It was another long season for the Jenkins County Eagles.
"I'm very disappointed," said Eagles head coach Chuck Conley. "I really felt like from the summer workouts and some of the kids that we had coming back that we were going to do better than we did."
For just a moment it did look as though JCHS was headed in the right direction. Jenkins opened the season with a 30-13 win over Wheeler County, their first season-opening win since 2003.
But then, like any other JCHS season, things turned south and the Eagles lost their last nine games of the season, finishing 1-9 and 0-6 in region 3-A. Jenkins hasn't had a winning season since 1999.
"A program such as ours that has continued to struggle, at the first sign of adversity the kids seem to say, 'Oh my goodness, here we go again.' I attribute that to their youth and hope we can overcome that in the future."
For whatever reason, the Eagles played competitive football in the first half of the season then faded in the second half.
"I think it started snowballing," said Conley. "Particularly after the Schley County game."
The Eagles traveled to Ellaville on Sept. 22 to face Schley, a Class A school on the Alabama border. JCHS lost by one-point (28-27) and Conley wasn't there to see it, serving a suspension after being ejected from the Telfair County game the week before. The Eagles lost their next three games by a combined 128-21.
Conley wasn't quite sure why, but the Jenkins offense also seemed to disappear over the second half. Case in point, junior running back Patrick Moody had 893 yards after Jenkins' Oct. 6 game with Claxton. He finished the season five yards short of 1000.
But for all the losing, there are still reasons for fans of the Millen school to stay positive. The Eagles graduate just eight seniors, four of which are starters. Moody, sophomore quarterback Houston Bowers and junior wide receiver Boyd Sasser should all be back for the 2007 season. Add that to Conley having to play plenty of underclassmen and the Eagles' losing three games by just three points or less and JCHS should continue to improve.
"We've already started our weightlifting program and will start our speed improvement program after Thanksgiving," said Conley.
"I'm very disappointed," said Eagles head coach Chuck Conley. "I really felt like from the summer workouts and some of the kids that we had coming back that we were going to do better than we did."
For just a moment it did look as though JCHS was headed in the right direction. Jenkins opened the season with a 30-13 win over Wheeler County, their first season-opening win since 2003.
But then, like any other JCHS season, things turned south and the Eagles lost their last nine games of the season, finishing 1-9 and 0-6 in region 3-A. Jenkins hasn't had a winning season since 1999.
"A program such as ours that has continued to struggle, at the first sign of adversity the kids seem to say, 'Oh my goodness, here we go again.' I attribute that to their youth and hope we can overcome that in the future."
For whatever reason, the Eagles played competitive football in the first half of the season then faded in the second half.
"I think it started snowballing," said Conley. "Particularly after the Schley County game."
The Eagles traveled to Ellaville on Sept. 22 to face Schley, a Class A school on the Alabama border. JCHS lost by one-point (28-27) and Conley wasn't there to see it, serving a suspension after being ejected from the Telfair County game the week before. The Eagles lost their next three games by a combined 128-21.
Conley wasn't quite sure why, but the Jenkins offense also seemed to disappear over the second half. Case in point, junior running back Patrick Moody had 893 yards after Jenkins' Oct. 6 game with Claxton. He finished the season five yards short of 1000.
But for all the losing, there are still reasons for fans of the Millen school to stay positive. The Eagles graduate just eight seniors, four of which are starters. Moody, sophomore quarterback Houston Bowers and junior wide receiver Boyd Sasser should all be back for the 2007 season. Add that to Conley having to play plenty of underclassmen and the Eagles' losing three games by just three points or less and JCHS should continue to improve.
"We've already started our weightlifting program and will start our speed improvement program after Thanksgiving," said Conley.
