JACKSONVILLE — On the football field, things haven’t always been rosey around Jacksonville Christian. But they haven’t been the thorns that the Thunder endured the last two seasons, either.
Jacksonville Christian, one of the state’s smaller schools in the smallest classifications, limped to a 0-10 finish last year. A 2-8 mark the year before.
But despite the recent past, the Thunder aren’t going to let that dampen their hopes of a turnaround.
“Always,” JCA coach Tommy Miller said. “We always feel like we have a chance before the first ballgame and we’re trying to get ready for it.”
Whether Jacksonville Christian can return to the days of reasonable success it enjoyed upon their move into the Alabama High School Athletic Association is yet to be seen, but what is clear is that the Thunder has skill players returning in the most advantageous of positions.
Quarterback Stephen Hurst and running back Peyton Green, both juniors, are back for the Thunder as cornerstones of the offense.
Hurst will have the Bollinger brothers to benefit from his experienced arm. Andrew will line up at wide receiver, while his brother Jacob (6-foot-4) will start at tight end.
While Jacob has good size, he won’t be the biggest of the players lined up with a hand on the ground. Senior lineman Jeremy Satcher holds that honor at 6-4, 347.
Including the aforementioned players, Miller looks to return around five starters on both sides of the ball as the Thunder embarks on a new region.
Last season, Jacksonville Christian found it rough going in 1A, Region 6 with some pretty stiff competition. Region winner Talladega County Central made it to the state finals where it met the same end many other teams did --- with a loss to Sweet Water.
This year, the Thunder finds itself in Region 5.
In the new region alignment, Jacksonville Christian escaped Talladega County Central, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be getting a basket of crème puffs.
Always-tough Ragland is still around. Appalachian, Victory Christian and Parkway Christian should be among the contenders for the four playoff berths. The other teams in the region are Coosa Christian, Jefferson Christian and St. Bernard.
Jacksonville Christian will once again open the season with Alabama School for the Deaf. The Silent Warriors handed JCA a 32-21 loss in last year’s opener.
