Courtesy Photo Members of the Atlanta High football team are pictured in this courtesy photo. Despite an 0-2 start, the Huskies hope to return to the playoffs this season for the first time since 2020.

ALPENA — The start of the season hasn’t gone as expected, but the Atlanta High football team is still hoping to make some waves this season.

The Huskies went 4-5 last season, just missing out on a playoff spot and now they’re hoping to overcome an 0-2 start to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

“We’re always looking to improve. We were 4-5 last year,” Atlanta coach Troy Cheedie said. “It would be nice to win five or six games to get into the playoffs and I think we have the talent to do that if we get all of our Ps and Qs in order.”

Atlanta will get another chance to notch its first 2023 win tonight against Mio.

Offensively, the Huskies hope to jumpstart their scoring after averaging nearly 40 points per game last season. Thus far, they’ve only scored eight in two games, but they return players capable of putting points on the board.

At quarterback, sophomore Blake King has taken nearly all of the snaps under center and is joined in the backfield by junior Jace Cheedie and sophomores Brett Culham and Eli Hagermeister.

At wideout, Atlanta returns all-stater Landon Galea who lit up the scoreboards last season with 23 touchdowns and more than 1,400 receiving yards.

“He’s a natural athlete all around. He’s all-state in track and a very good basketball and baseball player,” Cheedie said. “He’s going to be a big weapon for us for sure.”

Up front, sophomore Wyatt Cooke and senior Ethan Kent line up at guard position and seniors Tucker Kendrick and Cohen Armock, Atlanta’s co-captains are anchors on the offensive line as well.

Kendrick, a first team all-North Star League pick last season will be an anchor on defense as well at nose guard and Armock, Kent, Cooke, juniors Aidan Knoch and Nick Breen and freshman Karsen Brancheau are in the mix as well.

Jace Cheedie, an all-conference linebacker last season returns to anchor the middle of the defense and King and juniors Joey Schoening and Hunter Karll are also in the mix. In the defensive backfield, Atlanta will look to a mix of sophomore Colton Stevens, Culham, Hagermeister and Galea.

Atlanta will have to wait until near the end of the season to compete in games against divisional opponents, but Cheedie hopes the Huskies can be a factor in the North Star League’s Little Dipper division as the season continues.

“I think it is going to be a competitive division. Posen I know will (be very good),” Cheedie said. “If we can get those two teams, I think we could be right at the top of the Little Dipper. The Big Dipper teams that we play can be very good.”