By By Marty Stamper / staff writer
September 30, 2004
DECATUR Football is finally fun again at Newton County Academy.
For most of their 34 football seasons, the Generals have been the whipping boy for nearly all of the area's private schools.
Of their 33 completed seasons, 17 have concluded with two wins or less.
Coming into 2004, the Generals had an all-time record of 101-215. Take away a six-year stretch from 1991-96 and it would be much worse as NCA went 40-23 over that span.
The current Generals are well on their way to returning the program to respectability as they are off to a 5-1 start for only the third time in school history.
A win at Sylva-Bay Academy Friday night would clinch just the fifth playoff berth in school history.
Part of the credit for the turnaround goes to first-year head coach Dennis McCann. Living in Mobile, Ala., he had no idea what he was getting into when he accepted the job last spring.
The Generals defeated Heidelberg Academy 35-21 Friday for just the third time in the series' 28-game history.
Over the previous four years, Heidelberg had outscored NCA 195-6.
Several members of the team are just three years removed from an 0-10 showing in 2001. The Generals were 2-8 in 2002 before breaking even at 5-5 last year.
Several factors figure into the turnaround.
And enjoy the game again.
Experience hasn't hurt either.
This year's team already has posted the highest and third-highest point totals in school history, racking up 64 against Hebron Christian and 54 against CM&I.
While the win over Heidelberg was nice, the stakes are a lot higher this week at Sylva-Bay.