By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

The Spring Garden football program’s success reached the near pinnacle at the end of the 2020 season. The Panthers reached the state semifinals for the first time in school history.

They haven’t been back since.

Spring Garden made the third round in Class 2A in 2021, but its season once again ended at Mars Hill. Two years ago, Coosa Christian ended the Panthers’ run in the second round of the Class 1A state playoffs with a heartbreaking 31-28 decision. Last season under new head coach Barrett Ragsdale, Spring Garden’s season ended again at the hands of the Conquerors. Coosa Christian gave Spring Garden its earliest playoff exit since 2014 with a 28-0 setback.

With 12 seniors on this year’s roster, including eight starters on offense and 10 starters on defense, the Panthers have their sights set on improving their recent playoff trend.

“I told the guys if you want a different outcome, you’ve got to put in a different amount of work. You’ve got to do something different,” Ragsdale said. “There’s going to be higher expectations (in 2024), but I don’t think the pressure feels any different.”

Senior quarterback Noah Barber feels the Panthers have the pieces in place to reverse their recent playoff slide.

“It’s time to make a change,” Barber said. “We have a lot of athletes on the field. I’ve just got to get the ball to them, the guys who can run and the guys who can catch. We’ve got a good O-line. We’ve got five seniors. I’m just ready to play with my guys. I’ve been playing with them for a long time now.”

Barber threw for 745 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He also has a pair of senior backs to hand off to in Connor Bates and John Welsh.

Bates ran for over 700 yards and seven scores, while Welsh gained over 500 yards and seven touchdowns. Welsh also led Spring Garden’s receivers with 20 catches for 590 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Panthers are also senior-laden throughout the offensive line, with Grey Simpson, Hayes Garmon, Tanner Ruark, Jacob Welsh and Mason Woods blocking for the Panther playmakers. Ragsdale said sophomore Zack Scogin will also rotate in along the line.

Those guys will also flip over to the defensive line. Barber and Bates will patrol the Panther secondary.

Spring Garden moves to a new region in 2024, from Class 1A Region 6 to Region 8. Their new region opponents include Gaylesville, Valley Head, Ragland, Appalachian, Woodville and Ider. Ider makes the move down from Class 2A.

The Panthers open the season against a pair of non-region opponents: at home against Sand Rock on Aug. 22 and at Class 2A Pleasant Valley on Aug. 30. Other non-region games include at rival Cedar Bluff on Sept. 27 and at home against Class 2A Ranburne to end the regular season on Nov. 1.

“We’ve got some new faces (on the schedule) this year,” Ragsdale said. “We’re doing a little bit more traveling in a different direction. We’ve been used to driving down south to Winterboro, TCC, Victory Christian. Now we’re going the other direction.”

Ragsdale and the Panthers are hoping that other direction leads them to a region championship and beyond.

“As a team I want us to be playing the first week of December,” Bates said.

“When I hang this jersey up for the last time, I don’t want to have any regrets. I just want to be able to look back and say I gave it everything I had,” Simpson said.

“We just want to be able to win. I think we have the team to do that this year,” Garmon said. “I feel like if every man gets their job done we’ll be well on our way.”

2024 Spring Garden Football Schedule

Aug. 22                 Sand Rock

Aug. 30                 at Pleasant Valley

Sept. 6                  at Ragland

Sept. 13                Woodville

Sept. 20                at Valley Head

Sept. 27                at Cedar Bluff

Oct. 4                    Appalachian

Oct. 11                  at Gaylesville

Oct. 18                  Ider

Nov. 1                   Ranburne