Ashton Evans (8) enters his sophomore year as QB1 leading the Tigers’ on offense. (File | The Covington News)
Alcovy Tigers
Tigers aim to take big strides in 2021
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By MASON WITTNER news@covnews.com
lcovy is ready to take the next step. The Tigers were tested early and often during their non-region slate last fall. They look their lumps against a trio of Class AAAAAAA squads in North Forysth, Newton and Duluth to open the year. They then gave county rival Eastside, which would go on to become a Class AAAAA state quarterfinalist, all it could handle in a 34-31 defeat. The following week they returned to the 7A ranks to tussle with South Forsyth, resulting in a loss that sent them plummeting to 0-5. Opening the season with five straight losses takes a toll. Add in the stress 8 | Football Preview 2021
from navigating through a campaign in the midst of a pandemic, and there was plenty of reason to expect Alcovy would fold. But the Tigers never faltered. Head coach Jason Dukes and his staff continued to preach that the goose egg in the win column was not indicative of the talent on the roster. They continued to go to work week after week and prepare with the same vigor and intensity. The results eventually showed up. Dukes explained how the early-season adversity prepared his team to go on a run late in the year: “Not taking anything away from our region opponents, but when you go up in classification for all your non-region games — except for the one game against
Eastside, and they’re no slouch — it kind of prepares you from a speed and size and scheme standpoint to play the best.” Alcovy took its frustration out on Grovetown in its Region 3-AAAAAA opener to the tune of a 44-14 trouncing. The following Friday, the team improved to 2-0 in league play with a 35-0 blowout victory over Lakeside. Written off by many just a few weeks prior, the Tigers suddenly found themselves traveling to Evans, Ga., in November to battle for a de facto region title. The season ended in somber fashion as Alcovy was edged by Evans in the regular-season finale and throttled by Brunswick in the Tigers’ first home
