Finally. A local football team that has everything going for them and are highly favored to win the state championship, their first in school history. Calvary Christian School is poised to bring home the trophy for the GICAA Division 1-AA State Football Championships in 2016 because they appear to have all the right stuff.
It wouldn’t be the first time the Calvary Knights have been in this position. Last year the team made a valiant run up all the way to the semi-finals only to have their season end there. A 9-2 record (5-1 region) is really good but it was still a big disappointment for head football coach Brian Osborne’s team and the Calvary nation.
“Last year, we were considered one of the early favorites to win the state championship but we were not mentally prepared for those expectations. This year we are placing a high importance on becoming mentally tough,” says Osborne.
Calvary began their varsity football program just six years ago. Since that time Osborne has coached his team to the final four twice and the state championship once. While other coaches with other local teams are lamenting big holes in their programs due to the loss of veteran upperclassmen, the Knights will have 14 seniors on the 2016 team who have a lot of game experience.
Just about every position on the team has a returning starter with only a few exceptions. Calvary’s quarterback, Kasen Andrews, had 95 passing attempts in 2015 for 1,103 yards. The 6’4” and 195 pound athlete is considered a college prospect and will be returning. Other college prospects who are returning starters are Jacquez Green (ATH), Steven Fowler (DL), Dalton Williams (OT), Thomas Chappel (K), and Bryce Andrews (WR) who led the Knights last season in receiving with 18 receptions for 491 yards.
Six other returning starters are players to watch on this team. They are Daniel Strickland (WR), Jacob Evangelista (OG), Cam Green (CB), Cody Russell (CB), Tredwick Wilburn (CB), and Crawford Ledbetter (LB), the tackle leader for Calvary in 2015 with a total of 104 tackles to his credit.
The addition of Kevin Fuller to the Knights coaching staff is expected to boost their passing game. Fuller is a receiver with the Columbus Lions.
Osborne’s coaching philosophies for offense and defense have proven successful. He prefers to run the football to set up the pass plays and aims for his team to blitz from many different places to confuse the offense. Yet, he knows there is always room for improvement, especially with chasing the title. So, this season he hopes to control the ball more on offense and limit big plays on first and second down on defense to create long 3rd downs.
The coach says his biggest lesson from last year’s season is probably one that every coach feels the need to stress. Never take any opponent lightly. The Knights defeated the team in the regular season that came back to beat them in the semi-finals.
It’s pretty obvious Calvary has set the goal of winning the state championship as part of their plan for a successful season. Osborne wants to start off by winning the school’s first region championship. More importantly to the head football coach and athletic director of the small private Christian school is an everyday goal.
“Glorify God every time we step on the football field,” says Osborne.
Leading up to the state championship event, Calvary will face some solid opponents. One special game will be against Glenwood School. The two schools have developed a rivalry in other sports but 2016 will be the first time they have met on the football field. It will also be a unique experience since the new head football coach for Glenwood is Jason Gibson, also the coach for the Columbus Lions and the coach for Calvary’s new assistant coach Kevin Fuller.
Calvary will be a team to keep an eye on this season. If they stay healthy, focused and play with the same passion as last year, the GICAA Division 1-AA 2016 state title trophy might find a home on the campus of Calvary Christian School.
Calvary Christian Knights
Calvary Knights Have The Right Stuff
Written by Beth Welch
Photo by Beth Welch
