croley - came off bench at holder and punter and executed his position very well. Also great effort on kickoff coverage

Fr P/H/QB/DB Mason Croley



B.A.T. (Offensive Linemen Award) - Sr RT Kyle McKiney was physically dominant in run blocking with several pancake blocks


Sr RT Kyle McKiney


Scout Team / JV POW: Jr WR Greg Pennington practices with great energy and a purpose to improve everyday.

Credit to Scott Powell for our team pictures

Jr WR Greg Pennington

Hammer Award (Big Hit of the Week): Sr CB Bobby Trent Downs

Sr DB Bobby Downs

Schedule for this Week:

JV @ Knox Central HS 6:00 p.m. today - we will feed the JV players a pregame meal before the bus leaves. All players must ride the bus back to the school after the game per team policy.


Varsity vs Scott HS (TN) 7:30 p.m. Friday - Elementary Football Night and our first home game


Other news and notes:

Labor Day:  We will have morning practice for the varsity on Labor Day (no school).  Varsity players are expected to be at practice and JV players at the game which is a home game.  We are trying to move the kickoff to 1 p.m. that day.  Middlesboro has agreed but we are waiting for confirmation from the officials.  Stay tuned.

9th Grade Team: Due to low numbers and the specific makeup of our roster this season we will not be having a separate 9th grade team. Therefore I have cancelled our games. This is not something we wanted to do and we tried to get more 9th grade players out all summer and once school began, but in the end we have decided to play 9th graders on JV instead with sophomores and juniors. We believe this is the best way for those 9th graders to be developed and also protect them from having to play in two sub-varsity games (while also dressing for varsity) and being out late possibly three nights in one week. We also did not want sophomores to miss practice on Thursdays to supplement the ninth grade team numbers.

Team Website: Keep up to date with the progress of the program and access all important documents by joining our team website: whitleyfootball.com All you need to do is create an account and join our website. Parents should also complete 2019 player registration if they have not. Please forward this information to any parent who is not yet a member. On our site you will find:
  • Team Rules and Policies
  • Game schedules
  • Protein Recovery Shake Consent Form
  • Spring Parent Meeting Presentation in pdf format
Parent/Staff Communication: A friendly reminder that our staff does not discuss playing time, coaching decisions, or other players with parents. This was covered at our spring parent meeting. Please do not text, call, or email coaches on these topics. We want the players to speak with the position coach or coordinator if they want to know what they must do to earn playing time. All players should play in either a varsity or JV game each week if they have been at practice and followed team rules. How much is up to them based on what they have earned. If you have a concern other than the three topics above, by all means contact one of the coaches or me personally (jep.irwin@whitley.kyschools.us).

Pregame Meals / Postgame snacks: The staff arranges food sponsors for pregame meals. If moms/parents would like to provide desserts or snacks for the players after the road games that would be great. Contact me the day of the game for details.


That's all for this week - see you at the field. 

Go Colonels!!