By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
FRED T. FOARD SCHEDULE
(all games at 7:30 p.m.)
August
18—Maiden
25—at Bandys
September
1—at N. Lincoln
8—W Lincoln
15—at St. Stephens
22—at PATTON
29—BUNKER HILL
October
6—at HIBRITEN
20—DRAUGHN
27—at E. BURKE
November
3—W. IREDELL
MINOR
Conference: Northwestern 2A.
Head coach: Derrick Minor (34-29, 5 years; 3-8 at Fred T. Foard, 1 year).
Last season’s records: 3-8 overall; 1-6 in Northwestern 3A-4A, eighth place.
Last season’s results: at Maiden, L 0-53; Bandys, W 34-18; Bunker Hill, W 28-13; at W. Lincoln, L 0-24; FREEDOM, L 0-55; at WATAUGA, L 28-61; HIBRITEN, L 7-56; at PATTON, L 6-42; HICKORY, W 32-14; at S. CALDWELL, L 20-28; ST. STEPHENS, L 7-21.
SCHOOL FOOTBALL HISTORY
Last season in state playoffs: 2014, 3A.
Last state playoff victory: 1982, d. SW Guilford 28-25 for West Division II title.
All-time state playoff bids: 13.
Conference titles since 1980, last: 3 (1 outright, 2 shares); 1983 Southern District 7 2A.
BY THE NUMBERS
OVERALL
Returning starters: 17.
Returning lettermen: 18.
OFFENSE
Returning starters: 9.
Leading returning rusher: Tate Beaver (281-984, 6 TDs).
Leading returning passer: Jack Colisimo (73-185-2, 1,065, 10 TDs).
Leading returning receiver: Tate Beaver (13-187, 1 TD).
Other players to watch: Matthew Greenwood (Sr., WR; Tyler Rudisill (Sr., OL); Drew Hepler (Sr., RB); Kamden Huffman (Jr., OL); Corey Siemer (Soph., RB).
DEFENSE
Returning starters: 8
Players to watch: Tate Beaver (Sr., LB); Cooper Butts (Jr., DL); Aram Lomax (Jr., DL); Romando Moffett (Sr., LB).
OUTLOOK
Sometimes timing is everything… and moving down from class 3A to class 2A might be a move that hit the Tigers at just the right time.
They’ve been dedicated to being better in the weight room and shaping up to be better prepared physically and mentally as Minor heads into his second season as head coach at Foard.
The Tigers certainly have players to build around offensively – Beaver’s a solid player and anytime you can play a young QB there’s generally a year-to-year improvement, so look for Colismio to potentially have a breakout junior year.
Foard hasn’t had a winning season since going 9-3 in 2008, and this year’s team may not yet be matured enough – and improved enough – to approach that many wins.
That said, after going 4-18 on the heels of a 6-6 record in 2014 from a football team that was pretty good, Foard has a shot at perhaps being the league sleeper/team that might not win it but will have a say in who does.
There are at least three winnable games on the conference schedule… so if the Tigers can pull one surprise – it’s a seven-team league – you’re looking at a 4-2 league record.
If Foard plays well in the non-league games, it could end up having a solid year.