BY NOAH GRIFFITH
FOR THE OBSERVER
LOACHAPOKA — The Loachapoka Indians have a lot to build off of after a four-game win streak to end the regular season last year. Still, a first-round playoff exit leaves a lot to be desired in 2025.
Despite starting 1-4 last season in his first year at the helm, head coach Branden Hall was able to regroup his team and finish with four wins to notch a 5-5 season and finish second in 2A Region 4 to book a playoff berth. But after scoring 40 or more points in every game during that winning streak, the Indians fell to Ariton in the first round, 14-7.
Now entering his second season as a head coach, Hall is hoping to help his squad find consistency with the same mindset he preached ahead of week six last year. He wants his team to have tunnel vision.
“[Last year], the whole thing was we were 1-4, and we were like ‘Alright, we’re going to treat those like preseason games…’ I asked them what our record was – it was 0-0,” Hall told The Observer this offseason. “I gave them a list of games we had left, including the state title, and just told them we’re trying to go 1-0 each week. After a few weeks, people asked me what our record was, and I was like ‘We 3-0.’ Just refining ourselves – I think that helped us a lot.”
This year, Hall has a team that he is more familiar with from the beginning of the season. Although his team is more cohesive, they are also a younger team. After graduating 13 seniors in May, there are just six seniors on this year’s roster.
Three seniors in particular lead the team in both years and experience. Linebacker Mitchell Chenier and offensive/defensive lineman Donell Buster are three-year starters, and offensive tackle/defensive end Kam White is a key returning contributor from last season.
“Those guys are leading the team in the right direction,” Hall said. “They take care of the locker room so I don’t have to. We’re a player-led football team. They’re staples of that.”
A former offensive line coach, Hall knows all too well the importance of having veteran standouts in the trenches on both sides of the ball. According to the coach, that’s the strength of this team.
However, Loachapoka is dealing with a large turnover under center. Quinjavis Nelms, who became Loachapoka’s all-time winningest quarterback (30-12) as a four-year starter, graduated in the spring, leaving the job to senior KJ Carter. Carter played in two games last year, starting one, before getting injured in week two at Lanett – the only game in which the Indians got shut out all season.
Although there’s youth in the skill positions, Hall acknowledged that those groups have gotten in a lot of work in 7-on-7 scrimmages this summer. But he’s not judging the team’s growth on those scrimmages alone – the Indians know the lineman will show their skill more in the regular season.
“Like I tell our guys all the time, the game is won in the trenches,” Hall emphasized. “If you can’t block, tackle, escape blocks and put people on their backs, you won’t do well. These guys get so caught up in how we do in 7-on-7. I say ‘Don’t worry about that. Go win the game in the trenches.’”
A fresh start is exactly what Loachapoka needed to get going in the middle of the season last year, and now they truly have one. The Indians are happy to have a 0-0 record that comes with the anticipation of a new season.
Loachapoka is pleased with the way it finished last year, but it hopes to come out strong from start to finish this time around. The narrow loss in the playoffs is motivating the Indians to grow as a team each day.
“We took that loss in the playoffs personally. That was our motivation going into the new year,” Chenier said. “We let that sink in, to never let that happen again. [Our goal is] to go deeper in the playoffs.”
Offense preview
The Loachapoka offense is coming off a season in which it scored 26.5 points per game, but it was really a tale of two halves. In its first five games, it totaled 64 points – in its final five games, the Indians racked up 201 points, including four games with 40+ points.
Carter taking over at QB will be a notable change, but the dual-threat play caller went 14-for-24 passing for 154 yards while taking six carries for 70 yards and a touchdown in two games. Hall said Carter is back at 100% health after a week two injury last year and is primed for a big senior season.
Around Carter, sophomore Derion Callaway is a star receiver that gives the Indians a big-play threat; he caught one pass for a 12-yard TD last year. He is replacing last year’s leading receiver, Carri Stone, who recorded 17 catches for 216 yards.
