scr覺mmageplay THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA SPORTS AUTHORITY
VOL 7. ISSUE 1 :: AUGUST 21, 2015
The Buildup The 2015 Football Preview PAGE 7
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x’s and o’s
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COLLEGE UPDATE A look at several local alums at HSC
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THE GAME WITHIN Our annual football preview for 2015
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PROPER INSTALLATION Two programs face different challenges
The Build up VOL 7 . ISSUE 1 :: AUGUST 21, 2015
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NEW BLOOD Breaking down the field hockey season
vol 7. issue 1 :: august 24, 2015
The 2015 Football Preview page 7
S TA F F Bart Isley, Creative Director Bob Isley, Infrastructure Director Ryan Yemen, Creative Editor O N T H E COV E R Left to right: Kareem Johnson, Henry Kreienbaum, Nemo Lesesane, Leon Ragland, Michael Davenport. M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T Local sports are the lifeblood of every community in America, and we’re here to reach beyond the basics and give compelling accounts about Central Virginia athletes to our readers. CO N TAC T U S [ e ] info@scrimmageplay.com [ p ] 434-202-0553
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PREGAME
On the field
William Monroe’s Lucas Sutton lines up at the line of scrimmage during the Dragons’ scrimmage with Skyline on August 20. The Dragons enter 2015 as one of many programs looking to deal with substantial roster turnover. With just one week away from the kick off of football season, the crunch is officially on for all Central Virginia programs. To read about each and every one of them, turn to page seven for our annual preview . ✖ (Photo by Bart Isley)
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Orthopedics
First Quarter New blood
Turnover in field hockey leaves holes to fill By Ryan Yemen
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Western Albemarle’s Valerie Hajek. (Ashley Thornton)
{ THE JD VOID } The breakdown of last year’s All-JD first and second team squads.
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K AR A EL DER
5 S OP HO M ORES
JU N IIORS
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f any sport is going to have a truly different vibe this fall season it will be field hockey. From the public sector to the private, the 2015 season should see some of the old staples in the sport battle massive graduation voids.
Other programs look poised to rise. It’s parity this year on paper. And that’s good for the sport. St. Anne’s-Belfield’s conglomerate of hockey and lacrosse seniors are gone. The area’s most celebrated player since Taylor Brown at Covenant, Charlottesville graduate Kendall Ballard leaves a massive wake in the Jefferson District and especially for Charlottesville. Orange County’s large senior class also leaves the JD up for grabs. All around, it’s a scramble. One program poised to rise up is one that just missed out on a playoff run — Western Albemarle. The Warriors were insanely young in 2014 and with Valerie Hajek and Madison Masloff back as juniors after outstanding sophomore campaigns, the Warriors should be ready to make a run as they had 19 underclassmen playing for them last year and lost just three seniors. And with senior leader Isabelle Freisitizer, the Warriors have a solid blend of both talent and experience. Monticello, a team with mostly young talent is also a program to watch. While the Mustangs turnover their defense and lose Kat Dean at center forward, they return their midfield and have a lot of raw talent for third year coach Katie Martin to toy with. Look for Natalie Gibson and Paige McGlothin to be key contributors in the midfield and Emily Witzke’s role as a senior goalie with plenty of experience and numerous All-JD honors cannot be overlooked either.
Orange has to deal with the loss of Cheyenne Wines and Lexi Mallory, but has junior Holli Foster to try and help keep the Hornets in the thick of the JD race along with Western and Monticello. Charlottesville has Caroline Clark back, but along with Ballard, Joanna Kammauff, Genevive Riley, Mia Garland and Kendal Dowdell are gone, making the Black Knights’ climb all the tougher. Over on the private school side, St. Anne’sBelfield will have a new look after Virginia Speidel, Sadie Bryant, Julia Haney all graduated. To make matters tougher, Jackie Hartwig is out for the year with a knee injury. That puts the onus on senior center midfielder Annie Cory to try and keep the Saints in playoff form. This is a team that made the VISAA Division 1 state quarterfinals last year. With Isabel Scholz and Liz Carden back as forwards and Gabby Tennery, a sophomore defender, the Saints will have plenty to work with. Covenant boasts returning All-State selection Maddy Fagan, who played in the AAU Junior Olympics this summer. With so much turnover, the question marks are abound, but this is hardly the first time this has happened in field hockey. The 2013 season saw much of the same turnover for schools like Western and Covenant and allowed St. Anne’s and Charlottesville to emerge as key powers. The opportunity is ripe on both sides of the public/private spectrum for programs to rise and become the new powers. ✖
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College Update
We’ve gone digital But you can have it in print too!
