Pilots’ eyes set on hosting playoff game

As the Fulton County High School Pilots take the field for the 2022 season Aug. 19, Head Coach James Bridges has his sights set on one goal: to host a playoff game this season.

Coach Bridges returns to the sideline in his fifth season as the Pilots’ head coach. It will be his 19th year overall as a football coach, with 11 years in high school and eight in middle school.

Rounding out his coaching staff will be assistant coaches Will Greer, Rick Major, David Clymer, and Josh Lutz.

The Pilots will return 16 players from last year’s 1-10 season, including starting senior quarterback Max Gibbs and senior tight end and linebacker Luke Jackson, while also adding 13 new players.

Alongside Gibbs and Jackson, there are nine other seniors to add veteran leadership in Ezekiel Alexander, Gibbs, Charles Goodman, TyAvious Isbell, Jackson, JShon Jones, Jason Mathews, Tristin Morris, Carson Oldaker and RuMarriez Westbrook.

Rounding out the squad are four juniors Logan Griffiths, Felix Jackson, Nyjah Montgomery and Connor O’Malley; seven sophomores, David Allison, Braxton Bridges, Jaycob Davis, Damien Hill, Jackson Major; and seven freshmen, EDrece Bonds, Marcus Bonds, Caden Kimble, Zayden Kinney, Kalon McCauley, Vincent Scott and Jovan Westmoreland.

When asked who on the team would take on a leadership, Coach Bridges named Luke Jackson, who he described as a “natural born leader, who can change the atmosphere of the game and has a team first attitude”.

Coach Bridges expects their running game to a strong suit, with running backs Marcus Bonds, Damien Hill, Felix Jackson and J’Shon Jones in the backfield. He also expects Gibbs to be one of the best players on the offensive side of the ball, as “he has thrown the ball well during our 7-on-7 games,” Bridges said.

Bridges also expects the defense to be strong, as “many players have stood out on the defensive side of the ball, including J’Shon Jones, Carson Oldaker, Luke Jackson, and TyTy Isbell,” he said.

Bridges also expects both the offensive and defensive lines to be an asset for this year’s team. “We should be able to dominate the game,” he said.

When asked who he felt was the hardest opponent on the schedule, Coach Bridges circled the Russellville Panthers, who went 12-2 last season and are the defending KHSAA Class 1-A runner-ups, narrowly losing to Pikeville 30-27 in the championship game.

The Pilots will host the Panthers Sept. 30.