2009 Football Rewind: Niceville (with 2010 schedule)

The 2009 season will long be remembered among Niceville fans as one of the proud program’s very best.

John Hicks’ team made quite the impression in its first season as a member of the reshuffled District 2-4A, defeating its district foes by a combined 155-74 margin on its way to a perfect 9-0 regular season — only the program’s third-ever unblemished regular season mark — and its sixth district title in seven years as it would become the state’s top-ranked team in 4A for much of the season.

Once in the postseason, Niceville continued to roll.

A 52-30 dispatching of Pace in the regional quarterfinal was followed by another thumping of county rival Fort Walton Beach, this one taking place at Eagle Stadium to the tune of a 63-14 dismantling of the Vikings that witnessed running back Roy Finch run for 187 yards and three touchdowns on just six carries. Finch also returned a punt 73 yards for another score as Niceville built a 42-0 lead.

The following week, Niceville hosted a familiar foe in Tallahassee Lincoln, the same Trojans squad that the Eagles paid a visit to in the season opener and came away with a 41-34 win. Niceville was just as good the second time around, knocking off Lincoln 45-31 as the two teams combined for over 900 yards of total offense.

In the state semifinal at Orlando Edgewater’s Frank Lough Field, Niceville once again flexed its muscle, as Finch ran for 137 yards and two touchdowns and the Eagles’ defense held Edgewater to just 92 yards of offense in the first half on its way to a 34-20 win. For the first time since 1988, a Niceville football team would play for the state title.

But against No. 2 Dwyer, Niceville met its match and then some, falling 42-14.

Niceville finished the year 13-1, Hicks was named Daily News big school Coach of the Year while Finch, who later signed a football scholarship with the University of Oklahoma, was named Daily News big school Player of the Year for a second consecutive time. Mark Barrett was tabbed as the Daily News Offensive Lineman of the Year while 11 Eagles were named as a Daily News first-team All-Area offensive or defensive selection.

Collectively, Niceville broke four team records in ’09 as the Eagles’ high-octane offense rewrote the school record book, establishing new highs in yards rushing (3,828), yards passing (2,409), total offense (6,237) and points (596).

A number of individual school records were also toppled in ’09. Kyle McDorman, in his first year as the starting quarterback, set a new school record for touchdown passes in a season (30) while also setting a new high for passing yards in a season (2,056).

Finch, meanwhile, rushed for a school-best 1,659 yards and accounted for 35 touchdowns. In two years at Niceville, Finch’s 55 career touchdowns was the second-highest total by an Eagle. Freddie Wilbon (1995-98) leads the school with 58.

Kody Williams, the second half of Niceville’s deadly one-two punch, finished his prep career with the school records for receiving yards in a season (1,257), career receiving yards (2,364) and career touchdown receptions (32).

2010 Schedule

Sept. 3    Lincoln                          7 p.m.

Sept. 10  at Choctawhatchee     7 p.m.

Sept. 17  Pine Forest                  7 p.m.

Sept. 24   Godby                          7 p.m.

Oct. 1      Pace                              7 p.m.

Oct. 8      at Mosley                  7 p.m.

Oct. 22   Fort Walton Beach       7 p.m.

Oct. 29     at Auburn                 7 p.m.

Nov. 5       at Crestview            7 p.m.