Contingent of CVA players hoping to make an impact at HSC By Ryan Yemen Hampden Sydney is just a few short miles from Dillwyn, located in Farmville. It’s football team is starting to look like a lot like the 2012 Buckingham County team with three different members now on the roster. In addition to the former Knights’ quartet, it’s pretty clear that the Tigers have a heavy interest in athletes hailing from Central Virginia — a home-awayfrom-home football program. In 2012, Ryan Jones, Austin Seay, Cam Johnson and Kyree Koonce were key figures in the Knights’ 9-3 season where they finished one win shy of playing for the Group 2A East Region final. The following year, Jones went to HSC while Johnson attended Fork Union to play a postgraduate year. Koonce transferred to Monticello to finish out his high school career. Now all three are on the roster as the fall begins for the Tigers. Jones, at 5-foot-11 and 265 pounds, enters the year as a junior defensive lineman looking to make an impact. Seay is a junior holder. Johnson, a sophomore, played in seven games last year and had seven receptions and 62
yards including a 34-yard catch. The 6-foot-3 receiver figures to feature more prominently this year. Then there’s Koonce, who has a familiar face to compete with for carries at running back. The true freshman joins a backfield that also features junior Jovan Burton, a Fluvanna County graduate. But the Tigers have more than just the Buckingham trio and Burton on their roster. Freshman kicker Liam Hedge, a Woodberry Forest product, joins former teammate Walker Smithson, a linebacker. And with senior defensive lineman Kordell Strauss, those two now play with an old high school rival from Fork Union. That makes eight different Central Virginia athletes now on the 2015 roster for the Tigers, making it one of the most popular schools for graduates for the area to land — and in essence, a great destination for fans of local products to check up on the prominent athletes that grabbed headlines during their playing days in high school. ✖
BELOW » Buckingham County graduate Cam Johnson has three different former high school teammates along with him on the Hampden-Sydney football roster . (Ryan Yemen)
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ALBEMARLE
PATRIOTS
JEFFERSON DISTRICT, 2014 RECORD: 3-7 8/28 9/4 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16 10/23 10/30 11/6
@ vs. @ vs. @ @ @ vs. @ @
Brookville Kettle Run Patrick Henry Louisa County Orange County Charlottesville Fluvanna County Powhatan Monticello Western Albemarle
WHO’S GONE: D.G ARCHER (QB), KEVIN MCCARTHY (RB), CAMERON GREEN (RB/DB), ANDREW MAYO (OL) WHO’S BACK: JT SHORTEN (LB, PICTURED BELOW), NEMO LESESANE (DT), ETHAN BLUNDIN (WR), JESUS LAZO (OL), ROONEY TURAY (RB) WHO’S NEW: SEAN SCOTT (DB), JAQUAN ANDERSON (QB), TYQUAN ROSE (WR/KR)
Strength in numbers for Patriots It’s a good sign when nearly 80 athletes show up for tryouts — Brandon Isaiah has the student body at Albemarle wanting to play football. And with those numbers, the second-year coach has the depth he needs to help fill the void left by a handful of athletes. Last season was a rebuild both in terms of roster makeup and the overhaul on the coaching staff which sets up 2015 as an opportunity for the Patriots to make some big strides. Offensively, the Patriots will look to newcomer Jaquan Anderson at quarterback to take over for DG Archer. Anderson’s athleticism should allow the Patriots to be fairly creative offensively and give them mobility at the position to help a talented receiving corps get open. The return of Ethan Blundin at receiver is big and transfer Tyquan Rose is poised to be a breakout player at both wideout and as a return man. The loss of Kevin McCarthy and Cameron Green hurts at running back and it will be up Rooney Turay and Jamal Thompson to try and carry the load early on. The good news for Albemarle is that it has size and depth on an offensive line led by Jesus Lazo. Defensively, the Patriots are in good shape as Nemo Lesesane anchors the nose tackle position in a 3-4 scheme. Behind him are a bevy of in-between
style defensive lineman/linebackers, including JT Shorten. Irving Jones is new at linebacker and should help add more depth and athleticism to the front seven. In the secondary the Patriots return Zach Hall to a unit that was decimated by graduation the year before. The Albemarle coaching staff is particularly excited about the addition of Sean Scott at defensive back as he figures to play a prominent role. While Albemarle’s record reflects a tough year, 2014 was actually quite interesting for the Patriots as they gave a handful of teams as much as they could handle, like Monticello, Western Albemarle, Louisa County. Those three games were one possession defeats that could have easily gone the other way. As such, with the introductory period over with Isaiah, 2015 sets the Patriots up to be significant players in the Jefferson District this year. The bulk of the roster is made up of juniors and sophomores, but a great deal of whom earned a lot of playing time last year. The Patriots might still be a year away from making some real noise, but there’s no question that they have the overall depth it takes to be successful in the JD right now. ✖
TEAM SPOTLIGHT CHARLOTTESVILLE FOOTBALL The first weeks of August are all about getting back to school. More than a handful of Black Knight football players showed up the Back to School Bash in downtown Charlottesville to volunteer and help out a great cause. Kudos to the the CHS volunteers, giving back to your own community does not go unnoticed. Keep up the good work and good luck!
