Final Season for Wacoochee Junior High
by Jensen Jones

This past season marked the final year for football at Wacoochee Junior High School. The school will take on the Smiths Station name and relocate in the current Smiths Station High School when construction for the new high school is complete.  

Before the season started, Wacoochee players participated in preseason conditioning, like most schools in the area. From June through August, the players conditioned three times each week, working out and running.  However, the ability to run and lift heavy weights is not the only requirement for a winning team.

Wacoochee Panthers coach Barry Jones says, “The boys have bought into varsity head coach Mark Rose’s philosophy of discipline and hard work, which are the cornerstones of our program.”  It was that mindset that sustained the junior Panthers throughout their season and set up an exciting season finale against Phenix City rival South Girard School.

When Wacoochee faced off against South Girard, it was for all the marbles. By securing the win over South Girard, 33-20, the Panthers clinched their second consecutive East Central Alabama Junior High Conference title, finishing the season 7-1.  

The East Alabama Junior High Conference consists of Opelika, Auburn, Smiths Station, South Girard, Russell County, Prattville and Troup County. In past years, a champion has been acknowledged among school coaches but this year, coaches formed an official conference for crowning their champion.

Against South Girard, Dee Harris led the Panthers’ offensive attack, rushing for 284 yards on 10 carries with three touchdowns. Amonte Caban added 80 rushing yards on 12 carries and scored a late touchdown to clinch the win. For the season, Caban rushed for 995 yards on 129 carries and Harris ran for 764 yards on 68 carries in the season’s eight games.

According to Jones, the Panthers defense was another key to this season. “Defensive coordinator Jamie Jenkins did a great job preparing the team each week,” Jones says. The defense only gave up an average of eight points per game. Coleman Rose was the leading tackler with more than 50 sacks in the season. Nigel Lawrence led the secondary with three interceptions. Defensive lineman Djuan Simmons says, “The D- line works as a unit. When we are in a bad situation, we work together as a team and we do not stress. We play aggressively and with pride. We stay focused by doing what we have to do.”

The faculty, administration and coaches are excited about the move to the new school next year. The location will be more convenient for parents who pick up their student-athletes after school each day. And specifically for athletics, the school will have a weight facility for seventh- through ninth-graders. “We can’t wait to get started in our new home,” says eighth-grade strong safety Kamron Nelson.