COVINGTON, Ga. — The Cousins middle school football team fell just short in the championship game last season against Liberty middle school that came down to the final play.
Ending the season in such heartbreaking fashion has many of the Cardinals eighth graders hungry to avenge their tough loss in the final game. With new leadership for the Cardinals in head coach Frank Buckley, he hopes that his guys can take care of games early and not be in those arduous late-game situations.
“I want my guys to finish strong in each and every game,” said Buckley. “If we do what we need to do in each game, then we won’t be put in those last play situations again.”
Buckley will have plenty of playmakers that he can count on to help accomplish these goals and it all starts with the dynamic duo of twins, quarterback Jaquez Cobb and wide receiver Anquez Cobb.
Having grown up together, it can be expected that the Cobb twins should have a lot of chemistry and could be a hard connection to stop for the opposition.
The Cardinals also have some talent in their backfield in running backs Kaden Elkins and Jamarcus Presley.
Buckley raved about the mentality that Elkins has of doing anything he can to help the team and enhance his talents. Elkins will definitely be one to watch this season on both sides of the ball as he also plays safety for the team.
Buckley also had high marks for Presley and how electric his speed and quickness are on the field. Presley’s excellent speed will not only make him a hard running back to stop, but also someone who can get to the ball quickly on defense as one of the team’s linebackers.
With all of the talent on this Cardinals team, they should be a favorite once again to make a run at the middle school championship title. This is definitely a goal for the team’s new head coach but he has eyes on the bigger picture for many of his student-athletes.
Buckley put large emphasis on the belief that he wants members of his team to understand the importance of success in the classroom and the large impact that can have for many of these athletes.
“Not everyone makes it to the NFL so I want to help teach these guys how success in the classroom can be helpful too,” said Buckley.
Buckley knows that if he can instill this belief in his players, then he will have definitely had some long-lasting success with these young athletes. He also mentioned the importance that his players stay out of trouble, so that they can stay on the field.
“If they can get the job done in the classroom, then they set themselves up with the possibility of having not only an athletic scholarship but also an academic scholarship down the road."