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nehemiah Lesesane Albemarle, Sr. They call him Nemo. The 6-foot, 291-pound Lesesane is a space eater with good feet who is capable of disrupting an entire backfield. Blocking Lesesane, a second team All-Scrimmage Play defensive lineman, one-on-one is a major challenge for most offensive linemen, which forces most opposing squads to double the team the Patriots’ big tackle or pay the price when he knifes into the backfield and makes a big play. That extra attention helps open things up for the Patriots’ linebackers like J.T. Shorten and when Lesesane applies pressure on the quarterback it helps out the secondary because they don’t have to guard their zone or their man very long. That allows Rooney Turay and Zach Hall to potentially make big plays with a breakup or an interception. See while Lesesane may not always fill up the stat sheet (though he did have 47 tackles and 12 TFL last season), he’s pivotal for the Patriots, a catalyst who can make things happen for the Albemarle defense. Now he’ll get the chance to make things happen in 2015 as Albemarle tries take a big leap forward. ✖
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Flucos to retool once again For the third time in six years, Fluvanna County has a new head football coach, and that means another rebuild for a team that last posted a winning season in 2001 and last went .500 in 2005. Steve Szarmach takes the helm after Jason Barnett stepped down, and Szarmach, who has a background in weightlifting as the Fluvanna power lifting coach and in athlete development as a track coach is looking to transform the program from the ground up. That’s going to take time, but winning on the field could help accelerate that timetable. In a tough Jefferson District, that won’t be an easy task, particularly since the Flucos graduated 19 seniors and are looking to fill a number of key spots. Fluvanna does have a returning starter at quarterback in senior Gavin Patrick. Patrick threw for 1,575 yards last year, with nearly two thirds of that total going to Macen Dahl, who graduated. So he’ll have to develop a rapport with some new targets. One of those will be classmate Jay Amos, a tall, athletic option on the boundary. Junior newcomer Jordan Melton should also give Patrick an option in the air. Szarmach has indicated that the squad’s speed should be a positive, and Patrick getting the ball in Amos and Melton’s hands will go a long way toward
allowing the Flucos to capitalize on that quickness. Patrick and Amos aren’t the lone returning skill position players on offense as Mark Grooms is also back in the mix. The junior running back showed promise as early as his freshman season, and he’s got quickness to spare. If the offensive line can clear the way for Grooms and give Fluvanna a more consistent run game, that will help take some of the pressure off Patrick and give him more time to throw. Charged with protecting Patrick and opening holes for Grooms are juniors Jake Morris and Chase Payne. On defense, junior Craig Russo returns at linebacker while classmate Duquan Anderson appears slotted into another spot in that unit. Putting together the rest of the unit and finding players who can help Fluvanna come up with stops is key. In six of their nine losses last season, the Flucos surrendered 35 points or more. Szarmach is helping set a different tone this season, and while this may be a multi-year process, he’s laying his own foundation. With some key parts like Patrick and Grooms in place, perhaps that process could get a jumpstart with a solid 2015 campaign. ✖
FLUVANNA COUNTY
FLYIN’ FLUCOS JEFFERSON DISTRICT, 2014 RECORD: 1-9 8/28 9/5 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16 10/23 10/30 11/6
vs. @ vs, @ vs. @ vs. @ @ vs.
Freedom Spotsylvania Culpeper County Charlottesville Louisa County Monticello Albemarle Western Albemarle Powhatan Orange County
WHO’S GONE: MACEN DAHL (WR), BRENDAN GOODE (OL), PETER LACEY (LB) WHO’S BACK: GAVIN PATRICK, (QB, PICTURED BELOW), MARK GROOMS (RB), JAY AMOS (WR), CRAIG RUSSO (LB), JAKE MORRIS (OL/DL) WHO’S NEW: JORDAN MELTON (WR), CHASE PAYNE (OL/DL), DUQUAN ANDERSON (LB)
LOUISA COUNTY
Lions’ line poised to lead the way
LIONS
Louisa County got back to doing what the Lions do best in the first season of Mark Fischer’s return engagement as head coach. The Lions ran the football well, much as they did during the first stint with Fischer at the helm and came up with a 7-4 campaign that included a playoff appearance in the Region 4A North tournament. They shook off some early struggles and leaned on senior Trey Cherry as a run-first quarterback and he piled up 1,478 yards en route to earning All-Scrimmage Play honors. While Cherry has graduated, personnel isn’t at all thin for the Lions, who return most of a stout offensive line that helped pave the way for Cherry’s monster year. That group up front includes senior road-grading tackles Malik Johnson and Noah Verling as well as another fierce blocker in senior tight end Jayvon Jackson. Brandon Townes is another versatile athlete in the trenches and tops out north of 250 pounds, giving the Lions a wealth of big, rugged linemen. With that kind of core up front, the Lions should be a physically punishing squad, and few teams in the Jefferson District have the bulk up front to handle those kind of linemen, The unit has become
8/28 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16 10/23 10/30 11/6
pretty competent technicians to boot, so they’re likely going to open up sizeable running lanes. Which is where Job Whalen, D’Jon Shelton, Jordan Cherry and Malik Bell come in. Whalen exploded on the scene as a freshman last year as a potential heavy lifter, putting together a string of 100-yard games on the ground while Shelton adds another explosive element to the backfield. Cherry and Bell are battling it out for the quarterback spot that will likely be, at least in the early going, primarily a runfirst position for the Lions. But both Cherry and Bell are solid athletes and Fischer has proven masterful at finding roles for those kind of players no matter how the position battle shakes out. Louisa is young defensively and they’re going to be trying to implement a new scheme, so that group should improve drastically as the year goes along. Look for Whalen to be a factor at linebacker and for some members of that sizeable line to make some noise on the other side of the ball too. The foundation of that line, an emerging star like Whalen and the fact that Fischer is in his second year back bode well for Louisa as it looks to get back in the playoff mix and make a postseason impact. ✖
JEFFERSON DISTRICT, 2014 RECORD: 7-4 vs. @ @ @ @ vs. vs. vs. @ vs.
