New Baconton Blazers looking for intensity

There is a lot of “new” surrounding Baconton Charter School football. Yes, there is a new head coach in Parker Rentz and new assistant coaches in Blake Johnston and Justin Kephart. There is a new football stadium almost ready to go and there is new equipment to work out with. But what Coach Rentz sees is a new attitude.

“We are trying to instill a sense of urgency in everything,” Rentz said during a recent practice. “Even just going to get water we want them to move and move quickly. With football I want them to be intense.”

It’s working. After a padded camp at Miller County earlier this week, the coach from Miller County called Rentz and told him he had never seen a Baconton team with the intensity they showed on the football field. He told Rentz he was impressed to see Baconton players flying to the ball.

“We want to push these guys harder,” Rentz said. “We are working to create a new structure, basically from the ground up. We want to create an intense environment.”

During the summer the Blazers have seen some competitions with the 7-on-7s and padded camp but have been focused on building the team and working on fundamentals, weight training, and creating that atmosphere of intensity.

Rentz has taken over the head coaching job after Randy Grace resigned after one year. Rentz has been on staff with Baconton Charter for three seasons and is excited about improving the program. He believes the focus on fundamentals, weight training, and an intense environment will help the Blazers improve on last year’s 3-7 record.

“As a head coach, you are only as good as your assistants,” Rentz said. “We have an excellent coaching staff and I am excited about that. And these kids know me,” he said. “Yes, I am the new head coach, but I have been here, and they know how I work, and they are responding.”

Rentz is thrilled to have 42 players on the roster to start the season, with 13 seniors on the squad. Leading the way for the Blazers on the offense will be senior quarterback Damian Williams and running backs Zavian Freeman and Darian Williams. An improved offensive line will be led by senior guard Brady Ragan and Turner Van Meter.

The defense will miss seniors who graduated such as Stone Pinson and Zeke Deen, but Darian Williams will be a force for the Blazers at outside linebacker.

The Blazers compete in Region 1-A, recently dominated by two rival Mitchell County schools – Mitchell County and Pelham. Baconton will open the season on Aug. 23 with a game against Pataula Charter of Edison and then travel south to Pelham to face the Hornets who might be the favorite to win the region again this season.

Staff Photos: Joe Whitfield
Joe Whitfield