Schools
Improved Panthers Football Team 'Owes a Lot of People a Good Game'
Pikesville High School's football team endured growing pains as a young team last season, but its players and coaches all feel the team is poised for a much better season this year.
Watching his team struggle through last season, it would’ve been easy for Pikesville High School football coach Jamie Willis to get frustrated.
After leading the Panthers to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons as head coach, Willis was forced to look on as a young group of Panthers battled inexperience and youthful mistakes while limping to a 3-7 record.
Yet, even with that being the case, Willis didn’t get down on his team. Instead he used each negative experience as a teaching tool for the future.
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Now, Willis is hoping to see that pay off this season.
“We’re really excited about this year,” said Willis, entering his fourth season as Pikesville’s head coach. “With us being so young last year, we were inconsistent. Some games we would play really well, but then would play horrible in other games. But, throughout the season, and even into [preseason practice] now, we’ve seen a lot of growth.”
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Just a year after being forced to replace most of their starting lineup, both offensively and defensively, the Panthers return 15 of its 22 starters from last year’s team, including quarterback Julian Barnes.
In his first year as Pikesville’s starting quarterback last season, Barnes threw for 10 touchdowns and nearly 1,000 yards. Willis described Barnes as “a big, strong kid with a cannon for an arm.” Willis also noted that Barnes “has grown a lot as a player from last year to this year.”
The Panthers also bring back Barnes’ top weapon at wide receiver, Devin Pack.
They are forced to replace top rusher Kion Wright, a multi-dimensional threat out of the backfield, but are confident his younger brother, Travon, can help pick up the slack. Willis said Travon, just a sophomore, possesses a lot of the same skills as his brother, who led Pikesville with 1,235 rushing yards last season.
The Panthers scored 26 points or more in four times last season, including 40 points or more twice.
But Barnes believes the offense, and team as a whole, will be better this season “as long as we stay focused.”
“We are going to do better than last year,” Barnes said. “We owe a lot of people a good game.”
He added, “We work hard. We’ve gotten a lot better this year.”
And with Barnes leading what figures to be a high-powered offense, and the defense improving as well, Willis is looking forward to seeing what Pikesville can accomplish this season.
The Panthers posted a 15-8 record during Willis’s first two years as head coach.
“Our goal every year to make it to the state playoffs and win a state championship,” Willis said. “That goal hasn’t changed. We expect to come out and compete every week.”
Pikesville begins its season against New Town Sept. 3.
“If we come out, play strong defense, solid offense, and don’t turn the ball over, we’ll be in every game,” Willis said. “We’re just happy the season’s here. We’re looking forward to getting that sour taste out of our mouth from last season.”
Editor Janet Metzner contributed to this report.