By Bobby Mathews, Sports Editor
ALABASTER — Green Wave head coach Jerry Hood didn’t waste a lot of time looking back at the Green Wave’s 2021 campaign, where Leeds went 10-2 and finished second in 5A Region 6.
Leeds’ Jarod Latta, Nick Bradford, head coach Jerry Hood and CJ Douglas at Birmingham Metro Media Days. (Photo by Bobby Mathews)
“Last season’s over,” he said. “Each team is an entity unto itself. I thought last year’s team did a good job not letting the year before — which was a very successful season — kind of creep in there … we’re built on the foundations of hard work, having a proper attitude. We’re going to give our kids the best opportunity in every game to win the game, and if you do, you do, and if not, we’re going to play the next game.”
Leeds remains in 5A Region 6, and some region foes will feel familiar: Moody, Alexandria and St. Clair County all return in the region, while Springville was reclassified as a 5A program and will now be a region foe.
“I think it’s better,” Hood said. “We schedule in such a way before the region (games) that we are playing as tough a teams that would play us, and we do that on purpose. We want to play bigger schools with more numbers and all that kind of stuff because I think that just makes you better.”
The region is going to be tough, and part of that is that there are tough rivalry games ahead, including Moody and Alexandria.
“Now, there is a little bit of a risk with that, but when you go down through our region, I think when you look — like, Moody will be on a high this year. We could see that coming last year. Adam (Wallace) had those guys going in the right direction. And those kids are now seniors, and they’ve got some new additions and all that. They’ll be a strong team. Alexandria will always be a strong team. They are loaded.”
While the Green Wave defeated Moody last season, Leeds lost the Region title to Alexandria. But those two aren’t the only dangers in the revamped region.
“ … then you get to Lincoln, Southside Gadsden, Springville and those type of teams … they’re all quality teams,” Hood said. “There’s no off-week now. Which I kind of like to be honest with you, because you gotta wake up, play your game, lick your wounds, and move on.”
The Green Wave sees a familiar foe to end the regular season, however, as Center Point — a former region foe — will take on Leeds on October 28.
“George (Bates, Center Point’s head coach) and I couldn’t find anybody else to play, and they said we were supposed to have 10 games,” Hood said, laughing. “We like playing those guys because they’re so athletic and they do such a good job coaching them … wish it wasn’t Week 10, to be honest with you.”
Jarod Latta will return as quarterback for his fourth year as a starter under Hood.
“Jarod is an outstanding person,” Hood said. “He’s come a long way. He took a lot of coaching really quickly when he was a ninth grader, and he’s grown from that. He understands our offense inside and out now. He gets all our kids in the right place. He’s improved his leadership skills, especially verbally, because he just doesn’t naturally want to be the show of the room. But he has a great leadership style.”
The Green Wave will use Jeremiah Hunter as a running back, replacing the graduated Rametrius Yelverton, while Conner Nelson will see a good bit of action at wide receiver. CJ Douglas will again be a force in the defensive backfield, while superstar recruit Kavion Henderson will anchor the Leeds defensive line. Look for Henderson to draw double teams for much of the season, which will likely allow Chris Burge to have a big season.
