BLACKSVILLE — Clay-Battelle junior quarterback Corey Coen has been a massive reason for the success of the Cee-Bees so far in 2025.
After taking his first snaps at quarterback midway through the 2024 schedule as a sophomore, Coen quickly proved why he deserved to not only fill the role after an injury to the starter last season, but why he was the right player to carry Clay-Battelle into the future under center.
Coen has led the Cee-Bees to a 5-1 start, surpassing last season’s win total of four already, and has done so through the air and on the ground. Excluding last week’s game against Richwood, Coen has accumulated 914 yards of total offense with 17 total touchdowns and only five interceptions. Five of those touchdowns and 222 yards have come on the ground.
“I feel that I’ve unlocked more of my running ability this season,” Coen said. “Even though I still think I’m a pass-first quarterback, I think we’ve figured out that I can also roll out before throwing or escape the pocket and pick up yards with my legs.”
In the opening game of the season, a 22-16 loss on the road to Cameron, Coen showed what he could do with his running ability, and since then, the Cee-Bees have taken advantage, boasting one of the strongest rushing attacks in Class A with Coen and the running back duo of Caleb Hall and Caleb Snodgrass.
Two weeks ago, in a massive 54-12 victory over Meadow Bridge, Coen threw for 169 yards and three scores on eight completions. On multiple plays, the Cee-Bees schemed Coen to roll out before attempting a pass, and it worked strongly in their favor.
Coen says that establishing a strong running game early helps expand the offense.
“Doing that right away puts the defense on their heels, even if they were expecting you to run the ball,” he said. “It makes everything harder for our opponents to adjust to during the game and opens up more opportunities for us to score points. This season, we’ve been able to add more options than most teams on offense, with some people stepping up and the athletes that joined us from Hundred.”
As a junior, Coen knows that although he is playing at a high level this season, every single snap he takes is an opportunity to learn and improve upon the last one, and that his success is only as good as the team’s
“I think one thing I’ve learned the most is that to run an offense successfully, you must have trust in your teammates and believe in yourself,” he said. “We also need to make sure we maintain our intensity and execute what our coaches are asking of us.”
Coen and the Cee-Bees are ranked seventh in the latest edition of the SSAC Class A playoff rankings, but have a massive chance to improve their position with a victory over River View on Friday, and in the weeks to come.
Clay-Battelle plays its final four games at home, and could increase that number with a favorable finish in the playoff rankings. The top eight teams host the first round, with the top four teams hosting two home games through the quarterfinals (pending a win in the first round).
“Hosting a playoff game at home would really mean a lot to our team, and me individually,” Coen said. “It would really show how much we’ve been able to accomplish this season, and sharing that moment with my teammates, coaches, and community would be amazing.”