Sherando Courtland King George Albemarle Fluvanna County Powhatan Western Albemarle Monticello Orange County Charlottesville
WHO’S GONE: TREY CHERRY (QB/RB), DEMETRIUS WASHINGTON (RB/LB) WHO’S BACK: NOAH VERLING (OL, PICTURED BELOW), BRANDON TOWNES (OL/DL), JOB WHALEN (RB/LB), MALIK JOHNSON (OL/DL), JAVON JACKSON (TE/DL) WHO’S NEW: JORDAN CHERRY (QB), MALIK BELL (QB, ATH)
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ACADEMIC EDGE
S P O N S O R E D
B Y
H A R G R AV E
M I L I TA R Y
A C A D E M Y
MADISON COUNTY’S JEANA GRACE KELLIHER
In volleyball, the libero is the last line of defense. Constantly diving, scrapping and backing up teammates by doing a lot of hard work. Jeana Grace Kelliher has been a rock solid libero for the Madison County volleyball team, including a 2013 campaign where she earned first team All-Bull Run honors for the region semifinalist Mountaineer squad. Kelliher hasn’t shunned doing the hard work outside the gym either, posting a 4.4 GPA while earning a spot in the senior class’s top three and has her eye on Clemson, Duke and North Carolina State in the college process. She’s in Madison’s Beta Club and Spanish Honor Society while also serving as one of four student leaders in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She’s involved in Madison County’sYoung Life chapter and went on a five-week mission trip recently to do work in Goshen, Virginia. Kelliher, who’s also swims (she was part of a third-place freestyle relay team in both the 2013 and 2014 state championships) and plays softball for the Mountaineers, also serves as a volunteer in the Culpepper Soap Box Derby. That’s a lot of hard work, but clearly hard work is just part of the job for Kelliher both on and off the court.
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Change nothing new for Mustangs The Mustangs had just one coach in their first 13 years of existence. Now with Jeff Lloyd at the helm, Monticello is in the midst of its third coaching change since 2011. However, Lloyd’s experience as the architect of Kettle Run’s football program bodes well for a Monticello team undergoing a little bit of a face lift. The Mustangs expect to be right where they have been the last decade, right in the thick of it at the top Jefferson District. Lloyd and former coach Jeff Woody (now at E.C. Glass) run similar offenses, but Lloyd’s obviously comes with a little bit different terminology and operates more purely as a spread system. As such, there won’t be too much an adjustment for this team from last year to this. Kevin Jarrell is installed at quarterback. He’ll have Daniel Hummel, Seth Weaver, Syreal Breckenridge and Michael Crenshaw to lean on at receiver. The Mustangs are definitely going to miss Kyree Koonce at running back, but Darian Bates had a solid showing last year at the position and should help the ground game pick up where it left off last year. Up front Monticello has Trevor Haislip leading the way on the line and newcomers Kalton Payne Danny Talbert add depth to the unit.
The secondary for Monticello made big strides last year and now they are the strongest part of this defense. Hummel and Crenshaw lead an athletic group capable of creating turnovers and taking the top off of opposing offenses. That will be key as the Mustangs have to replace the JD defensive player of the year in Griffin Davis at linebacker. Look for Tony Talbert to expand his role at linebacker. While the Mustangs have a lot of first time starters up front, the bulk are seniors giving them size and experience to try and improve upon last year’s performance against the run. Also of note is the return of Jean-Luc Lapierre at kicker. The senior was pretty much automatic last year and gives the Mustangs the ability to tack on points when most other teams would face going for it on fourth down or punting. Lloyd inherits a program in pretty good shape, and his 18 years of coaching experience point to this team maintaining its status. It won’t be easy out of the gate, especially with a nationally ranked Lake Taylor team to start, but Monticello, behind its skill position players on both sides of the ball, has the right pieces to put together a winning campaign. ✖
Hornets gear up for big step forward The issue at Orange County right now is exactly as long-time assistant and now head coach Jesse Lohr put it during a practice — purely mental. The Hornets had to endure a tough 2014 year with a lot of players seeing the field for the first time. With not a lot of turnover graduation wise, there’s no reason for this team not to move forward to becoming the kind of program it was just five years ago — one of the most feared in the Jefferson District. Of course, that’s easier said than done. The good news for Orange is that Tre’von Smith and Deangelo Hunt spearhead a running back corps that might be as physical as any in the JD. Smith’s speed and grittiness make him threat all over the field, and Hunt’s size makes him particularly troublesome as a downhill runner. With an offensive line that returns experience including 3-year starter Jon Prinz, the Hornets shouldn’t have trouble effectively running the ball. At quarterback, Orange is heading into the season with Dayvon Greene, Matt James and Caleb Clenney all in the mix and looking to decide on a starter by the season opener. Ty Warren figures to be an important addition at receiver as the Hornets
