Coach Adam Hastings has Providence Day football charging toward shot at CISAA title
After a 1-3 start, Providence Day’s football team has a real shot at what seems like an unlikely Charlotte Independent Schools Athletic Association championship. But first-year coach Adam Hastings isn’t the least bit surprised.
“Absolutely not,” Hastings said Thursday afternoon. “From the first couple days working out over here, I knew these guys really wanted to be good and I knew we had the pieces to compete.
Hough High’s Marquill Osborne will play in the 2016 Under Armour All-American Game in January. NELL REDMOND
“The kids worked so hard and (former coach Bruce Hardin) did a great job setting us up for success. But we’re not talking about conference championships over here, we’re just talking about being 1-0 this week.”
Since the 1-3 start, Providence Day has won four straight games. The Chargers (5-3, 1-0 CISAA) trail only Charlotte Christian (5-3, 2-0) in the league standings. Christian plays Victory Christian in a nonconference game Friday night. Providence Day plays at conference rival Charlotte Country Day (3-5, 0-2). Providence Day and Charlotte Christian play each other in the regular-season finale on Oct. 30.
Charlotte Christian has won the past three N.C. Independent Schools championships. Providence Day won a state title under Hardin in 2011 and lost to Christian in the 2012 final. In 2013, the Chargers were 6-6 and lost 56-21 to Christian in the first round of the playoffs. Last season, Providence Day finished 3-9 and lost 49-21 to Christian in the first round.
Hastings, 32, left Ardrey Kell High after the 2014 season to return to Providence Day, where he was a former assistant coach. His team started slowly this fall, losing to Davidson Day (8-0), Forestview (4-4, second place in the Big South) and Marvin Ridge (5-3, on 5-game win streak) among its first four games. Turns out those three teams are strong, and the Chargers have continued to improve as they’ve adjusted to Hastings’ system.
Quarterback John Schweitzer and running back Gabe Montgomery have sparked an offense that has averaged 53 points in the win streak, which includes a surprising 33-21 win over private-school power Charlotte Latin Oct. 8. Latin was about a minute away from beating Davidson Day last week.
“Our guys have just continued to grind and they have trusted each other and trusted the process,” Hastings said. “And they’ve been able to put together a couple of good games. The practices have been super competitive and that stuff has paid off for us.”
After a 1-3 start, Providence Day’s football team has a real shot at what seems like an unlikely Charlotte Independent Schools Athletic Association championship. But first-year coach Adam Hastings isn’t the least bit surprised.
“Absolutely not,” Hastings said Thursday afternoon. “From the first couple days working out over here, I knew these guys really wanted to be good and I knew we had the pieces to compete.
Hough High’s Marquill Osborne will play in the 2016 Under Armour All-American Game in January. NELL REDMOND
“The kids worked so hard and (former coach Bruce Hardin) did a great job setting us up for success. But we’re not talking about conference championships over here, we’re just talking about being 1-0 this week.”
Since the 1-3 start, Providence Day has won four straight games. The Chargers (5-3, 1-0 CISAA) trail only Charlotte Christian (5-3, 2-0) in the league standings. Christian plays Victory Christian in a nonconference game Friday night. Providence Day plays at conference rival Charlotte Country Day (3-5, 0-2). Providence Day and Charlotte Christian play each other in the regular-season finale on Oct. 30.
Charlotte Christian has won the past three N.C. Independent Schools championships. Providence Day won a state title under Hardin in 2011 and lost to Christian in the 2012 final. In 2013, the Chargers were 6-6 and lost 56-21 to Christian in the first round of the playoffs. Last season, Providence Day finished 3-9 and lost 49-21 to Christian in the first round.
Hastings, 32, left Ardrey Kell High after the 2014 season to return to Providence Day, where he was a former assistant coach. His team started slowly this fall, losing to Davidson Day (8-0), Forestview (4-4, second place in the Big South) and Marvin Ridge (5-3, on 5-game win streak) among its first four games. Turns out those three teams are strong, and the Chargers have continued to improve as they’ve adjusted to Hastings’ system.
Quarterback John Schweitzer and running back Gabe Montgomery have sparked an offense that has averaged 53 points in the win streak, which includes a surprising 33-21 win over private-school power Charlotte Latin Oct. 8. Latin was about a minute away from beating Davidson Day last week.
“Our guys have just continued to grind and they have trusted each other and trusted the process,” Hastings said. “And they’ve been able to put together a couple of good games. The practices have been super competitive and that stuff has paid off for us.”
