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OLM has hopes for a better record and return to the playoffs

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

The Our Lady of Mercy Bobcats went through their summer practices with a sense of guarded optimism. Though the team lost five seniors from last year’s squad and Coach Curtis Barrineau left the school for undiscosed reasons before the summer practices began, the Bobcats have practiced hard and know that they can be a better team than their past records would indicate.

The school’s athletic director Bill Schmitz has taken the helm of the football team while he conducts a search for a full time coach. he has had plenty of help from his father, a former high school coach himself, and several community coaches including a few with NFL experience. The coaches know how to play the game and the players on the team, especially the ones returning from last year’s squad, know how they could have played better.

Schmitz stressed that there were several games last year where the Bobcats shot themselves in the foot with penalties and turnovers. He feels the team has begun to realize that when you eliminate those mistakes you can capitalize on the mistakes your opponent will make. Our Lady of Mercy has also played a bear of a schedule in recent years and it doesn’t lighten up any this year. In addition to playing in region 5-A which features Landmark Christian and the up and comers Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy and Whitfield Academy, the Bobcats play Pacelli, Bremen, Aquinas and Bowdon as part of their non-region schedule.

Our Lady of Mercy has some senior leadership on the team this year and Schmitz is very high on at least three of the players. Doc Lee is a 6’0, 215 pound middle linebacker and fullback. He is a captain for the team and was rated seventh i the top 30 linebackers at an MSL combine over the summer. Mike Donald is a 6’3, 210 pound safety and wide receiver. He is a deep threat for the Bobcats and uses his speed, power and creativity when he has the ball. Another key receiver for Our Lady of Mercy is Wynton Yates, a 5’11, 190 pound starter who also spends time at cornerback. Yates is descirbed as being extremely quick and a playmaker on both sides of the ball.

The Bobcats open the season with three straight games away from home and will play on the road for a total of seven times this year. Fans will get to see some good games at Mercy’s campus though as they host Bremen on Sept. 9, Whitefield Academy on Sept. 30 and Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy on Oct. 14. One win in their region schedule will send them to the playoffs once again, but the Bobcats are looking for more than that. They are hoping to establish a tradition of winning.