Rangers

from Gridiron 2022

Cyclones

Unaka Rangers Rangers look to build on last season success

BY ALLEN LAMOUNTAIN STAR CORRESPONDENT

In 2021 the Unaka Rangers found themselves in an unfamiliar position in the TSSAA playoffs. The Rangers (7-4 overall) fell to Midway 42-26 as the Green Wave scored 28 fourth quarter points to take the contest.

This season, Unaka looks to take the next step and gain their first ever playoff victory with senior quarterback Landon Ramsey

directing the offense. Head coach O’Brien Bennett is quickly filling coaching positions, but said he is proud of how his players are “coaching the coaches.”

“It looks like we’re going to get some guys to fill the positions,” Bennett said. “We are doing coaches course training and doing background checks etcetera and getting cleared by the county. We have a new gentleman here in Chris Henry ... It’s kind of interesting to see the kids coaching the coaches.”

Unaka has a solid group of seniors leading the way in Joe-Z Blamo who will play wide receiver and defensive back along with Ryan Peters (RB/DB), Takota Freeman (WR/DB), Johnny Douglas (WR/DB), Landon Ramsey (QB/LB), and Jamol Blamo (RB/ LB) in the skill positions.

The other senior is Kaeden Barton (OL/DL).

Key players include Douglas, Ramsey and Ryan Peters, who basically ran the defense and made a lot of defensive calls last year. Offensively Joe-Z and Jamol will

be counted on heavily in the run game as well as the passing game.

T.J. Thomas – a junior – will be critical in the running back position as well as being a key defensive back. The Rangers have eight linemen starting with Aiden Peters, Barton, Tyler Smith, Jacob Wilson, Marcus Shomaker, Jake Taylor, Brayden Powell and Nathan Wilson.

All the linemen will go both ways as defensive linemen as well.

The Rangers open at home against new conference rival North Greene and then travel to Roan Mountain for a conference

Ranger Standouts

Ryan Peters Joe-z Blamo

HEAD COACH: O’Brien Bennett COACHING STAFF: Colby Jones and Jake Jones Jamol Blamo Takoda Freeman

O’Brien Bennett

Quarterback Focus

Favorite QB Tom Brady

First TD pass Freshman year to Daniel Shearl

Biggest challenge Beating Cloudland

Biggest improvement Scrambling and footwork

Toughest defense faced Cloudland

Unaka Rangers

clash with Cloudland. A game against Twin Springs (Va.) on the road follows the ‘Landers contest and Unaka then comes home to face conference foe Jellico.

Other key clashes include road games against Happy Valley (home and home) and Claiborne and home games against powerhouse Hampton and a final conference game against Cosby.

“The entire division is much stronger than last year,” Bennett said. “North Greene is much improved and Cosby had a ton of kids come out for football. But, Cloudland is still the team we have to get past to get over that mountain. They have been the ones everyone is chasing and have been for a long time.”

At QB, Ramsey had a great 2021 season and looks to build on that success despite losing his favorite receiver.

“We have a lot of guys that are explosive,” Ramsey said. “Jamol and Joe-Z are going to be big play players and we have guys that can be deep threats. Coach Bennett has given me the keys to the offense and if I see something I don’t like I can change the play.”

Rangers 2021 Results

Date Opponent Result Fri Aug. 20 7:30 PM at North Greene R W 42-0 Fri Aug. 27 7:00 PM #6 Cloudland R L 22-54 Fri Sep. 10 7:00 PM Twin Springs (VA) L 24-28 Fri Sep. 17 7:30 PM at Jellico R W 62-20 Fri Sep. 24 7:30 PM Happy Valley W 8-6 Fri Oct. 1 7:30 PM at Harlan (KY) W 52-34 Fri Oct. 8 7:30 PM Claiborne W 14-12 Fri Oct. 15 7:30 PM at Cosby R W 54-12 Thu Oct. 21 7:30 PM at #3 Hampton L 14-51 Thu Oct. 28 7:30 PM Jenkins (KY) Forfeit W 1-0 Fri Nov. 5 7:00 PM #15 Midway Class 1A State Playoffs First Round L 26-42 Overall Record: 7-4 Region Record: 3-1

NO. NAME POSITION GRADE

2 TJ Thomas RB/LB JR 3 Brynin Repass QB/WR/LB SO 4 Joe-Z Blamo RB/DB SR 5 Ryan Peters RB/LB SR 7 Takota Freeman WR/DB SR 8 Johnny Douglas WR/DB SR 11 AJ Greenless WR/DB SO 13 Landon Ramsey QB/LB SR 15 Micah Gray WR/DB SO 20 Jamol Blamo RB/LB SR 21 Isiah White WR/DB JR 22 Josh Mann WR/DB FR 23 Kian Barton WR/DB FR 25 Keydon Russell WR/DB FR 31 Devin Bowers RB/DB FR 54 Aiden Peters OL/DL JR 55 Jake Taylor OL/DL SO 58 Kaeden Barton OL/DL SR 62 Braydon Powell OL/DL JR 64 Tyler Smith OL/DL JR 65 Jacob Wilson OL/DL FR 70 Marcus Shomaker OL/DL JR 77 Nathan Wilson OL/DL SO 88 Jacob Smith RB/DB FR

Ranger Cheerleaders

L to R, Bottom Row: Amarianna Harter, Mckenzie Mccall, Kylee McCall, Madison Warren, Emma Davis

L to R, Middle Row: Madison Markland, Makenzie Fuller, Celeste Wilson, Mollie Buckles, Scarlett Salinas, (Captain) Jordan Pippin

L to R Top Row: (Captain) Rachael Lloyd, Alexis Fuller, Bregayle Scalf, Emma Slemp, Kimberly Proffit, Tiffany Sheppard, Micah Gray, Mckenzie Sampson, Makayla Bunten