EDGEWOOD OPENER: Wildcats welcome back Boone

Edgewood Academy’s Bradley Boone is back to lead the Wildcats into the season opener against Autauga Academy on Friday. (File Photo)

By TIM GAYLE

After allowing an average of 13 points a game in the first three games, the Edgewood Academy defense was never the same after Bradley Boone’s season-ending injury, allowing an average of 45.7 points per game over the last seven games. 

A lot of factors go into that, as they do for any small team. For one thing, Boone was the chief ball carrier on offense and a healthy Boone would have allowed the Wildcats to control the ball more and keep their defense on the sideline. 

Another factor was the schedule, which was much tougher on the back end of the season than it was in the first three weeks. 

In any case, Edgewood Academy coach Chad Michael is just happy to have one of his top playmakers back for his senior season. 

“In his first three games, he rushed for over 100 yards in two of those games and 80 in the opening game,” Michael said. “We look forward to him being back and healthy. The leadership he brings on defense is just the knowledge of the game and the knowledge of our defensive scheme. He can play any position on defense. He knows every position, what everybody is doing, what they should be doing. Our guys feel more comfortable with him out there defensively.”

Boone suffered a broken leg, sidelining him for the remainder of the 2021 season, but proclaims he is “back as strong, if not even stronger, than I was last year.”

Boone said he enjoys playing on both sides of the ball and his teammates believe he is just as valuable whether he has the ball in his hands or he is setting the defensive alignment from his safety position. 

“Losing him was a great loss because he’s great offensively and defensively,” said fellow senior Austin Champion, the Wildcats’ quarterback, “helping the team get to where they need to be, knowing what to do. With the ball in his hands, he has field vision and knows where to run. He makes a ton of stops for us on defense.”

Boone’s position will be more like a rover this fall, an outside linebacker of sorts that can rush, play the run or drop in coverage, depending on the opponent.

“I try to look over everybody and make sure they’re doing the right thing and just do my job as best I can,” he said.

Last year’s season, which started with so much promise, ended with a resounding thud in the first round of the playoffs. The Wildcats don’t open the season until Aug. 26, but the opener at home against Autauga could provide a good indicator of what type of team the Wildcats will field in 2022.

“We went out in the first round of the playoffs and that’s never our goal, so we just came back trying to work harder so we don’t end the season like that this year,” Boone said. “So all offseason we’ve really worked hard on the field and in the weight room to give everything we can.”