Eagles ready for another season

There are few traditions of any kind that rival Friday Night football in the south. Just about anyone who has lived there can conjure up memories of screaming kids, the smells of popcorn and fresh cut grass, the sounds of cheering and bands, and supporting the school colors for years after graduation. It never gets old.

Just ask Pee Dee Academy Head Coach Lon Spivey. For the 22nd year, the former service station owner and now educator and full-time father and grandfather are on the sidelines to lead the Golden Eagles into battle.

It’s been a successful two decades. Seventeen trips to the playoffs and four trips to the finals have produced two state championships for the blue and gold and the mastermind behind it all is quick to push the credit to others.

“We have always had great kids who put forth the effort on and off the field,” Spivey said of the many men whom have donned the pads for him.

“This year, as is every one, will be different from the others.”

Twenty-four players will suit up for Pee Dee this season, meaning that a number of the “iron men” will be playing both sides of the ball.

“We have always had guys playing offense and defense. This year it will just be a few more. Staying healthy will be a big key to our success,” Spivey said. “Also, our quarterback will have to come through for us,” he said.

Gone via graduation is the 997 yards and 16 touchdown passes of Charlie Fincannon.

However, in and ready to take the reigns can be any one of three Golden Eagles. Sophomores Will Daniels and Brian Davis are two of the men ready to assume the reigns as well as junior, Storm Page.

“We are going to have to have somebody in there who can make the correct reads in our offense. Options will be there and we need good decision making behind center,” Spivey said. “I fully believe any of the three are capable of leading us well.”

The signal caller will come up behind a line that features only two seniors in Matthew Fisher and Will Richardson.

“Richardson will be the anchor to our line, being the senior up front. I really look for him to step up and be the leader we need,“ Spivey said of Richardson.

Junior Ed Pittman will be back at the center spot followed behind by classmates, Jonathan Dean, newcomer Corey Britt and Andrew Gunn,

Sophomore linemen include Nickolas Ammons, Jacob Satterfield, Dylan Whaley and Blake Richardson. Three of these will be seeing their first varsity action and will need to step up and learn quickly.

“Our line is going to be very young, so they will definitely need to grow up in a hurry,” Spivey said of his bruisers up front.

Running behind the line will be senior and last year’s leading rusher, Bradley George.

George averaged nearly 7 years per carry last year and found the end zone nine times on the ground.

The next leading returning rusher will be junior, Kevin Driggers, who averaged over 5 yards a clip and scored 6 times receiving while adding 443 yards.

Storm Page will also be huge for the Golden Eagles as he follows up a sophomore campaign where he averaged six yards per rush with three TDs, 40 yards per catch and racked up 69 tackles on defense.

Cole McClam will also see time at running back, a position last year where he averaged four yards per rush. But, his defense was even bigger last year as he led the team in tackles with 78 as well as fumble recoveries with six and scored once on a fumble return.

Zack Small, another senior, will split time at the running back position on offense and as linebacker on defense. Last year, Small carried the ball for almost six yards each time he got a touch and averaged almost 16 yards per reception. On defense, he took in one interception and averaged four tackles per contest.

The last man out of the backfield will be sophomore, Brian Davis. Last year, in his first year of varsity play, Davis ran for one score and caught another. He will also see time in the defensive backfield for Spivey as well.

The remaining seniors on the team are Matthew Snipes, who will be at one end spot and made 40 tackles there last year. Satcher Bell will be at another split end as well as defensive back.

Two juniors and two sophomores round out the ends and defensive backfield. Juniors Bruce Baker and Ethan McGiboney return while newcomers Ethan Brown and Cole Fisher will be seeing their first varsity action for Spivey and the Golden Eagles.

“We do lack some size up front.” Spivey said evaluating his roster. “But, we do return all of our skilled men in the backfield.”

“On defense, we lost some of our experienced coverage guys, but we do return all of our linebacker core,” the coach noted.

Backing Spivey in the coaching duties will be three long-time assistants and Pee Dee Academy graduates in his sons, Stump and Splinter Spivey as well as Bill Rogers.
The Golden Eagles will be coming out of a conference that is always tough and improving.

“Thomas Sumter, as always is a front-runner in our region. Calhoun is always tough and Florence Christian, Robert E. Lee and Dorchester have all improved,” Spivey said.

“There is no real weakness in our region, but we always somehow find a way,” he said.