Head coach Stacy Bell has taken a long, patient approach to Northside Christian Academy football.

Bell aims to bring stability to the 5-year-old program while building a consistent winning team.

“Our kids have done everything we’ve asked,” Bell said. “They understand that when you go to a school like Northside, it’s not necessarily about athletics or academics or your faith. It’s big picture. So our goal is every day. It doesn’t change for us.

“Whether we’re playing Andrew Jackson (Academy), whether we’re playing Jefferson Davis (Academy), we prepare the same way. Our coaching staff will come in on Saturday. We’ll have a game plan for Monday. We’ll go from there.”

Friday’s 7:30 pm season-opener against defending SCISA 8-man champion Andrew Jackson Academy will serve as a measuring stick for the Crusaders.

The Warriors have won 4 of the last 5 titles entering the 1st ever meeting against Northside Christian.

Andrew Jackson Academy has  won 12 straight games dating back to last year’s championship season and 58 of its last 59 games dating back to 2015.

The run started under former Lexington High head coach Allen Sitterle and continued under 2nd year head coach Jason Peek.

“They’re a very physical team,” said Bell about Andrew Jackson Academy. “They are primarily a run-heavy team. They know what they want to do and they’re very physical.”

Northside Christian returns several starters.

Max McKenna is back at quarterback with targets Brayden Ross at slot, Luke Charlie Compton at wide receiver and Luke Cochran at split end.

Jacob Spangler leads the offensive line with newcomers Javin Martin, Dillon Judy and Bryson McElmore.  

Defensively, the Crusaders will play an aggressive 3-man front with McKenna, Compton and Ross at linebacker. It will get tested against a Andrew Jackson Academy which has averaged over 50 points a game the past 2 seasons.

“Our goal every day is to get better,” Bell said. “Whether we’re at practice, whether we’re lifting weights, whether we’re in the classroom. We’re going to try to have Northside improve and then we have 8 games after that that we’ll continue to do the same thing.

“We don’t want to try to judge everything off of 1 game. Our goal is to get better everyday.” ing through hard times, we worked through the adversity and we stepped up. That’s what life’s about, just stepping up.” 

CRUSADERS ROSTER 

Head Coach: Stacy Bell    

1 Brayden Ross    

3 Jake Daniels    

4 Max McKenna    

7 Charlie Compton  

10 Jacob Fender    

12 Sullie Crider    

22 Luke Cochran  

35 JC Claytor    

44 Gaven Ford  

65 Jacob Spangler

70 Dylan Judy

74 Javen Martin

80 Charlie Underhill

82 Braedon Patterson

84 Bryson McLemore

WW KING ACADEMY 

Over 3 seasons have passed since WW King Academy played for the SCISA 8-man title.

Injuries and depth have limited the Knights’ success since 2016.

This season, head coach and headmaster Zach Matthews has reason for optimism.

He’s pleased by the high number of players at preseason practices.

His players’ approach to staying healthy in the pandemic is encouraging.

“It goes hand and hand,” he said. “If they can carry themselves well in the classroom, then I know they’ll do the same out here. That’s what I expect of them.”

Seniors Travis Long and Phillip Gross will provide returns after a season-ending injury in last year’s opener.

WW King has a ‘triple threat’ in sophomore triplets Carson, Collin and Colby Woodward. All will see action at quarterback, fullback and running back/linebacker.

Sophomore linebacker Clayton Turner is expected to provide a boost defensively with newcomers sophomore Drake Amick and junior Tripp Richardson.

The Knights will look to round up the starting positions before Friday’s home opener against Faith Christian.

Matthews said they key is staying healthy and maintaining depth if they are to return to the post-season.

KNIGHTS ROSTER 

Head Coach: Zach Matthews 

1 Collin Woodward 

2 Clayton Turner 

3 Carson Woodward 

4 Tripp Richardson 

5 Pierce Kirby   

6 John Roy                

10 Jesse Parrish                

12 Colby Woodward  

22 Levi Neal  

23 Phillip Gross 

24 Drake Amick  

54 Seth Gross   

68 Travis Long  

78 Elijah Thompson  

80 Trevor Fulmer              

88 Johan Salinas