DUBLIN — For the fifth straight season, West Bladen’s varsity football team will be led by a new quarterback after the graduation of versatile Stefan McDonald — and a sixth straight is guaranteed.
Rising senior Weston Pidgeon has been named by first-year head coach Todd Pait as the Knights’ starting signal-caller, and Pait thinks Pidgeon will be a good fit for a new offense being implemented.
“Wes is a pretty good athlete and a very good passer,” Pait said. “And he’ll have some good receivers to throw the ball to.”
Where once West Bladen football centered heavily around the run game, Pait said he’s looking to be more of a balanced offense and throw more often. That makes Pidgeon pretty happy.
“I love it,” he said. “I think it’ll be amazing and a lot of fun running this offense.
“This is the best we’ve looked in a long time,” Pidgeon added, “and I’m sure we’ll surprise some people.”
After two seasons as the Knights’ jayvee quarterback, Pidgeon sat out his junior year after battling a number of ankle injuries and going through a bout of kidney stones. But taking over the West Bladen varsity is a dream come true.
“I’m so glad to be back and captaining the offense,” Pidgeon said. “Really can’t wait for the season to start.”
While Pidgeon knows he’ll have experience at the running back position around him, he also thinks he’ll have some solid weapons to throw the ball to.
“We have some star receivers,” he said. “Guys like Shaq (Johnson) and Dayvon (Swindell). It’s going to be fun; we’re out to win the conference.”
W. Curt Vincent can be reached by calling 910-862-4163.