Atlanta hopes increase in players helps bid for more wins
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ATLANTA -- The Atlanta 8-Player football team had games last season where it had just 10 players suited up for action.
The Huskies hope that those days are behind them this fall, as they expect to have as many as 16 players on the roster.
"It is nice, it makes practicing a little easier," 12th-year head coach Troy Cheedie said. "It is hard to get good reps in when you only have 12 guys and you are putting a ghost guy across from somebody. We can go eight both ways now and it gives us a good look on both offense and defense."
The Huskies graduated last year's leading rusher Trace Juergens, but they should have plenty of offensive punch to replace him.
"Trace was a big loss, but I have a couple backs in Gage Cheedie and Hughin Current that are going to fill that spot pretty well and we have a couple young and upcoming receivers that have some good speed," Cheedie said. "TJ Currie is our returning quarterback. With the returning players and their leadership and the younger players that we have, I think we are sitting pretty good."
Chase Bennett, Gage Cheedie, and TJ Currie all return to the team as seniors, while senior Ignacid Andveza joins the team. Tucker Kendrick and Cohen Armock also return to the squad as juniors.
Sophomores on the team are London Galea, Jace Cheedie, Joey Schoening, Nick Breen, Aiden Knoch, Current, and freshmen Brett Culham, Eli Hagemeister, Jason Marshall and Aiden Kaminske.
Atlanta hosts Au Gres on Friday for its season opener. The Wolverines took care of the Huskies 50-8 in week one last year, on their way to an 8-man Division 2 state semi-final appearance.
"Definitely could be a tough week one," Cheedie said." I know that they did lose quite a few seniors last year, but they also had a JV program, so I am sure that they have some guys coming up. I know that our guys are getting ready for the challenge and hoping to redeem themselves from last year, they beat us up pretty bad.
"We have been looking at game film, and I think our main thing against them will be their big running back Keagan Bender," he added. "He runs downhill and if we can contain him, I think we will matchup pretty well against everybody else. Guys like that, you have to get him around the legs."
Playing a schedule entirely of North Star League teams, the Huskies will play in successive weeks, Mio, Alcona, Rogers City, Whittemore-Prescott, Charlton Heston, Hillman, Posen, and Hale.
"Being one of the small schools in the state, it seems like we are always playing bigger schools," Cheedie said. "(The NSL Big Dipper teams) will be tougher games, but hopefully the guys are ready to rise to the challenge. (The NSL Little Dipper teams) we feel good, if we can get the first one against AuGres, the other ones will come a little easier. I think we will be sitting pretty good."