#HSFT17: Stop No. 23 – Sulligent Blue Devils

SULLIGENT, Ala. (WCBI) — Heading into year three as the head man of Sulligent football, head coach Daniel Merchant is looking forward to big things in 2017.

“Going into year three, our kids know our system, and they believe in our system and they’re really working hard,” Merchant said.

“I feel pretty good, and pretty confident, in their abilities going into year three.”

The Blue Devils’ 2016 campaign ended in disappointing fashion, losing 42-14 to the Tanner Rattlers.

“Going up there to play a very good Tanner team last year, a premiere program in this state in 2A, was definitely an eye opener for a lot of our kids, and it gave them a lot of motivation this offseason to get to where Tanner is,” Merchant said, “Motivation from last year, we lost the region by four points away from winning the region, ended up finishing fourth, but we beat the best team in the region, if that tells you anything.”

“It makes us want to do more,” senior offensive and defensive lineman James Aaron Trentham said, “It makes us want to achieve more, and I think, by the playoff game motivating us, we are going to achieve more.”

There’s no lack of experience on Merchant’s squad this upcoming season. The battle tested bunch is ready to make a run in their final year as Blue Devils.

“Anytime you have eighteen, ninteen seniors on a roster here at Sulligent is a unique season and a lot of expectations, and we’re ready to get it started for sure,” Merchant said.

“We’ve all grown up playing together, and I feel like this year we’re going to have a lot better leadership than we did last year. That was one of our big deals, we lacked leadership, and when it came to winning ball games, we didn’t have the leadership that would help to put games away,” senior tight end and defensive end Hayden Nolen said.

“I feel like coming into this season, we’ve been working hard, I feel like we’re going to make a big change, make a run.”

One of those returning seniors is all-purpose machine Tyreke Metcalfe.

Racking up more than 1,300 total yards and fifteen touchdowns a year ago, Merchant is excited to see one more season with number fifteen in the backfield.

“He’s a dynamic player,” Merchant said, “We try to get the ball in his hands most every possession. We’d like to give it to him every play, but we have to rest him. He’s a unique player, that’s for sure.”

If making a deep playoff run wasn’t enough motivation for the Blue Devils in 2017, Sulligent will look to knock off longtime rival Lamar County from the top of 2A-8.

“Anytime you see Vernon win and outdoing you, it’s just a fire that gets lit under you to outwork them and outdo them,” Nolen said.

The Blue Devils begin their title pursuit with a three game homestand, starting with Marion County.