Warriors finish spring practice

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 Coach Curtis Beaty was set to wrap up his first Spring practice as head coach of the Warriors with the Maroon and Gray Game, on  May 18. The Warriors had split into two teams with Trip Pinion serving as the quarterback of both squads. The teams were only able to get a couple of series in before they were forced to cancel the game due to lightning in the area. Both the offense and defense made plays in the short amount of time they had on the field.  Trip Pinion completed a long pass to Darvon Richmond.  Max Baker was opportunistic as he caught a deflected pass for an interception.

Coach Beaty was pleased with the work the team got in during the spring. After graduating 22 seniors, it was important for the coaching staff to evaluate players to find out who could play where. The skill positions on offense and defense bring back the most experience. Trip Pinion returns as a two-year starter at quarterback. Trip’s numbers are eye-popping and would have created more buzz had he not also shared the backfield with the best player to ever come through our county. Malaki Dowell will be impossible to replace, but the cupboard is by no means bare as the Warriors have several athletes that have performed well at both the middle school and junior varsity level. 

The high school also welcomes a large group of Freshman who had success as middle schoolers. The incoming freshman went 18-2 in two years including an undefeated championship season last year.  Coach Beaty sees many comparisons between the incoming freshman and the class that just graduated.

“It is a deep class with talent at many positions. Their ceiling is very high.” It may take time for that talent to be ready to contribute on a high school level.

The Warriors will make the move from 5A to 4A this coming season. This will put them in a district with teams like Upperman, Livingston Academy, DeKalb County, Stone Memorial, Macon County and Cumberland County.  These local rivalries will be good for the Warriors in many ways. The gates will be great and travel expenses will be down which will allow the Warriors to pour much needed money into the program.

The Warriors welcome a new coach to the sideline this season. Coach David Foster joins the staff as the new defensive coordinator. Foster took a year off last year after coaching with Jimmy Maynard at Smith County and Cookeville for over 14 years. Beaty calls Foster a great teacher who really connects with the players.

The Warriors will continue working out hard up until the dead period, which is always the last week of June and the first week of July.  When they return after the dead period, things will kick into high gear with seven-on-seven competitions at Upperman and Jackson County.  The start of the season will be here before you know it, and Coach Beaty and his staff will have the team ready to play. The future of White County football is bright.

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