Admirals make the best of stormy conditions
By Steve Williams
Farragut High’s Blue and Gray football game had more gray in it than blue, weather-wise.
But it was an enjoyable event for players and fans of the Admirals until Mother Nature got involved Thursday.
Safety precautions won out, of course.
“It was an abbreviated night,” said second-year Head Coach Geoff Courtney. “We only got out there for about 45 minutes. We scrimmaged about a quarter and 30 plays, but we got a chance to recognize some rising freshmen and upcoming youth players.”
Before the intrasquad game started, Courtney said: “We had a great event for about an hour for our community where we just had food and merchandise, and people coming together with our youth program, our middle school program, our high school program, the band, cheerleaders. It was a good night for while we were there until the storms came.”
The smell of barbecue was in the air, too.
“Parents Wendy and Scott Washburn brought their smoker and offered to cook barbecue plates and burgers and dogs, so that went over pretty well with everybody that showed up.,” said Courtney.
With 200 band members, the cheer and dance teams plus 400 fans, the Farragut coach thought it was a good turnout.
Former head coach Eddie Courtney, Geoff’s dad, who stepped down after the 2023 season, also was busy on the scene.
“He’s doing well, like he was helping make sure we had somebody running the clock in the press box and we had concessions open for people,” said Geoff.
Carter Collier, a young running back who ran the ball well, had the only touchdown in the short contest.
Others singled out by Courtney were defensive end Owen Petoskey, middle linebacker Connor Parris and RB/OLB Noah Haag.
“We’ve had a good spring,” said Courtney. “The guys are competing hard and they are energetic. We’ve probably got about 72 players out right now for spring practice and we’ll have another 12 or 15 varsity players when spring sports finish up in a couple of weeks.”
Halls is scheduled to come and scrimmage Farragut this Thursday to end the Admirals’ spring practice.
