By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

SPRING GARDEN – This year’s Spring Garden Panther football team isn’t lacking any motivation for the 2025 season. There’s certainly a lot to live up to.

The Panther football program has earned 11 consecutive state playoff appearances, currently the longest streak in Cherokee County. During that run, Spring Garden has had no worse than a 7-4 record.

Last year’s senior class helped the Panthers post their first outright undefeated regular season in school history. They ended their careers in the second round of the playoffs.

With those twelve seniors having moved on, it’s time to see what this year’s squad can do.

But the standards and expectations set before them seemingly aren’t intimidating. It’s something they plan to embrace and continue.

“That’s a good thing to have, especially with a young team,” Spring Garden head coach Barrett Ragsdale said. “They’ve been part of winning teams. They expect to win. When you have a young group like this, and this isn’t a derogatory statement to them by any means, I just tell them some of you have been coattail riders on some of these good teams. You’ve seen other people make plays, but there’s a big difference when you have to be the one getting it done.”

Ragsdale’s challenge of taking the next step forward is something the 2025 Panthers have taken to heart.

“I think Spring Garden has set a standard over the years, and it’s our job as seniors to live that out and pass it on,” wide receiver/defensive back Joel Hunter said.

“We plan on living up to that,” senior running back/linebacker Clayton Sadler said. “We’re just going to try and reach that standard and keep it there.”

“I think we’ve got a really good team coming back. I’m not really worried about anything else,” senior linebacker/fullback Zane Edwards added.

That’s the kind of mentality Ragsdale has come to expect from the Panthers.

“I’ve been doing this for 16 years. Every year a group of seniors move on and there are always questions,” he said. “People always say ‘Who’s going to do this? Who’s going to do that?’ This team has heard it from the get-go. It’s been a while since we’ve graduated so many people, but our thing has been to determine what kind of team you want to be by your work ethic. I feel like this group is one of the most determined groups. They’ve always worked hard.”

Junior Brady Ruark is one of the Panthers Ragsdale is talking about.

Ruark is replacing Noah Barber at quarterback this season for the Panthers. He saw playing time on defense last season and got some playing time in certain offensive situations, but now he’s in the driver’s seat behind center.

Ragsdale said Ruark’s “competitive factor” is one of his biggest attributes.

“He’s not the biggest guy, but he has worked really hard in the weight room, and he’s grown in the offseason,” Ragsdale said. “I’m interested to watch him perform.”

Joining Ruark in the backfield is a pair of veterans in Sadler and Edwards. Sadler is returning from an injury suffered against Cedar Bluff back in Week 6 last season. Edwards will line up at  halfback and tight end.

“Those guys have been three-year starters in some capacity,” Ragsdale notes.

Ruark’s targets at receiver include Edwards, Hunter, senior Bowdon Boles and sophomore Cam Cade at split ends. Freshman Hayes Guthrie is another Panther tight end.

“There are a few there that I think will contribute. Some of them are just young and inexperienced,” Ragsdale said.

Junior Zack Scogin is the lone starter returning along the Panther offensive line.

On defense, senior Colton Driskell is a three-year starter at nose tackle. Junior Bryant Williams senior Chandler Rogers will be at defensive tackle. Ragsdale said sophomores Brody Lemons and Ben Baker, along with Guthrie, will also be getting reps in the box.

Edwards and Sadler will double at linebacker. Ruark, Cade, Boles, and senior Kaylor Free will be in the Panther secondary.

Spring Garden competes in Class 1A, Region 8 along with Appalachian, Ragland, Valley Head, Gaylesville, Woodville, and Ider. Following a jamboree at home against Ranburne and North Sand Mountain on Friday, Spring Garden opens the 2025 regular season on Thursday, Aug. 21 at Sand Rock.

“We’re going to learn a lot when we get into game speed,” Ragsdale said. “I think some of them are going to figure out I’ve got to step my game up a little bit. They know what the expectations are and the standard of winning is. I tell the all the time if you take care of the little stuff then the big stuff takes care of itself. That goes from the classroom to the weight room to the practice field. That’s what this group’s got to do, take care of the little things.”

2025 Spring Garden Panthers Football Schedule

Aug. 21                 at Sand Rock
Aug. 29                Pleasant Valley
Sept. 5                  Ragland
Sept. 12                at Woodville
Sept. 19                Valley Head
Sept. 26                Cedar Bluff
Oct. 3                    at Appalachian
Oct. 10                  Gaylesville
Oct. 17                  at Ider
Oct. 24                  OPEN
Oct. 31                  at Ranburne