Region 3-2A // Larry Davis Stadium, 7200 Highway 411 North, Benton, TN 37307
At the helm
Derrick Davis
(113-76 in 17 years here and overall)
Heroes assemble!
The Wildcats return 6 off., 8 def. starters.
Super powers
The Wildcats were 3-7 last year after back-to-back winless seasons. The senior class has leaders who are hungry to win after being hardened by all those losses, and there's a lot of experience returning in a large junior class.
Possible kryptonite
Polk's new region includes Tyner and Marion County. The Wildcats better be able to tackle well around the line of scrimmage, because getting into a foot race with skill players from those teams is a losing proposition.
Spidey sense tingling
The Wildcats' first priority will be to not finish at the bottom of their new region. The other four were state playoff teams a year ago, including Class 2A finalist Marion County.
Here I come to save the day!
Polk junior Nate Waters is already a veteran QB, and senior TE Andrew Coffey (6-2, 205) gives him a big target. The Wildcats also return their leading tackler in senior DB Kendall Swemley and their leading tackler for losses in junior DT Skyler Camp.
Up, up and away!
Polk County's Wyatt Martin has gone from being the body to being the bodyguard.
Martin started five games at QB when the Wildcats needed help there his freshman year. He's played FB some on that side of the ball. He's played some TE.
Now as a senior, the only time he might touch the ball is if he falls on it to recover a fumble from his RT position. Coaches notified Martin of the position switch in the spring.
"They told me they they wanted my help on the line," the straight-A student said. "I said, 'Wherever you need me, I don't care, as long as I can help the team.' It's a big difference. Instead of being the guy that needed protecting, now I'm protecting the guy."
Junior Alex Pell is making a similar transition in that he'll no longer be a TE but rather an ineligible receiver.
"We lost three offensive linemen off last year's team," Davis said. "Those two have stepped in and are going to give us a better shot at being a better offensive team."
Martin will wear No. 55.
"I always wanted to be number 5 when I was younger," he said, "so I just added another one to it."
The long-standing Davis coaching family at Polk does not permit football players to wear jerseys with single digits, so Martin had worn No. 18 for the Wildcats until this year. That number is now being retired for a year.
"Just out of respect for him, we're not letting anybody wear it," Davis said. "It's kind of symbolic of his unselfishness."
2016 Results
Aug. 19 East Ridge won, 35-28
Aug. 26 Sequoyah won, 33-0
Sep. 2 Tyner lost, 21-7
Sep. 9 McMinn Central lost, 38-7
Sep. 16 Bledsoe County lost, 21-20
Sep. 30 Silverdale Baptist lost, 35-14
Oct. 7 Brainerd won, 12-7
Oct. 14 Boyd-Buchanan lost, 35-6
Oct. 21 Meigs County lost, 35-0
Oct. 28 Marion County lost, 42-6
3-7, 1-6 Region 3-2A
2017 Schedule
(All times 7:30 Eastern unless noted)
Aug. 18 at Copper Basin
Aug. 25 East Ridge
Sep. 1 at Tyner
Sep. 8 McMinn Central
Sep. 15 Tellico Plains
Sep. 22 at Whitwell, 8
Oct. 6 Sweetwater
Oct. 13 Bledsoe County, 8
Oct. 20 at Meigs County
Oct. 27 at Marion County, 8
Region 3-2A games in bold