LE ROY — After snapping a nearly two-year losing streak with a 1-8 season last year, the Southern Coffey County Titans began preparations to pick up where they left off with strong attendance at this week’s team camp.
The Titans come into the 2026 season with a bit more stability under second-year coach Zach Mason.
“We had more kids today than what we have had in the past and different kids today than we have had in the past,” Coach Mason said. “If we keep getting these numbers out, then it’s going to help us out a lot at the start of the season.”
Senior Cyrus Nickel served as camp quarterback throughout the week and hopes to keep the QB title for the season-opener. Despite playing running back and receiver for most of his high school career, he believes his experience on the field behind last year’s starter Trey Winn will translate to his success behind the center.
“I’ve never played quarterback, from middle school until now, so it’s new to me,” Nickel said. “I’ve been working with some good quarterbacks these past few years, learning from them and how they do it. I’m adapting and I have good coaches to assist me. It’s new, but I’ll learn quickly.”
Sophomore Tyler Rolf will also provide some stability for the Titans. Rolf spent a majority of Wednesday’s camp at center. Although centers almost never leave the line of scrimmage in 11-man football, and even eight-man football, six-man football is much different. Rolf seemed to shine while running specifically designed routes.
However, his favorite aspect of camp was its focus on the future.
“It’s four extra practices over the summer that we can get in, and the weights in the mornings helps us get stronger. We’re going to knock some people around,” he said.
Rolf noted the camp is a bonus, “especially when we do stuff with the middle school kids, so they don’t have to learn it twice. When they get to high school, it’s pretty much the same.”
Cyrus Nickel, SCC senior, hits a receiver while taking reps at QB.
For Coach Mason, one of the more encouraging aspects of this week’s camp was the turnout. As the son of legendary Uniontown coach Jim Mason, Zach Mason knows building a powerhouse program in a small town is difficult without community buy-in.
“It’s nice seeing how much some of the kids have progressed from last year,” Coach Mason said. “The coaches and I have said how we look a lot better than we did last year at this point.”
With so many middle school athletes in attendance, Mason was able to run a scout team for the middle school and high school, allowing him to play with a few ideas he’s had since 2025 while also getting a head start on next season.
“With the offense, and putting in new stuff, we can tinker with it here and get it ready for the season,” Mason said. “It’s just getting our alignments, our motions and tinkering with it to get it ready for the season.”