hope that their passing game takes a big step forward from last year. On defense, this team has to improve as it allowed eight teams to score 44 or more points last season. With a handful of returning starters, the Hornets should be improved there. Ryan Horton is back at linebacker along with Smith. Darius Minor and Jay Lewis-Nixon are back as defensive backs and with Warren in the fold, that unit should be a strength for the Hornets. Up front, Prinz and Emmanuel Wormley lead a defensive line that will need to be up to the task of stopping a run-heavy Jefferson District slate. The good news for Orange, regardless of outcome early on is that Lohr is dead-set on reminding his players of what this program was not long ago. With former standout and West Virginia graduate Bradley Starks now on staff as an assistant, this team has a solid reminder of just how prominent this team was. With so much experience gained from last year, there’s no reason to believe the Hornets won’t be substantially better. But, as Lohr likes to remind his athletes, just how much better will likely depend on their mindset. ✖
MONTICELLO
MUSTANGS
JEFFERSON DISTRICT, 2014 RECORD: 9-3 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16 10/23 10/30 11/6
vs. @ @ vs. @ vs. vs. @ vs. @
Lake Taylor Turner Ashby Spotswood Western Albemarle Charlottesville Fluvanna County Orange County Louisa County Albemarle Powhatan
WHO’S GONE: KYREE KOONCE (RB), GRIFFIN DAVIS (LB/RB), MORGAN WILSON (OL), JON HEUCHERT (OL), RASHAD BROOKS (DL) WHO’S BACK: DARIAN BATES (RB PICTURED BELOW), MICHAEL CRENSHAW (DB), DANIEL HUMMEL (WR/DB), KEVIN JARELL (QB), JEANLUC LAPIERRE (K), TREVOR HAISLIP (OL/DL) WHO’S NEW: KALTON PAYNE (OL), DANNY TALBERT (OL)
ORANGE COUNTY
HORNETS
JEFFERSON DISTRICT, 2014 RECORD: 1-9 8/28 9/4 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16 10/23 10/30 11/6
vs. @ vs. vs. vs. @ @ @ vs. @
Culpeper County Eastern View Spotsylvania Powhatan Albemarle Western Albemarle Monticello Charlottesville Louisa County Fluvanna County
WHO’S GONE: TREYVON FELTON (OL/DL), TAREIK HUMES (OL/DL), KEITH ELLIS (QB/ RB)/DB) WHO’S BACK: TRE’VON SMITH (RB/LB, PICTURED BELOW), DEANGELO HUNT (RB/DL), JON PRINZ (OL/DL), RYAN HORTON (LB), JAY LEWIS-NIXON (DB) WHO’S NEW: TY WARREN (WR/DB), DARIUS MINOR (WR/DB),
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Henry Kreienbaum Western Albemarle, Sr. He’s tall. He’s strong. He’s tough to bring down in the open field. Going into the 2014 season, it was pretty clear junior Henry Kreienbaum was going to be a big part of the Western Albemarle offense. The question was whether it was going to be at wide receiver or quarterback. The emergence of Sam Hearn as a steady option as a signal-caller allowed the Warriors to keep Kreienbaum on the boundary as a wideout, which gave the offense a serious downfield threat to complement a stout run game led by 1,000-yard rusher Oliver Herndon. Kreienbaum averaged 27.7 yards per catch while going for 665 yards and eight touchdowns. Kreienbaum, who committed to James Madison’s baseball program late this summer, earned all-state honors for his efforts last year. Can he put together a similar campaign in 2014? With Hearn, Herndon and sophomore Derek Domecq all back at the skill positions for the Warriors, all signs points to yes. ✖
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Expectations sky high for Warriors Last season during the deepest playoff run in Western Albemarle football history, the Warriors took another step on offense. Sure, they’d found a run game outside the quarterback for the first time in years with Oliver Herndon pounding out yards. But it wasn’t just the more properly-adjusted mix of the run and pass that threw opponents off. It was the speed at which the Warriors were mixing that run and pass. Or sometimes, the lack of speed with which they were mixing that run and pass. Western emerged as masters of tempo during the 2014 postseason, speeding up when they needed to or cranking things back down and burning clock when the situation called for it. Of course, it’s easier to focus on elements like tempo when so many core starters are back offensively. Sam Hearn, last season’s Scrimmage Play newcomer of the year, returns behind center for his second season as the starter after throwing for 1,930 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior while rushing for another 749 yards and 12 scores. He also showed a propensity for bouncing back, erasing a nightmarish effort against Louisa County with a 43-point output against Monticello in a huge win. He’ll also play a role in the secondary as well, which he handled in the postseason nicely. Hearn is also flush with weapons as 1,000-yard
rusher Herndon returns at tailback and first team All-SP wideout Henry Kreienbaum and dynamic sophomore Derek Domecq return on the boundaries. Kreienbaum put together a particularly explosive season at wideout last year with an average of 27.7 yards per catch, tops among actual wideouts in Central Virginia. Stephen Kuzjak, who has been a fixture at linebacker since he was a sophomore, could factor into the mix for the Warriors at wideout more this year. Up front, road grader Sam Carey returns as the Warriors’ center and should see some significant time in the middle on defense too. Defensively, Osiris Crutchfield earned All-Group 3A and All-SP honors as a junior with 77 tackles and six sacks. He’ll return with the intent of terrorizing opposing backfields again in 2015, and he’ll get some help with that goal from his brother Noah Crutchfield. While replacing the likes of Michael Mullin, Logan Sprouse, Matthew Wozneak and Josh Meeks won’t be an easy task, linebackers Jarrett Smith and Matthew Mullin return and Osiris Crutchfield should draw enough attention from opposing linemen to open things up for the lineup’s newer faces. With a mastery of tempo and a ton of standouts back, Western has the potential to be dangerous in 2015. ✖
