Today’s interviewee is Bowdon coach Rich Fendley, whose team won Class A Division II last season for the school’s first state championship since 1992. Bowdon is 39-11 the past four years after going 1-9 in Fendley’s first season.
1. Looking back on the 2022 season one more time, what was the legacy of that team and season? “The legacy for the 2022 team was being etched as one of the top three teams in school history of a storied program that has three state titles and 20 region championships. It was the first title in 30 years. Several teams had come close, but the 2022 team finally got it done. The most memorable moments were, No. 1, the big win on the road 23-16 to a semifinal team St. Francis without our quarterback, Robert McNeal; No. 2, being down 19-0 in the quarterfinals to Early County and coming back to win 36-26; and No. 3, the state championship win at Center Parc Stadium 39-31 over Schley County.”
2. What’s the scouting report on this year’s team? “We think we are deeper and have more skill-position depth than we have had in the last six years. Our top four wide receivers return. Two of our three running backs return. We have two really good quarterbacks competing for the job. Our areas of concern are our OL/DL positions, where graduation hit us hard.”
3. You have two experienced transfer quarterbacks who will take over for McNeal. What can you tell us about them? “One is a four-year starter from Alabama, Kyler McGrinn. He is 195 pounds. He is a powerful runner but has nice touch on the ball. The other is Devan Powell. We were 14-1 last year, and he was the quarterback on the opposing team that beat us [Central of Carrollton]. He has a strong arm and a knack for knowing when to tuck it and run. Both quarterbacks looked good in our opening scrimmage.”
4. What helped bring Bowdon back to being a state contender from that 1-9 finish in your first year? [Bowdon was 2-8 the year before.] “First, our board of education and administration at our school put athletics right up there with academics. They see the importance of being good at both. Secondly, our strength program we feel is second to none. It is one of the most important components of a football team. Our kids love to lift, they get bigger, and then they play physical on Friday nights. Lastly, the great relationships between our players and coaches. Our players know we love them. This allows us to coach them hard and stay on them about doing things the right way and in return our players give us their best effort during the week at practice and on Friday nights. What I have learned is that morale and relationships are important, and if I had to pick a single turning point of the program, it was the first year in 2018 when we were 0-9. The kids were still playing hard, and I remember telling the seniors that their senior night would leave a huge impact on future teams, that they could still leave a legacy at Bowdon. We won that game 14-7, and after that I think we won seven or eight in a row before we lost another one. In 2019, we were ranked No. 2 in the state for most of the year and made it to the second round of the playoffs and have consistently had a good football team since.”
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