It has been a positive turnaround for Apollo High School, which, after only winning two games in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons, finished last year 5-5 before bowing out in the first round of the playoffs. Head coach John Edge acknowledged that the team has been buying into becoming process oriented.
“We are looking to build off of last year and finish more in the win column this year,” senior JT Edge said. “I believe this year we have taken more steps to simplify things, similar to how we did last year. The simplification of the offense and defense has allowed us to run our schemes more efficiently.”
The Eagles return the majority of their offense, including Maxwell Johnson at Quarterback, who last year completed 143 of 225 passes for 2,001 yards and 18 touchdowns.
“He has had a really good offseason, and I think we have done really well in seven-on-seven,” John Edge said. “I think the biggest thing he’s done mentally is he’s gotten better. He is going through more of his read progression.”
Johnson enters the year with plenty of weapons, including Ehmadjai Badger, Ross Millburn, Landen Bratcher, Eli Williams, Brayden Mattingly, and Caiden Tutt. The offensive line will have two new faces on the left side after losing last years starters to graduation.
“We have two new guys filling those spots, but I feel really confident,” right guard Brandon Griffith said. ” They’re really strong and physical players. I think we will be better than last year because everybody’s just strong and aggressive.”
Defensively, the Eagles enter the season with what JT Edge believes is one of the best secondaries in the state and expects them to keep locking up opposing offenses. Leading the way are Ryleigh Logan, Millburn, Tutt, Edge, and Badger. Badger credits the secondary’s strength to the fact that everyone is older and more experienced.
Edge acknowledged that his team shares the same goals as every other team – win the district, city, region and the state.
“Our goal is to be the best football team Apollo High School can be,” Edge said. “If that is winning a regional title, winning the state, or winning the district then that is all we are going to be. That doesn’t change. We are here to win, but my thing is taking care of the now. …Being process-oriented this year and the last several years has really helped.”
The Eagles start the season this Friday with a home game against Murray and will also host Daviess County to end the season on Halloween night. Apollo will also travel to Heritage Hills, Owensboro Catholic, and Hancock County. Their district matchups include home games against Muhlenberg County, Owensboro, and Graves County, and traveling to Madisonville-North Hopkins and Marshall County.
