Prep Football Preview: Silverdale Baptist Seahawks

Silverdale Baptist's Ben Bambrey makes the tackle during a scrimmage.
Silverdale Baptist's Ben Bambrey makes the tackle during a scrimmage.

Division II-AA East // SBA Stadium, 7236 Bonny Oaks Dr., Chattanooga, TN 37421

At the helm

Al Rogers

(39-26 in six years here and overall)

Heroes assemble!

The Seahawks return 4 off., 8 def. starters.

Super powers

Since Rogers has been in charge, Silverdale's intention has been to play physical football. This year will be no different. The coach said he likes the work ethic this team has showed.

Possible kryptonite

Although there's a smaller Division II classification than Silverdale's, that doesn't make the Seahawks immune to depth concerns. There have been some preseason injuries, fortunately mostly minor, to a few returning starters.

Spidey sense tingling

Rogers likes the work ethic of the senior class, which will be challenged to lead the Seahawks as they transition to the newly formed Division II-AA East Region. Of the league's seven teams, only Silverdale and Chattanooga Christian failed to advance to the state playoffs in 2016, and even they didn't have losing records, with the Seahawks 6-4 and the Chargers 5-5.

Here I come to save the day!

Senior Collin Lovell is the starting QB, and he'll be surrounded by a new cast of skill-position players with the five top rushers from a year ago having graduated. Dylan Bryant is the leading returning tackler, and fellow senior LBs Reece Hall and Cade Meadows weren't far behind.

Up, up and away!

It remains to be seen how stingy Silverdale's defense will be when it comes to allowing points in 2017. But the Seahawks vow the hits will keep on coming.

Silverdale's stop unit last year took pride in playing a physical style. As far as production, it gave up 14 or fewer points in six games, including three shutouts.

"The group we had last year I think set the tone for really being vicious," Rogers said. "They expect these guys to rise to that situation."

Cade Meadows will start for a fourth year, although he's making the transition from MLB to OLB. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder said the team's physicality began this year as soon as practices in pads started.

"The first two practices we hit pretty hard," Meadows said. "We ended up with some bumps and bruises and had to back it down a little. We don't have big numbers, so we've been trying to do the best we can with what we've got."

Rogers believes there is a psychological advantage to playing physically, noting that a good, hard, clean hit can have an opposing player worried it might happen again. And he likes the attitude and passion displayed by this year's players, from the seniors down to the freshmen.

"If you go in thinking you're not going to do well, you're probably not going to do well," Meadows said. "But if you go in thinking you're going to destroy the guy in front of you, then I think you've got a pretty good chance to do it."

2016 Results

Aug. 19 Lookout Valley won, 47-0

Sep. 2 Bledsoe County won, 30-24

Sep. 9 Grace Academy won, 33-7

Sep. 16 Meigs County lost, 32-19

Sep. 23 Sale Creek won, 62-0

Sep. 30 Polk County won, 35-14

Oct. 7 Marion County lost, 52-12

Oct. 14 Brainerd won, 35-0

Oct. 21 Tyner lost, 32-7

Oct. 28 Boyd-Buchanan lost, 10-6

6-4, 3-4 Region 3 2-A

2017 Schedule

(All times 7:30 Eastern unless noted)

Aug. 18 King's Academy

Sep. 1 Chattanooga Christian

Sep. 8 at Grace Academy

Sep. 22 at Copper Basin

Sep. 29 at Christian Acad. of Knoxville

Oct. 6 Notre Dame

Oct. 13 Boyd-Buchanan

Oct. 20 Knoxville Grace Christian

Oct. 27 at Knoxville Webb, 7

Division II-AA East games in bold

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