Black Knights come with options Technically speaking, the rebuild was last year for Charlottesville. While the Black Knights will miss what they lost to graduation at the skill positions, the fact that they retooled at all five positions on the offensive line, lost their would-be starting quarterback for the year in a scrimmage, saw their workhorse running back battle injuries all year and still made the playoffs — well it was pretty impressive. The story for Charlottesville this year is up front. Not only do the Black Knights return all five of last year’s starters on the offensive line, including juniors J.D. Bucholz and Zavion Johnson, but coach Eric Sherry is going back to what he knows by reinstalling the triple option. The Black Knights have the tools to do it and it is also a way to cut down on turnovers as 40 of the 62 fumbles the team had were unforced. Going with the option again should help keep star running back Rashad Brock healthier. He’s going to be the feature player offensively, but keep an eye on the Black Knights’ new quarterback, Rahkeem Davis. The younger brother of James Madison wide receiver Rashard Davis, Rahkeem has this staff excited about his explosiveness. Also, Tre Durrett should give the offense another weapon at running back. Should the
Black Knights decide to break it out from time to time, Deandre Bryant will be the big threat downfield. Defensively, there are holes to fill. Troy Hughes and Larry Anderson’s voids in the middle of the field will be noticeable. But with a handful of the offensive linemen now playing both ways, that should help to offset things a bit. Sabias Foley is just a freshman, but looks poised to be a breakout player at defensive end. The Knights are young in the secondary, but should be able to count on contributions from two-way players like Durrett to step up and answer the call. One name to watch in all three phases of the game is Caleb Gage. An All-Jefferson District standout on the basketball court, the shifty senior is giving football a shot. His speed and overall athleticism could be a huge factor on offense, defense and especially on special teams. The bottom line for Charlottesville is that they just have to stay healthy to compete. With an experienced offensive line and the weapons in the backfield to make the triple option work effectively and explosively, this team should be improved from last year. After three straight playoff experiences, this program expects to keep that tradition rolling. ✖
WESTERN ALBEMARLE
WARRIORS
JEFFERSON DISTRICT, 2014 RECORD: 11-3 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/24 10/2 10/9 10/16 10/23 10/30 11/6
@ vs. vs. @ @ vs. @ vs. @ vs.
Broadway Brookville Spotswood Monticello Powhatan Orange County Louisa County Fluvanna County Charlottesville Albemarle
WHO’S GONE: MICHAEL MULLIN (LB/OL), WHO’S BACK: SAM HEARN (QB/DB, PICTURED BELOW), MATTHEW MULLIN (OL/LB), SAM CAREY (OL/DL), STEPHEN KUZJAK (LB), OSIRIS CRUTCHFIELD (DL), HENRY KREIENBAUM (WR/DB), DEREK DOMECQ (WR/DB) WHO’S NEW: JOEY BOWEN (OL), ROBERT SIMS (WR/DB), LUKE TENUTA (DE)
CHARLOTTESVILLE
BLACK KNIGHTS JEFFERSON DISTRICT, 2014 RECORD: 4-7 8/28 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16 10/23 10/30 11/6
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Dominion Harrisonburg William Monroe Fluvanna County Monticello Albemarle Powhatan Orange County Western Albemarle Louisa County
WHO’S GONE: MALIK BARTEE (QB/DB), TROY HUGHES (DL), LARRY ANDERSON (LB), NICK EPPS (WR/DB) WHO’S BACK: RASHAD BROCK (RB, PICTURED BELOW), SHANNON PRITCHETT (OL/FB), J.D. BUCKHOLZ (OL/DL), THOMAS BURLE (K), TRE DURRETT (WR/DB), WHO’S NEW: RAHKEEM DAVIS (QB/DB), SABIAS FOLLEY (DE)
www.scrimmageplay.com :: 16
BUCKINGHAM COUNTY
KNIGHTS
JAMES RIVER DISTRICT, 2014 RECORD: 8-4 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16 10/30 11/6
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Appomattox Chatham William Campbell Nottoway Central Lunenburg Bluestone Goochland Amelia County Randolph Henry Prince Edward
WHO’S GONE: JACOB SNODDY (OL), CHRISTIAN CONNOR (OL), TARIQ GOUGH (RB) WHO’S BACK: MICAHEL MABRY (TE/DL, PITCTURED BELOW), DYSHAWN PERKINS (OL), LEON RAGLAND (QB/RB/DB) WHO’S NEW: DANIEL BRICKHILL (QB), DAQUARIUS HOLMAN (WR), RAHEEM HOLMAN (RB)
GOOCHLAND
BULLDOGS JAMES RIVER DISTRICT, 2014 RECORD: 9-3 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16 10/23 10/30
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Essex Fork Union Amelia County R.E. Lee Randolph Henry Prince Edward Buckingham County Nottoway Central Lunenburg Bluestone
WHO’S GONE: JORDAN JEFFERSON (QB/WR/ DB), TAIT PARRISH (OT) WHO’S BACK: CALVIN MARTIN, (RB/DB, PICTURED BELOW), KK TIMBERLAKE (DL), JOHN CREASY (OL), REID CHENAULT (QB) WHO’S NEW: SCOTT CARTER (WR), CLAY BROOKS (DL), COLE NUCKOLS (DB)
