Kevin Reach is three games into his fifth season as head coach of the No. 9-ranked Monroe Area Purple Hurricanes, and this season Reach is looking to improve on his best-ever finish – a quarterfinal appearance in 2018.
This year’s team might have what it takes to do just that.
“We have a pretty good group,” Reach said. “I was pleased with their work over the summer and in the spring. We had a few kids move in, and we feel we have a pretty good football team.”
The Purple Hurricanes are 3-0 with victories against Class 5A Loganville (28-7), Class 5A Walnut Grove (35-0) and 4-AAA Morgan County (30-0). The high-powered offense averages 352.3 rushing and 115 passing yards, while outscoring opponents 93-7.
Under center, senior quarterback Selatian Straughter Jr. is back after suffering an injury his junior season after getting extensive playing time as a sophomore.
“Last season we lost (Straughter) in the third game of the season,” Reach said. “But he’s back and has played well.”
The 6-foot, 180-pound quarterback is 22-of-37 passing for 308 yards and six touchdowns and has shown a potent ability to run. He has passed to Jeremiah Anderson, Jahlun Flud and Alan Jones twice each for touchdowns. Straughter has 55 carries for 436 yards and four touchdowns. Jones, a junior back, has 49 carries for 540 yards and three touchdowns.
“It’s probably the best offensive line I’ve had since I have been here,” Reach said. “They are big. We had one move-in from Grayson – Jacob Shelton. He’s 6-4, 345-pounds. We are big across the board. We probably average around 280 pounds on the offensive line.”
Defensive tackle Max Thurston is a 6-5, 260-pounder as a sophomore and can make things happen, according to Reach. Senior Bernard Manga, a 6-1, 205-pound defensive end, has seven sacks in three games and helps anchor the line.
“We have some pretty good hard-nosed kids,” Reach said. “We have some senior talent at linebacker, and our secondaries are playing very well.”
Behind the defensive line, junior outside linebacker Jakyri Jones has made 33 tackles and two sacks to lead an experienced group of linebackers, including seniors Tyler O’Neil (5-11, 172 pounds) and David Ferguson III (6-3, 220 pounds).
Monroe Area has two more games – Friday vs. Clarkston and Sept. 24 vs. Lakeside-Evans – before it enters 8-3A play with two of the best teams in the state – No. 2 Oconee County (3-0) and No. 10 Hart County (3-0). Reach is aware of the challenges ahead.
“We will see how good we are once we get to region play,” Reach said. “You can feel like you’re pretty good, but once you hit Stephens County and Hart and Oconee, then you find out how good you are. But right now, I feel like we are playing pretty well.”
Reach – like every coach in the state – is fighting to keep his team healthy. He knows that a COVID-19 forfeit in region play could derail a season whether a team is on the playoff bubble or hoping for the region’s No. 1 or No. 2 seeds entering the postseason.
Call it playing two opponents each week – Friday’s opponent and COVID.
“We have had a few contact tracing things that we have had to deal with,” he said. “Not only do you have to deal with injuries, but you’re having to worry about are they going to get the virus. In the week leading up to the game, is something going to happen? You are almost on eggshells as far as getting a text from a kid saying he has a cold. It goes through your head, ‘Oh no, I hope he doesn’t have the virus.’ So that is an everyday thing. It’s not just me; it’s all coaches. So you will be preparing for a team all week and then boom, one phone call and it is canceled.”
The past two seasons have been arguably the most taxing for Reach.
“This is my 33rd year, and in 31 years of that, you always know you are playing a Friday game,” Reach said. “You knew that would happen. You always knew that a kid was going to play unless he was injured. Now, that’s not the case. Every day you just hope the team is able to play, and you hope that a kid sick at home doesn’t have COVID.”
Monroe Area is scheduled to play at home against Clarkston Friday at 7:30 p.m.
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