At Nation Ford in 2021, you’ll find talent, family and state championship dreams

Nation Ford head coach Michael Allen sat patiently while two of his stars — junior quarterback Carson Black and senior receiver/defensive back Jerrick Foster — spoke about their team and the upcoming season. Once they finished their comments and headed back to the weight room to join their teammates, Allen didn’t take long to voice an observation on his two leaders.

“Pretty consistent, aren’t they?” Allen said and laughed.

Black and Foster are consistent in delivery, sure: They speak in a clear, concise fashion that offers few wasted syllables. But more importantly, they’re consistent in their message — the message of team, goals and family. Their words echo those of their teammates and their coaches.

The Falcons were a young but talented squad in 2020, going toe-to-toe with Region 3-5A champ Gaffney in a 41-40, overtime defeat last season. That effort earned significant praise from Allen and set the tone for consecutive victories before COVID-19 issues brought the season to an early close.

The momentum from that finish paid dividends that are clear to Allen when looking at this year’s Falcon club.

“I think just their work ethic, and their desire to become tighter so that when we get into those tight situations, we’re more successful — that outcome is a ‘W,’” Allen said of what he sees in this year’s camp. “And we’re not just close. We’re finishing the deal. We’re closing the deal.

“I think the leadership throughout our offseason has rallied the troops, if you will, to be more serious and respect what’s around you and compete for 48 minutes.”

Black and Foster help key that effort. The duo both earned All-Region honors in 2020, with Black connecting on 42-of-63 throws for greater than 400 yards and six total touchdowns in the near-miss with Gaffney. Foster caught 11 of those passes, tallying 120 yards and a score.

Black also earned 5A Offensive Player of the Year honors from the Tri-County Coaches Association, capping a sparkling season in which he completed 131-of-199 tosses and found the end zone 23 times against just six picks. The junior and three-star prospect has scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Louisville, Old Dominion, South Carolina and Virginia Tech.

“We consider ourselves blessed. Not everyone gets to have a Power 5 quarterback like that,” said Foster, who himself holds offers from Charlotte and Old Dominion, along with significant interest from numerous other Division 1 schools. “He doesn’t just make himself better, he doesn’t just make me better. He makes us better. He makes the defense better by throwing tight balls that no one else can. He just makes everyone better.

“He’s got it all in his back pocket. He knows the offense like the back of his hand. It’s really simple to him.”

Foster and the receiving corps have also clearly played a key role in Black’s development.

“Just being able to understand what they do and how they play — just us together, having that chemistry,” Black said. “It’s nice to have good stats and good games, but in the end, we’re all family, we all do well together.”

Meet the rest of Nation Ford’s weapons

Black will have two more weapons joining his arsenal for his penultimate season. Wide receiver/safety Donaven Pittman joins the Falcons from Legion Collegiate Academy for his senior season, while Offensive Player of the Year finalist Will Alvarado comes over from Fort Mill to don the red and black. Alvarado enjoyed a big freshman season for the Yellow Jackets in 2020 and will offer a high-powered option out of the backfield.

“I think we may have infused energy within them,” said Allen of Pittman and Alvarado. “Our program is lighting a fire under them. We welcome them, and they’ve certainly bought all the way in. They know what the expectation here is.”

Allen cited junior wide receiver Kenan Bowman, who started on both sides of the ball last season, and senior receiver/tight end/safety Brooks Johnson as dual threats, while senior wideout Quadeir Hand (26 catches, 371 yards, 4 TD in 2020) also returns.

The Falcons also aim to continue their scoreboard-lighting prowess on special teams: Foster, who was one of the finalists for Special Teams Player of the Year in the Tri-County last year, makes no secret about the importance of that unit to Nation Ford’s success.

“We take pride in our special teams. We practice special teams every day,” Foster said. “We don’t put just anyone on special teams. We put guys out there that want to score points. We use special teams to score points and put our team in the best position to win.”

Allen agrees.

“Football is three phases, and they’re all equal,” he said. “We practice our special teams as much as we practice defense and offense. It’s a critical part of the game. Anytime you’ve got a Power 5 kicker like Reed Richardson, you’ve got a chance to flip the field. You’ve got a chance to put points on the board. You’ve got a chance to put the opposing offense in a compromising situation by starting at the 20 every possession.

“Just being consistent on special teams helps the consistency of your offense and defense culminate into a ‘W’ at the end of the day.”

‘We want to win a state championship’

Many of Allen’s key contributors will also play defense for the Falcons, which he sees as a still-evolving unit. The group is responding well to gameplan changes.

“Our motto defensively is to play with a lot of energy, disrupt and have a bunch of fun. I’ve been pretty impressed with them,” Allen said. “They’re learning new schemes and new things that we’re planning on doing this year. It’s a matter of getting our personnel the way we want it, and we’re getting really close there. I’m looking forward to watching them play.”

The goals at Nation Ford Stadium are, like the players’ messages, simple and consistent.

“Winning, being part of the team, and being part of the family,” Black said, matter-of-factly.

“Winning as many games as possible. We don’t want to lose. We want to go undefeated,” added Foster.

Allen put an even finer point on it.

“We want to win a state championship. That’s it,” Allen said. “If we’re not in it to try to win it all, then what are we doing? Anybody can say they want to improve. Certainly, you’re going to have to improve.

“Ultimately, we want to raise that trophy at the end of the year. Wherever that state championship game is played, we want to be there.”

Nation Ford football schedule

Check The Herald’s website for a comprehensive look at all the football schedules for high schools in York, Chester and Lancaster counties.

Aug. 20 at Indian Land

Aug. 27 Catawba Ridge

Sept. 3 River Bluff

Sept. 10 at Northwestern

Sept. 17 George Washington Danville (VA)

Sept. 24 BYE

Oct. 1 at Fort Mill

Oct. 8 Boiling Springs

Oct. 15 at Gaffney

Oct. 22 Aiken

Oct. 29 Clover

This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 1:13 PM.