NORTH BULLITT (9-3 in 2015)
Coach: Adam Billings (second season).
Starters back: Offense 8, defense 6.
Class: 5-A, District 3.
Player to watch: Nate Johnson. The 5-10, 187-pound senior wide receiver/safety has plenty of big-play ability. Last year on offense he had 28 catches for 577 yards (20.6 yards per reception) and eight TDs while recording 81 tackles and three interceptions. This year he’ll also see some time in the offensive backfield.
Other top players: QB/LB Andrew Brown (Sr.), OT/OLB Jeff Newton (Sr.), WR/DB Noah Nida (Jr.), FB/LB Blake Steinmacher (Sr.), OL/DL Derek Downing (Sr.), OL/DL Cody Okes (Sr.).
Outlook: The Eagles had a huge turnaround last season, going from 1-10 in 2014 to 9-3 in Billings’ first season. They’ll try to keep that momentum going this year but will miss RB Logan James (1,322 rushing yards, 18 TDs) and WR Daulton Walls (629 receiving yards, 10 total TDs). Brown, who passed for 1,649 yards and 14 TDs in 2015, and Johnson will lead the offense. Billings is also looking for big things from Nida and an offensive line he describes as “pretty tough and pretty nasty” as well as big improvement from his defense, which will be led by Newton (90 tackles and five fumble recoveries in 2015). “We’re light years ahead of where we were at this time last year on defense, so I expect great team defense this year compared to last year,” Billings said.
Schedule:
8/19 WOODFORD COUNTY
8/26 at Southern
9/2 JEFFERSONTOWN
9/9 at Shelby County
9/16 at Marion County
9/23 *BULLITT CENTRAL
9/30 *OLDHAM COUNTY
10/7 *NELSON COUNTY
10/14 *at Bullitt East
10/21 *at South Oldham
*-District game