As a new season begins, the Saint Augustine’s Falcons are determined to prove their preseason rankings wrong – they were chosen to finish last in the CIAA conference.
The Falcons are led by head coach Chucky Brown, who is in his second year as the head coach and believes that the team is better team then last year’s team, which finished with a record of 8-18. Brown said he learned some things in his first year.
“I realized how the conference schools like Winston Salem State play older guys and guys with a little bit more so size,” Coach Brown said. “So I went out and recruited some veteran guys and some more young guys and I also recruited some size.”
The Falcons are led by second-year player Nemo Johnson, who has taken his game to another level; he has been chosen for the preseason all-CIAA team.
Coach Brown also said his team has been working hard to prepare for the season. “They’ve been watching film even when I’m not around,” he said.
The coach said he believes the conference picked the Falcons to finish last simply because of their poor showing last year. “It wasn’t the biggest team size wise or didn’t have the athletes that other teams have,” he said, “but they played harder than any team.” The Falcons also struggled with a lot of injuries, last year, Coach Brown said.
New year, same coach same predicament. But, this year, the Falcons look to get some payback on the people that have doubted them.
The first home game is Nov. 18 against Belmont Abbey College.
— Brenton Chapple
