Westside Ready for Redemption Against Bowdon Friday
The Westside Seminoles lost their first ever matchup with Bowdon 56-27 in 2024
MACON, Georgia – (41NBC/WMGT) – Up the road at Westside High School, the Seminoles are preparing for a Week Four test. Led by 17th-year head coach Spoon Risper, Westside is aiming to finish their head coach’s final season strong.
Westside (1-2) sits in the same position as last year, opening the season with a late comeback win over Howard before suffering back-to-back losses. The Seminoles remain a young team after graduating just 13 seniors last season, returning only a handful of seniors this fall.
Among those veterans are four-year starting quarterback James Neville and skill players Justin Releford, Jayden Williams and Risper’s son, Paul.
The Seminoles now prepare for a major challenge against Bowdon, the three-time defending Class A D-II state champion. Risper said the tough schedule is intentional.
“Six out of the 10 teams that we’re playing, they all are number one through, I think seven ranked,” Risper said. “It’s just getting us ready for region play. We know what we signed up for. We didn’t want any false securities, trying to schedule cupcake games and thinking that we’re good when we’re really not. And also the power rankings — that helps you in your power rankings by scheduling tougher teams.”
Risper, a former college teammate of Bowdon head coach Richard Fenley Jr., said the matchup carries extra meaning.
“Of course, when we play each other, we want to beat each other, but he’s my guy. He’s like a brother to me,” Risper said. “We like family, and whatever I need in this coaching world, he has. Not only the coaching world, but real life. We have each other’s back. I’m glad to be able to compete with him, to play against the team that he’s built, the program that he’s built from scratch, and it’ll be fun.”
Players said their focus will be on maturity, preparation and eliminating nerves.
“The maturity of the team, that’s a great standpoint that we have,” Paul Risper said. “Guys knowing what to do, flying around, just playing ball. Just come out, focus, let the nervousness go, just come out and know what you’re supposed to do and just come play ball.”
For Coach Risper, the return to Ed Defore Sports Complex for the Seminoles home opener, is a meaningful one.
“To return to the Ed Defore, as we called it back in the old days, the Reservation, it’s good to be back home,” Risper said.
The Westside Seminoles take on the Bowdon Red Devils at Ed Defore Sports Complex Friday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Catch highlights from the game, along with several others, on The Endzone, during 41NBC News at 11 p.m.
