By Bob Suttton
Special to The Alamance News
It’s a process for Graham to make a climb, but there’s August optimism as the season approaches.
“I feel like this year we’re going to have a better chance of winning,” quarterback Aaron Royster said. “We have been more disciplined.”
Second-year coach Mykel Searcy said he’s encouraged after having a full year with the program. So he views this as a coveted opportunity.
“This is a brand-new season,” he said. “It has been refreshing. We’ve been pushing them every day to be their best.”
Much of that push has come from players.
Among the seniors are defensive end Brayden Wardlow and receiver/defensive back Jayden Hilton, who played his first season for Cummings. Receiver/defensive back Kam Mason, a junior, is mentioned among the leaders.
“How they can push their teammates,” Searcy said.
The Red Devils have had back-to-back one-win seasons. The last winning record came 21 years ago.
The players say they sense improvement on a regular basis.
“I’m confident we have a lot going for ourselves right now,” Wardlow said. “Better players, better progression.”
The opening few weeks of the season are critical for the Red Devils as they have three non-conference games before what appears to be a grind in the Mid-Carolina Conference.
“We want to take advantage of these opportunities to play teams that are similar to us,” Searcy said of the non-conference match-ups. “For us, it wasn’t hard to find games.”
Then it will be a steady diet of county opponents. Searcy said the chance for renewed rivalries is something the Red Devils need to embrace.
The other six teams in the county have all won conference championships within the past four years. Graham hasn’t been close to that level.
“People think just because (it has been rough) we have a losing mentality,” Royster said. “This year, it’s going to be different.”
Searcy said many of the Red Devils have put in extra time in attempts to bolster themselves and the team as a whole.
Royster said he hopes that “a whole different scheme” on offense will give the Red Devils a lift and then emphasize skills in certain areas.
Center Zion Bumpers said more toughness has developed along the line of scrimmage.
“Our line is probably better,” Bumpers said. “We have violent people on the team, people who can actually block.”
Graham is among the big boys again in terms of its conference and schedule. After five seasons without meeting Eastern Alamance, Western Ala-mance, and Williams, those teams are back on the Red Devils’ docket. In a stretch going back a couple of decades, Graham is 2-41 against that trio of teams combined.
“I see our schedule, I was like ‘oooh,’” Wardlow said, pointing out the challenges and the intrigue. “I’m excited because I get to play some of these teams we haven’t been playing.”
The North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s realignment brought about this conference change, something that, despite the potential challenges, was pushed for by Graham and school district administrators.
“You guys are aware of who you’re playing,” Searcy said. “No one is saying ‘Why?’ Focus on what you need to do to compete.”
