Coming from a 1-7 record four years ago, the Whitefield Academy 7th/8th grade football team amped it up this year to win their first ever Metro10 championship.
Four years ago, the 5th/6th grade football team struggled to find points on the field. The program needed to build a solid foundation of consistent plays and schemes that could be developed further with each passing year. In 2014, the basis of that foundation was built. Coaches, committed to developing a consistent Middle School football program across both grade-level teams, developed a solid playbook that was used to guide players on both 5th/6th and 7th/8th.
Consistency worked, and in 2015, the 5th/6th grade team improved with a record of 3-5. In 2016, new coach Dan Young took the helm with the now 7th/8th graders, and maintained the solid progress with another 3-5 season. Slowly and steadily, the WolfPack was becoming a contender.
This year, the team started to click. Strong play from the offense and a solid defense all year long brought them to the Metro10 championship game against a tough Mt. Paran squad that held an 8-0 season record. Whitefield brought a respectable 7-1 record to the matchup, with their only loss being the very competitor they were about to face. At the Metro10 championship game, Mt. Paran scored on the very first play. But, they missed the extra point and never got past the WolfPack 45-yard line the rest of the night. With focus and determination, the WolfPack won with a final score of 21-6, taking Whitefield’s first-ever football championship at the Middle School level.
Head coach Dan Young commented, “Coaches, volunteers, and players worked tirelessly for years to build this winning team. The foundation was built and the players executed to achieve success. The players have always had heart, but now they have great pride and a first-place trophy to call their own. I am so proud of them!”