Northside is ready for ‘ferocious’ football season with new attitude, new coach
Rap music blared over the speakers at Northside’s practice football field Tuesday as the Patriots took part in positional drills. Quarterbacks took turns throwing deep routes to their receivers, while specialists kicked footballs off to the side, near the track that encloses the field.
It’s been a whirlwind offseason for the area’s high school football teams, and Northside is no exception. The Patriots lost spring practice due to COVID-19 and, like the other Muscogee County School District schools, did not start organized summer workouts until July 6, nearly a month after the Georgia High School Association allowed schools to begin practices.
On top of all that, the Patriots have a new head coach, Andrew Oropeza, who brings mental and physical toughness to the Patriots’ locker room.
“Everybody’s in the same boat,” Oropeza said. “Initially coming out, everybody was just glad to be around one another, excited (to be) part of a team again and getting back to doing what we love to do.”
The former Harris County offensive coordinator and receivers coach has his work cut out for him.
Northside has not posted a winning season since 2017. The Patriots finished with a 1-9 record in 2019, winning their final game 38-29 over Columbus High. The Patriots posted a 4-6 record in 2018, former coach Dave Nurnberg’s first season.
Northside won’t have problems scoring, especially with Oropeza in charge. They put up 42 points on Class 5A Harris County last year, which now plays in the same region as the Patriots. The defense, though, must improve if Northside is to navigate a difficult 2020 schedule that includes 2019 5A semifinalist Starr’s Mill and quarterfinalist Griffin.
The Patriots averaged around 20 points per game in 2019 and surrendered an average of nearly 44 points per game.
Defensive back Jax Werner said the Patriots are running a “new defense” this year, which the team hopes will fix some of the defensive issues that plagued Northside in 2019.
The defense also brings a new attitude into the 2020 season.
“We’re ferocious this year,” Patriots senior defensive end Leonard Pitts said. “We’re trying to get after it. Trying to be mean on that side of the ball this year. We’re trying to bring it to ‘em.”
The ‘Iron Bowl of Columbus’
Columbus-Northside (7:30 p.m Friday at Kinnett Stadium) may not have the history and tradition of rivalries like the Heritage Bowl between Spencer and Carver, or the Battle for the Broocelli Jug between Brookstone and Pacelli — the teams first met in 2004, and Northside leads the all-time series 12-4.
But this rivalry still means a lot to those involved. Former Northside quarterback Chandler Blanton went as far as dubbing it the “Iron Bowl of Columbus, Georgia” before the 2019 game.
This year, Columbus’ Iron Bowl takes on a bit more importance. After the 2019 game, it was unclear whether the rivalry still would be played.
Northside was moved to GHSA Class 6A, then down to 5A following the 2019 season. Columbus remains in 4A.
“We know they’re our rivals,” Pitts said. “We’re trying to get after it. Trying to get that first win.”
