High School Sports

Even the most cursory glance at the first five opponents on Wellborn High School's 2008 varsity football schedule could explain the Panthers' 0-5 record at the midpoint of season.

The gantlet of games reads like a who's who of mid-size schools in and around The Star's coverage area. The list includes Saks, winners of the 2007 Class 4A Region 6 title; Piedmont, a 10-win team from year ago; Leeds, ranked third in the state; Pleasant Valley, also a playoff squad, and typical powerhouse Alexandria.

The Panthers opened the season on August 29 on the road against longtime rival Saks. Wellborn looked as if it would begin the season with a bang, scoring on the first play of the game on a 78-yard touchdown by sophomore running back Delrickus Rhoden.

It'd be the only points the Panthers would put on the board as the Wildcats posted a 48-7 victory at Jack Stewart. That game was followed up with a 39-14 loss at Piedmont (4-1, 3-0) in their Class 3A Region 5 opener. In the past two weeks, they've fell to Pleasant Valley (3-2, 3-1) and Class 4A Alexandria (4-1, 3-1 in Region 6) by a combined score of 70-26.

"No doubt about it," Panthers coach Ricky Weems said, when asked if he knew his squad would be facing an uphill battle in the first five weeks of the.

"Saks and Alexandria are two of the toughest teams in their 4A regions and Piedmont, Leeds and Pleasant Valley are three of the best teams in our 3A Region."

Consider the deck from which the Panthers are dealing. They lost an almost unimaginable 22 seniors from a 2007 squad that went 1-9 but upset then-undefeated then-No. 3 Alexandria for their lone win.

The mass exodus depleted their roster to a mere 19 players, forcing many of Wellborn's underclassmen into key positions and its few veterans into unfamiliar ones on both sides of the ball.

Just three of the Panthers four seniors have seen consistent action thus far in the season. Andrew Ferguson, who played primarily in the secondary throughout his career, has moved to quarterback. The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder has completed 22 of 51 passing attempts for 307 yards and a pair of touchdowns but has also thrown five interceptions.

"Right now we just don't know how to play football," said Weems flatly. "We're learning how to play football as we're playing through our schedule."

Rhoden, a 5-10, 170-pounder, has done a serviceable job in replacing former standout Kevin Knox. The sophomore has rushed for 423 yards and four touchdowns on 66 caries — good enough for 84 yards a game and 6.4 yards a carry. Senior Vincent Bolton leads the team in receiving with eight catches for 101 yards and two scores.

That schedule which was been mean and merciless thus far is a little more forgiving in the second half of the season. The Panthers will host Glencoe on Friday followed by matchups at Weaver and at home against Tarrant. They'll travel to White Plains for their final region contest on Oct. 24 and host Jacksonville in the regular season finale on Halloween.

But Weems was realistic in assessing the prospects of his young team for the rest of the year although their biggest tests are all but behind them. He said his team has made so many mistakes to get behind early on in ball games that they haven't been able to show many flashes of consistency.

But nobody in Wellborn is waving the white flag of surrender, and the future could be bright. Weems said all of his guys are still coming out to practice and giving a solid effort.

"We're not about to throw in the towel because we're 0-5," Weems said. "There's all kinds of opportunity out there. If we can get things turned this year. That'll give us some excitement. It's key now that we turn this season around."