By Lindsey Foster and Mary Stoudt
After over a year of silence, Ferrum College’s football team has returned. For the first time in history, Ferrum College held a winter/spring football season. The regular season started on Feb. 26 and will conclude on Mar. 26. If the Panthers pull off enough wins, they will continue playing throughout April for the conference title.
Prior to the winter/spring season, the Panthers still maintained an active training schedule, which involved early morning practices and weekly meetings. The team also enforced a close monitoring of COVID, which asked every football player to be tested for COVID three times a week in fall 2020 and spring 2021.
The football team also initiated a “film watching” section, during which the players and football faculty watch their videotaped practices to better understand what each player’s assignment is on the field.
“I thought that having a winter football season was going to be a challenge for us as a team,” said Sophomore and defense player Jordan Blake. “However, our coaching staff has done an awesome job preparing us to be ready for the winter season.”
The Panthers returned to the field as the Black Hats, a name that has been synonymous with the team for years. Black Hats refers to the matte black helmet that each player wears.
The Black Hats returned to the field at home on Feb. 26, 2021, against Emory & Henry College. A virtual pep rally was held prior to the game in order to keep all students, faculty, and staff safe. Additionally, the game was virtually streamed on the Ferrum College Sports Page for students, faculty and staff to watch.
While students, faculty and staff watched the game virtually, a small number of in-person family members were able to fill part of Adam’s Stadium. A total of 200 tickets were reserved for the players (two tickets per player), 20 tickets were reserved for football staff/athletic administration family members, 25 tickets were reserved for cheerleaders and band members so they were able to cheer on the Panthers, and five tickets were reserved for Ferrum president Dr. David Johns.
If not all 200 tickets reserved for the football players are taken, students wishing to attend the game will be let in on a first come first serve basis.
The online event was also a campaign for fans to virtually sell out Adams Stadium. Every $10 that was donated counted for one ticket. With over 350 supporters, a total of over $33,000 was raised in support of Ferrum athletics.
(Football players kicking off the game again Emory & Henry. Photo courtesy of Ferrum College Instagram.)
At the end of the Black Hat’s debut, after over a year of playing no games, they lost to Emory & Henry with a score of 17-0. Stand-out players for the Panthers were junior Titus Jones, freshman Tmahdae Penn, sophomore Christopher Anderson, junior Billy Higgins, and senior Raymond Alexander.
Jones went 16-39 passing for 199 yards for Ferrum, while Penn had five interceptions for 104 yards and Anderson totaled eight carries for 26 yards. Higgins stood out throughout the night with 11 tackles for Ferrum including one quarterback sack, while Alexander totaled nine tackles and forced a fumble.
Following their loss against Emory and Henry, the Panthers fell short against Bridgewater College on Mar. 12 at 26-16 - which was also their second game of the season - at W.B. Adams Stadium.
With 12 seconds left of the first quarter, Jones found his way to the end zone and put Ferrum on top with a 7-6 lead. During the second quarter, freshman Kyle Stevens extended the lead over the Eagles 10-7. Halfway through the fourth quarter, Jones and Penn brought the Panthers up to 16 before the end of the game.
(Football players practicing before a home game against Bridgewater College. Photo Credit: Lindsey Foster.)
“It’s obvious we’re a good football team, we just have to act like it all the time,” said senior and football offensive player Zac Saalweatcher. “The last two games we’ve been so close to walking away with a win and a few mental mistakes kept us from winning.”
Following these two losses, the Panthers won their first game of the season against Southern Virginia at 33-28 on Mar. 19. Early in the game, Jones passed to senior Tylan McElhenie who scored the first touchdown of the game. Following the initial touchdown, senior Jack Sheehan scored two field goals for the Panthers putting them up to 13-0. Sophomore Collen Shaw boosted the Panthers to 20-0, after catching a pass from Jones. In the fourth quarter junior J’Sean Dupuy scored the final touchdown of the game putting the Panthers on top.
(Ferrum Panthers cheering each other on the sidelines during away game against Southern Virginia. Photo courtesy of Ferrum College Athletics.)
Football will continue as the team travels for another away game on Mar. 26. If they were to win this final regular season game, this could lead them to the playoffs and have their first game at Ferrum College.