By John Goolsby
0-5. That is not the record that first-year Head Coach Jamie Mitchell thought his Shades Valley team would have after the first five games of the year. Even though the Mounties are still searching for their first win, Coach Mitchell believes he has a good team. The Mounties have played a brutal schedule to start their 100th year of football. In their first four games, Shades Valley faced three opponents ranked in the top-5 in 6A. Another loss was to a much improved Huffman team. The Bill Smith led Vikings played 7A contender Hewitt to the wire before coming up short 3-0 to the Huskies last Friday night. In their most recent defeat, the Mounties let the game get away late against an extremely talented Gardendale team led by West Virginia QB commit Will Crowder. “The record is what it is and there are no excuses. We were in all the games late. We just have to close,” said Mitchell.
Coach Mitchell, who has 31 years of coaching experience, 215 wins and two state championships, believes the Mounties can turn around the second half of the season and make a run at the play-offs despite having some key injuries. “We have been telling the kids we still have four region games remaining and everything we want is still ahead of us,” Mitchell said. Mitchell has been pleased with the team’s mental state thus far. “I have been really happy with the kid’s positive attitudes and how resilient they have been,” he added. Mitchell went on to say, “I want these kids to be able to make the play-offs and experience that environment. I told them nobody remembers your record once you get in.”
The Mounties get an opportunity to take that first step in turning their season around and getting their first win this Friday night when they host Briarwood Christian (4-2). “They are a very well coached team. Very Mountain Brookish,” Mitchell said of the Lions. Briarwood is coming off a 41-21 loss to 7A James Clemens this past Friday.
It will be a special night at Shades Valley as Mrs. Marjorie Kay Nix and the Nix family will be honored at halftime. Mrs. Nix is the wife of the late Frank A. Nix.
The RED & BLACK 