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Knights shuffle the deck offensively To say that Buckingham County will miss its roadgrading offensive line from last year is an understatement. Perhaps no team in Central Virginia was more efficient at running the ball last season than the Knights. But all is not lost as Buckingham returns whom coach Craig Gill points to as one of the finest offensive lineman the school’s ever seen in Dyshawn Perkins. Add to it that Leon Ragland is back in the fold and a simple recipe is set as the Knights look to replicate their last two playoff runs. Things will be a bit different without Jacob Snoddy and Connor Christian on the line, but Perkins, along with All-Group 2A tight end Michael Mabry, give the Knights a solid jumping off point. The transfer of quarterback Daniel Brickhill from Liberty Christian allows the Knights to slide Ragland over to running back. The two can both run and should allow the Knights to get the ball into Ragland’s hands more often in their readoption system. Look for Daquarious Holman to be impact player either on jet-sweeps or as a receiver. Raheem Holman will offer depth at running back. Finding variety on offense will key as the Knights will need to keep Ragland healthy and opposing
defenses from simply throwing nine in the box to stop him on the run. The Knights have shown to be creative there as they faced a similar situation back in 2013 with former standout Kenneth Johnson. Of course, the big overhaul last year for the Knights was defensively. That should be a vastly improved group as H.G. Gouch anchors the defensive line along with Mabry. Brickhill’s help at linebacker should improve the Knights rushing defense. And in the secondary, Hunter Edwards, Daquarious Holman and Ragland should do a solid job of taking off the top off opposing James River District offenses. With the changes offensively, the Knights have some work to do, but they should factor into the JRD the same way they have the previous six years — as serious contenders. This year’s schedule is a bit more balanced than the previous two-year cycle and that’s not to go unnoticed as this program has won playoff games in each of the last two seasons. While depth might be a problem should an injury bug strike, Buckingham has the right pieces to not only continue its six-year streak of winning seasons, but try and improve upon a truly solid season in 2014. ✖
Bulldogs look to new faces Every year the standard is high at Goochland, and justifiably so — the Bulldogs always seem to have the pieces to make a playoff run. There’s no getting around just how important Jordan Jefferson was to this program over the last four years, both offensively and defensively. But he’s now at Virginia Tech and life goes on at Goochland. And yet, this might be the best chance for this program to pile up the wins since the 2012 season when the Bulldogs came away with a state championship. For starters, Reid Chenault is back at quarterback. The Bulldogs were next to unstoppable when he was healthy last year. This offense simply pours on the points when he’s under center and the offensive line is experienced, the run game is on point. All of those seem to be lining up. Calvin Martin looks to be the real deal at running back for this wing-T offense. The addition of transfer Scott Carter give the Bulldogs a serious receiving threat that already returns Daric Clarke, Marcus Burton and Cordell Mattox. Clarke and Burton should be big-time rushing threats too. With John Creasey leading an experienced line, the Bulldogs have all the right pieces in place to not only eat up the
clock, but also put together big chunks of offense. With KK Timberlake leading the way on the defensive line, this team has a defense that could take a substantial step forward. Last year was a bit of a baptism by fire outside of Timberlake’s experience. However, Mattox is a major athletic presence at defensive back and the additions of Clay Brooks at defensive end and John King at linebacker, Cole Nuckols at safety all point to an improved unit overall. Burton also returns at linebacker giving this team a solid front. Since they rejoined the James River District in 2011, the Bulldogs have been the team to beat. The outlook last year was solid and even though they were hampered by injuries, this team still managed to win nine games. The measuring stick is even higher this year as the rest of the JRD appears to be adjusting, particularly at Nottoway, Buckingham County and Central Lunenburg. Goochland knows the iron is hot and the time to strike is now. They have a proven system on offense and the talent and the experience to get the job done. If the defense keeps pace, this team could put together a nasty little run in 2015. ✖
leon Ragland Buckingham County, Sr. Last year there were fewer more active, more productive than Leon Ragland. Playing quarterback and running a read-option offense, Ragland was a rushing force. Things change though, and in this case, possibly for the better for both the team and the individual. Ragland’s ability as a rusher warranted him time at running back. And this year he’ll get to start out there. With the Knights leaning on Daniel Brickhill to play at quarterback, Ragland’s physical skill set lends itself well to the type of system the Knights ran back in 2013 when they made a run to the Group 2A final four on the legs of Kenneth Johnson. Ragland’s agility and ability to absorb and plow through contact make him special — few can carry that load on a physical level. While he was part of a featured duo last year though, this year it looks like he’s poised to be torch bearer offensively. And so his role on the team becomes ever more important as he’s also needed at safety. At least early on this year, it’ll be ‘In Ragland the Knights trust.’ That’s hardly a problem. ✖
