The Atoms varsity football team has gotten off to a rough start as the team was outscored 190-9 in the first three games of the season. Part of the challenge is due to a very tough schedule with their first three games being against playoff contender teams like Marshall, and a stacked Hayfield team. However, they are hopeful for the remainder of the season. Junior Connor Delaney says, “We are looking forward to getting more wins as a team after a very challenging start to our season. We will do this by staying more mentally in the game even if it does not go our way at first.” The Atoms lost a hard fought game with a score of 43-42 against Falls Church on 9/21/24.
Returning for his second season to lead the Atoms as Head Coach is Christopher Bagot. When asked about how his approach to this season has differed from last season he said, “The off-season approach was the biggest difference from last year.” Bagot was not hired until the spring and he was not able to go through a full off season program. “This year we focused on weight lifting and speed training to get stronger as a team.” The Atoms have the motto “We Don’t Miss” and they incorporate that into everything they do on the field. “We aren’t going to let distractions force us to miss and we aren’t going to miss out on opportunities to be successful,” says Bagot.
Another obstacle that the Atoms have dealt with is several early season injuries to a number of players in the starting lineup. One of these being senior Bryan Sob who injured his ankle and did not play in the last couple games. These injuries have forced the team to reach further into their bench. After Sob got injured, Junior Thomas Nields was chosen to take the starting running back position for the game against Hayfield. “I knew this was a big game and I was ready for the challenge,” said Nields.
The JV squad begins the season with a 1-1 record securing the win over Falls Church on 9/18/2024. Sophomore Quarterback Noah Plank said, “The energy we had was unmatched. There wasn’t a single moment anyone felt like we were going to lose.” Hopefully varsity can take after JV as far as mentality for the remainder of the season.
“Our goal is to get better week to week,” said Bagot. Their first week they had zero returning starters on offense and only two on defense. Some roles need to be filled but the team is relatively young and the future is bright for the Atoms. “We are going to be a much better team at the end of the season than we were at the start,” Bagot says.
You can watch the Atoms next football game on 9/27 against Bishop Ireton for the homecoming game, and support them on instagram @annandaleatomsfootball.
