The Mt. Lions Football season will get underway this Friday August 24th at Home vs Pocahontas County with a 7pm kickoff. This year the Tucker County team has 25 kids out and will look to improve on last year’s disappointing 3-7 season. Gone are 4 seniors from last year’s team that leave a few holes to fill for this season.
Head Coach AJ Rapp returns 9 letterman from last year’s team and Coach Rapp has 11 seniors on the roster this season. The Mt. Lions will return all 5 offensive lineman from last year’s team. Rapp said. “All 5 of our offensive line are back, I am pretty comfortable with the offensive line.” Coach Rapp also added, “We are undersized at the offensive line, but we have some athletes on the line that will make up for it.” The quarterback position will be fill this season by Junior Liam Hood. Hood got some experience last season as a sophomore, but Liam has developed his arm over the offseason. Rapp said, “Liam has a strong arm, I gave him a weighted football and he has worn it out over the summer and his arm is a lot stronger.” Rapp added, “Hood is a tall quarterback that can see the field and he surprised us with his accuracy this summer as he threw the ball well.” Rapp’s son Cole Rapp will man the fullback position again on offense and also the linebacker position on defense. Coach Rapp had this to say about his son, “Cole is a senior and he has experience, I am looking for him to be more of a leader this season and be a field general out on the field this season.”
The Tucker County defense has played well thus far in camp and in the scrimmages. Coach Rapp was pleased with the defense saying they only had one blown coverage in the scrimmages thus far. The Mt. Lions return a great deal of experience back on defense as most of the defensive returns from last year’s team. Senior Owen Poling and junior Raine McCauley return at the defensive end positions again this season. Other players looking to make an impact on defense are seniors Byron Gidley, Seth Cangley, Cole Rapp, Ben Callaway, Gariet Pennington, Jeffrey Snyder, Ben Cromer, Mark Barnes and junior Hunter Collar along with sophomore Bode Shockley to name a few.
Tucker County’s schedule is the same as last year as the Mt. Lions will open the season with a home game against Pocahontas County this week and then they will travel to Tygarts Valley on August 31st in week 2. On week 3 Tucker County will travel to Northern Garrett on September 7th. The Mt. Lions will then host PVC rival Moorefield in week 4 on September 14th and then will host Philip-Barbour on September 21st for week 5. Tucker County will then travel to Pendleton County on September 28th and then they will host East Hardy on October 5th for a week 7 contest. Southern Garrett will be the opponent for a home game on October 12th. Tucker County will have Open week on week 9 on October 19th and then they will travel to Petersburg on October 26th. The Mt. Lions will end the regular season with a road game at Notre Dame on November 2nd. The kickoff times for all the games this season home and away will be 7pm. Coach Rapp spoke briefly about the schedule as he said, “Our schedule has to be one of the toughest every year with the PVC and how good those teams are every season.”
Friday’s game vs Pocahontas County at home will kick off at 7pm. Friday’s game will also be broadcast on the radio on 94.7FM WELK or online at 947welk.com. For more pictures, audio interviews and printable schedules go to TuckerCountySports.Com.
