The Clarke Central High School football C-team faces off against North Oconee High School on Sept. 21, 2021 at home. CCHS football C-team Head Coach Boss Bailey had a positive experience with the 2023-2024 season after having to go through the process of improvment. “I really enjoyed the season,” Bailey said. “It was a challenge, in a lot of good ways and a lot of adverse ways but I really enjoyed these kids (and) getting to know them. It’s a special group.” Photo by Aza Khan
As the CCHS’ football C-team approaches their last game of the season against Oconee County High School at home on Oct. 11 at 5:30 p.m, they reflect on the progress they have made over the course of the season.
Clarke Central High School’s football C-team will end their season off in a rematch against Oconee County High School. As they approach the final game of the season, coaches believe that players improved enough to succeed at the next level of high school football.
Going into their matchup on Oct.11 with a record of 2-4, the CCHS football C-team previously secured two wins in their last three games against both OCHS and Cedar Shoals High School, winning 34-33 and 12-8 respectively while also losing against Gainesville High School in between those matchups.
“We’re gonna have to use a balance of tactics this week because we have a couple of key players that have been injured. We’re gonna have to really focus on running the ball and short passing plays,” CCHS C-team football offensive coordinator Terry Sims said.
“We’re gonna have to use a balance of tactics this week because we have a couple of key players that have been injured. We’re gonna have to really focus on running the ball and short passing plays.”
— Terry Sims,
CCHS C-team football offensive coordinator
Sims is optimistic about the future of CCHS football after seeing the improvement of players over the course of the season.
“By this point in time, these eighth graders have really matured, also the ninth graders. We played against teams that had 10th and 11th graders out there and we lost, but these young men held their own to be this young. So the future’s bright here at (CCHS),”Sims said.
Despite beginning the season 0-3, CCHS C-team football head coach Rodney “Boss” Bailey still believes that the team greatly improved over the course of the season.
“(The team) learned what kind of effort it takes to win. That (was) one of our biggest issues this year, ”Bailey said. “It’s a special group. It’s a really good freshman class, they’re very big and talented. I’m just excited to see how they shape out their sophomore year and going forward.”
CCHS C-team football quarterback Hudson Welter, an eighth-grader at Clarke Middle School, believes that his time on the team has greatly benefited him and will serve him in his future playing football.
“I definitely learned alot this year and got exposure to what high school (football) is gonna look like. (I learned that) we just gotta keep fighting, we lost a couple games and then we came back and won,” Welter said. “I feel good (about the OCHS game) last time we played them, we beat them so I feel confident we can do it again.”