Sherwood Christian seniors look to end with a championship

ALBANY — Friday night will be the last high school football game of their lives and the four seniors on Sherwood Christian’s football team couldn’t find another way to end it — and that is with a win in the state championship game on their home field.

It has been a challenging road to their senior year in football, but now that it is here, the four are ready to capture that elusive championship.

William Price, Hudson Carter and Graham Anderson began on the Sherwood team as ninth-graders when the Eagles were still playing 11-man football and the Eagles had great expectations to play for a state title with a senior-laden team led by Caleb Wiley and Ketavion Curry — both of whom earned college football scholarships. The Eagles ended up 5-5 that season and never got to play for that state championship. Maddox Powers joined the team this summer.

The Eagles football team didn’t play in 2020 because of the COVID pandemic and Anderson chose not to play when Sherwood dropped down to an 8-man program that saw the Eagles go 2-7 last season and end the season with an 80-8 loss in the first round of the state playoffs. Anderson didn’t play last season and the head coach, Chad Evans resigned.

The football program didn’t seem to be on sturdy ground but with nine eighth-graders wanting to play as freshmen in 2022, assistant headmaster and head basketball coach Kenny Roberts stepped in as interim football coach. The Eagles got another boost when Maddox Powers transferred to Sherwood from Lee County before summer practice and Anderson rejoined the team after that.

“Graham (Anderson) has been the catalyst for this team in terms of character,” said Roberts. “He has been the strongest one in driving the character of this team. And Maddox (Powers) just added so much and there is such a connection with him and the other players.”

Hudson Carter, who plays tight end and defensive end, was not available because of an illness Monday afternoon, but the other three seniors talked about their experiences getting to this point.

William Price plays wide receiver and defensive back for the Eagles, though he has also played running back, quarterback, and a host of defensive positions.

“The guys are really different this year,” said Price. “Especially the last few weeks, practice has been more focused and more business-like. I see guys listening more to what the coaches are saying and being more focused on football than in previous years.”

Graham Anderson plays left guard and defensive end for the Eagles and came back to the team after not playing since his freshman season.

“I just felt led to come back and play,” Anderson said. “Just to be on this team and with these guys is just confirmation that I made the right decision. I left because I didn’t feel like I was connected. I didn’t feel like I was a part of the team, but now I do feel like I am a part and I have that sense of family here. Being able to play in a state championship game just gives me more confirmation that I made the right decision.”

Maddox Powers transferred from Lee County to Sherwood Christian this year after just moving to the area from North Carolina in 2020. He plays fullback and defensive end for the Eagles. Maddox first met some of the Sherwood players at a church camp over the summer when he was their group leader.

“For me, this is a total God thing,” said Powers. “Before I decided to come to Sherwood, my dad and I were walking the track around the football field talking about it. On the fourth trip around we decided to pray and walk. And we turned around and all of these people were there with us, praying. I knew then this is where I wanted to be,” Maddox said. “This team is the definition of brotherhood. The love and the care we have for each other makes us a true family.”

Powers and other seniors believe they can win Friday night’s state championship game.

“We play hard and hit hard,” Powers said. “I think with the physicality we have and the weapons we have all over the field, I think we can win this game. I think with our physicality we can wear people down. I believe we have more endurance and we are not afraid to hit somebody.”

That may be what it takes to win against undefeated Unity Chirstian this Friday night. Kick-off is planned for 7:30 p.m.

Joe WhitfieldJoeWhitfield[email protected]