Northside hoping to build on 10-win season for 2014

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Northside Eagles finished 2013 with a record of 10 wins and 2 losses, but a 35-7 playoff rout at the hands of the Ware County Gators ended their season on a sour note. With 2014 around the corner, head coach Kevin Kinsler is hoping to put that disappointment behind him.

“We always set our goal to play for a state championship, and anything short of that, we just look at as a disappointing season,” Coach Kinsler said about the way 2013 ended for his Eagles. “But I don’t want to take away from what the kids accomplished.  We had a good, good bunch of young men.”

Northside averaged 35.8 points per game, and with six starters back, Kinsler hopes to continue that trend despite the need for a new quarterback. However, he feels he has a decent competition going for the position with possibly up to three strong candidates to choose from.

Only four starters are returning on defense, but Kinsler isn’t concerned as he’s been through a similar situation before.  “I remember after we played Statesboro for the state championship, we lost 10 out of 11 defensive starters and wound up winning the state championship next year.”

The four players coming back are defensive linemen Isaiah Johnson and Jimmy Jackson, as well as linebacker Tyree Williams and defensive back Rakwon Young.

The first game for the Eagles is August 22 against North Cobb.