Metro Christian Football Prepares To Defend State Title With New Faces

Metro Christian Academy is known for a fast-paced offense that scores a lot of points, but this year's Patriots may look a little different.

The last time the Patriots were on the field, they were celebrating the first state championship in school history. Now, as they prepare to defend that title, the team looks a little different.

"Got a lot of new faces that are trying to learn, but it seems like we're picking things up a pretty good pace, and from a talent perspective, we've got a good a group of kids as we've had,” Head Coach Jared McCoy said.

One of those “new faces” will be at the quarterback position.

Asher Link, who re-wrote the Patriot record book, has graduated, so it will be a different voice calling the plays this season.

Feel like right now Colton Cooks is going to be a senior, and he's kind of taken the reigns as a senior, and then Kirk Francis is a sophomore that's really pushed him really well,” McCoy said.

Whoever ends up under center will have a new weapon on the outside. Malachi Penland is in his first year with the Patriots, and the senior transfer from Jenks seems to be fitting in with his new teammates already.

"Being the new guy, it's a little bit tough,” Penland said. “You have to show that you can be a leader, that's what I've been wanting to do since I was a freshman, just be that senior."

"I don't think he's a talk-first guy, I think he's a do-first guy. Those guys, to me, ar always the best leaders,” McCoy said.

Even with a new quarterback and a new senior receiver, Metro Christian expects the same high-flying attack as always.

"We think we have the firepower there we had a year ago, different trigger man, but the weapons are the same,” McCoy said.