At running back, junior Jaden Mabson, cousin of Auburn University RB Omar Mabson, is transitioning from baseball/basketball to the gridiron and will share time in the backfield with junior Lareaco Echols. Neither of them were on last year’s roster. They are replacing the production of Anthony Wheat and Emonte Richardson, who combined for 162 carries for 722 yards and 22 TDs a year ago.
The front line is the strength of this offense and the team overall. Buster will start at right guard, 6-foot-3 White at left tackle and junior Moses Weaver at center. Sophomore Rhyquail Butler, junior Peyton Rogers and junior Qua’shaun Satterwhite will fill in those other spots on the line.
“I feel good about our depth up front – the way they’ve been getting coached and how hard they’re playing up there. I’m excited about the front; I think that’s the strength of our team,” Hall said.
Defense preview
The defense was consistent for Loachapoka in 2024, as it held opponents under 30 points in every game. The unit allowed just over 18 points per game last season and return major production from that team.
Chenier leads the defense at middle linebacker, and he’s a three-year starter who recorded 129 tackles last season. Playing up front on both sides of the ball, White will start at defensive end, and Buster is starting at nose guard. Ryquan Butler, a 6-foot-4 sophomore, will start at outside linebacker, along with 6-foot senior Quintez Cooks at defensive back.
“[Ryquan] already has a University of North Alabama offer and has only played one year of varsity football,” Hall said with a chuckle. “He’s going to be a heck of a football player. He has a bright future.
“These are athletic guys for us. I feel good about [the defense.]”
Special teams
Junior Anderson Jimenez, who came to Loachapoka in the spring, will take over kicking duties for the Indians after Edgar Flores graduated in May. Callaway, a dynamic receiver, will also punt – he averaged between 39-40 yards per punt last year, according to Hall.
Hall expects a bigger workload from the kickers after kicking was relatively a non-factor last season.
“[Jimenez] has hit a few 40-yarders in practice this summer. He’s been doing a great job kicking for us,” Hall said. “I hope our kicking game can do some good things for us this year.”
Final analysis
Loachapoka football has boosted its reputation in recent years. The Indians have had a winning record in every regular season since 2020. The “Poka Way” has become a winning way, but it will come with its fair share of challenges this year.
Even in a year where they struggled out of the gate last season, they flexed their muscles in a big way down the stretch. Loachapoka outscored opponents 194-73 in the final four regular-season games last season, including blowing out three region foes. Hall and his team really found their groove, and they expect to see more of that in 2025.
Standing in the way is reigning 2A state champion Reeltown, who defeated Loachapoka last season, 27-13. The Indians will also look for a better performance against region opponent Lanett, as the Panthers shut them out a year ago, 13-0. However, both of those losses came in the first part of last season when they were still in a funk.
With the size and strength up front, expect Loachapoka to remain a threat late in the season once again. And if it can start hot, watch out. The season opener versus 3A Lee-Scott Academy might be telling of how far this team can go, and it will help that Carter got a lot of meaningful playing time against their first two opponents last season.
2024 Record (5-5, 4-2)
Aug. 30 vs. Lee-Scott Academy – L 12-21
Sept. 6 at Lanett* – L 0-13
Sept. 13 vs. Lafayette* – W 24-6
Sept. 20 vs. Reeltown* – L 13-27
Sept. 27 at Beulah – L 15-28
Oct. 4 at Central-Coosa* – W 58-14
Oct. 11 vs. Horseshoe Bend* – W 47-28
Oct. 18 at Ranburne* – W 49-14
Oct. 25 vs. Pike Liberal Arts – W 40-17
Nov. 8 vs. Ariton** – L 7-14
2025 Schedule
Aug. 22 OPEN
Aug. 29 at Lee-Scott Academy
Sept. vs. Lanett*
Sept. 12 at Lafayette*
Sept. 19 at Reeltown*
Sept. 26 vs. Beulah
Oct. 2 (Thurs.) vs. Central-Coosa*
Oct. 10 at Horseshoe Bend*
Oct. 17 vs. Ranburne
Oct. 24 at Pike Liberal Arts
Oct. 31 OPEN
