Junior Varsity Football posted a winning season in 2009

CAMP HILL—Lyman Ward’s Junior Varsity football team posted a winning season in 2009, finishing with a final season record of four wins and two losses.

First-year Head Coach Robert Spurlock said he was pleased with his team’s effort and accomplishment in only its second year of competing as a full member of the Alabama Independent School Association (AISA).

The Junior Varsity Rangers averaged a school record 29 points per game, scoring more than 40 points in one game twice, and scoring 38 points in another winning effort. The Rangers team rushed for more than 1,300 yards in its six outings.

The Fighting Rangers notched key victories over AISA rivals Chambers, Coosa Valley, Cornerstone, and Springwood. The team came from behind to win three of its four games. The Chambers victory was a 40-0 shutout.

Seven players were responsible for the 26 touchdowns the team scored—running back Tyrell Canada, quarterback Chance Cristwell, Mobley Estes, Martin Jauregui, Logan King, Nick Strong, and wingback Carlos Vargas. Other outstanding contributors on offense, according to Coach Spurlock, were linemen Taylor Drouin and John McClelland. With the exception of King, all were first-year cadets of the Academy.

Defensive stalwarts throughout the season were back Adam Baker, end Chris Coogle, lineman Vasily Dmitriev, linebacker Logan King, and lineman Bernardo Reynal. Chris Crocker, JaMundy Smith, and Daniel Waugh were recognized for outstanding special teams play.

Spurlock named freshmen Coogle and Cristwell as permanent team captains at the end of the season.

“Our goal at the beginning of the season was to show great sportsmanship, and I think we did that,” Spurlock said. “At the same time, we wanted to win more games than we lost. We were able to accomplish both goals with an awful lot of hard work.”