By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent
The Fluvanna County high school football team is preparing for a regular fall schedule in 2021. It will be the second football season of 2021, as the team played an abbreviated 2020-21 season in February and March, due to the pandemic caused cancellation of the regular 2020 fall football season.
The team has practiced prior to the official opening of school and scrimmaged with William Monroe High on Aug.13. A second scrimmage is scheduled on Aug. 20 at Nelson County. The regular season begins on Aug. 27 when the Flucos will travel to play at Broadway High.
Head Coach Michael Morris said that he has around 30 athletes on the varsity team this year. His team will not be as big as some of its predecessor squads, but he notes that he has some very strong athletes who have been doing impressive work in the weight room.
Morris will have two quarterbacks this year. Senior Kobe Edmonds will split time with junior Owen Leydig, with Edmonds spending some time as a running back. As has been the case in the past, Morris will have a number of running backs at his disposal. He mentioned Kenyon Smith, Chase Paschall, Izzy Johnson, Marcus Dickerson, Clayton Cannedy and Tristan Chisholm.
Receivers may have a bigger part in the offense than has recently been the case. Morris said that he thinks Addison Pachett may have the “best hands” in the Jefferson District. Jacob Seymore will also be a target for the Fluco quarterbacks, as will tight end Austin Moore.
Stalwarts on the offensive line will be Grant Brown, Scott Fulton, and Jason Banton. The defensive line will be anchored by Brown and the Morris twins Jarred and Jacob who are juniors.
A number of athletes will play both ways. Edmonds and Leydig are expected to put in time at defensive back. Running backs, Paschall and Johnson, who is only a sophomore, will be in the linebacker corp. Aiden Valentine, who is a junior, will also be a linebacker. Running back Smith is expected to put in time at defensive back, as is wide receiver Pachett. Cannedy will probably be the primary return specialist. Pachett will probably handle the kicking duties.
The Flucos first two games are on the road. After the opener at Broadway, the Flucos travel to Spotsylvania on Sept. 3. Their first home game is Sept. 10 when they host Brookville High. Sept. 17 is their bye week. The grueling Jefferson District schedule does not start until Sept. 24 when the Flucos travel to usually powerful Louisa County. In October, the Flucos will host Goochland and Monticello, travel to Orange County, host Western Albemarle and travel to Charlottesville. The final regular season game will be Nov. 5 at home against Albemarle High.
