Tough Test, Big Potential: Indians Gear Up After Sonoraville Scrimmage

The Chattooga Indians fought hard in a thrilling scrimmage against a tough Sonoraville team, falling 31-21 in a matchup that revealed both their potential and areas for growth. Younger players like Aiden Fletcher, Ryland Ledford, and Mason Stancil stepped up, making their presence felt on the field.

After the game, Head Coach Roone Gable reflected on the challenge:

“We played a quality opponent in Sonoraville. We knew going in it would be a challenge for us. They exposed us in some places where we were young and inexperienced, which is to be expected, but when we executed properly, we did a lot of good things.”

Gable acknowledged offensive struggles, saying:

“We made way too many self-inflicted mistakes—missed blocking assignments, running backs missing lanes, penalties—those are things we cannot let happen.”

Defensively, the team also faced setbacks:

“We made three really bad offside penalties, busted a coverage, and missed tackles—mistakes good teams don’t make. But all the mistakes were good learning points. We’ve watched the film, shown the guys, and now we’re back to work getting ready for LaFayette. Our focus this week is on fixing us.”

When asked what he was pleased with, Gable pointed to the team’s effort:

“We did a lot of good things, we just didn’t string enough of them together to be consistent on both sides of the ball. But the kids played hard and tried to be physical—we just have to learn from it and move forward.”

During the second half of last week’s game, the Chattooga football team’s younger players stepped up in a big way, earning high praise from head Coach Gable. Highlighting their effort and contributions, Coach Gable shared his pride in the underclassmen who grasped their moment in the spotlight, saying, “I was really impressed by our younger guys in the second half. They competed hard and did some good things. I was proud they got an opportunity to shine. They work extremely hard running scout team for our older guys each day so anytime they can be the primary focus I am proud for them. Aiden Fletcher played well for us. Aiden has varsity experience so we expect that from him. Mason Stancil played well on both sides of the ball. Ryland Ledford played hard for us on offense. We had a high grade on the offensive line.”

Photo by Jalin Perry

Looking ahead, Gable remains confident in his team’s identity:

“What I learned about us is what I already knew—we will be a physical team, and we will play hard every minute of the game. I’m proud of our team for that character trait. If we clean up the mistakes, we can become a pretty good football team.”

The home atmosphere at Little Big Horn Stadium was another highlight for the Indians:

“It felt great to play in front of our home crowd. Our kids love the energy Friday nights bring. The cheerleaders were loud, the band was loud, and I think our fans are the best. We are truly blessed to have that support each week.”

The Chattooga Indians will travel to LaFayette High School for their first regular season game. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

Photos by Jalin Perry Photography