www.scrimmageplay.com :: 18
M A D I S O N CO U N T Y
MOUNTAINEERS BULL RUN DISTRICT, 2014 RECORD: 2-8
8/28 9/4 9/11 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16 10/23 10/30 11/6
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King William Luray East Rockingham Warren County Riverside Central Woodstock William Monroe Strasburg George Mason Clarke County
WHO’S GONE: JAMES GRAVES (QB), DYLAN BERRY (OL/DL), KENYON SMITH (DL) WHO’S BACK: DRE TWYMAN (WR/DB, PICTURED), ISIAH SMITH (WR/DB), CHRIS SMITH (QB), DYLAN BREEDEN (TE/DE), GABE FARMER (RB) WHO’S NEW: BRANDON MERRYMAN (DB)
W WILLIAM MONROE M GREENE DRAGONS BULL RUN DISTRICT, 2013 RECORD: 6-5
9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16 10/23 10/30 11/6
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Brentsville Broadway Charlottesville George Mason Clarke County Warren County Madison County Central Woodstock Culpeper County Strasburg
WHO’S GONE: JOSH KING (LB), MARK WILLIAMSON (OL/DL), CODY PERKINS (RB), DYLAN SCHAFF (LB) WHO’S BACK: MALIQUE SHACKLEFORD (QB, PICTURED BELOW), TYLER TREVILLIANS (WR/DB), COREY CLEMENTS (DB), MALIK MALLORY (RB/LB) WHO’S NEW: ANTHONY PRITCHETT (RB/DB)
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Mountaineers set to turn a page For Madison County, the goal is simple — stay healthy and get the ball to its playmakers. Of course that was the plan last year, but one monkey wrench after another got thrown into the mix. The Mountaineers have some big shoes to fill, but in an odd way, their journey last year kind of prepared them for this. It’s been a long time since James Graves hasn’t started at quarterback for Madison, but Chris Smith has been groomed for the job and coach Stuart Dean is adamant that while he wants his team to run the ball more, he’s trying to keep as much aerial attack in the playbook as possible. Smith’s mobility makes that interesting and could provide a spark to the run game that Dean was hoping for last year, but didn’t see from his team last year. Gabe Farmer put together a great last showing for the Mountaineers last year, but he was hurt for most of 2014. A full season of Farmer in the split-back system that Madison runs should vastly improve the rushing attack. The Mountaineers will miss offensive lineman Dylan Berry, but they’ve already dealt with that as he missed the last half of the year after a breaking his jaw. Dylan Breeden’s play at tight end is key as he’ll play a large role in the
misdirection passing/running game. And then you have wide outs Dre Twyman and Isiah Smith. There’s a reason Dean is adamant about airing the ball out. These two seniors can fly. They are both bigger and stronger and problematic on their own, but especially so if Farmer winds up piling up the yardage on the ground. On the other side of the ball, Madison has to improve on its rushing defense as they were gashed last year. Additions like Jack Price and Zavion Gentry at linebacker should help, as well as Brandon Merryman at safety. But it’s up front with the loss of Berry and Kenyon Smith that the Mountaineers have their work cut out. Getting the front eight to stop the run is a clear season-long goal for this squad. While Clarke County poses the largest threat in the Bull Run District, the rest of it is pretty wide open. The Mountaineers want to quickly put last season behind them and get back to playing in the postseason. They have more than enough at the skill positions to do just that. The only thing standing between them and that goal is developing that rushing defense. Expect Dean and his staff to put a lot of energy into making sure that happens and that this is a vastly improved team in 2015. ✖
The next Dragon generation arrives A lot of time and energy went into the build-up to last season for William Monroe’s football program as a huge class of seniors that had started pretty much as a group since they were sophomores entered their final season. That campaign ended in a playoff berth and a solid 6-5 campaign in Jon Rocha’s first year as the Dragons’ head coach. But it’s clear that Rocha isn’t interested in another long rebuilding project. He and his staff are looking to make Monroe competitors on a year-in and year-out basis. Monroe is moving to a flexbonestyle attack with a single back and a pair of wings in addition to the wideouts on the outside. The new look wasn’t installed last year because that senior class had spent so much time in the I-form set installed when Mark Sanford was the head coach. The flexbone should allow Monroe to spread the load among its various running backs, which may mean an end to the string of rushers with big individual numbers in Stanardsville, but could make the Dragons more dynamic and harder to contain. It’ll certainly get 6-foot-1, 230-pound junior quarterback Malique Shackleford involved in both the ground attack and the air. While the school’s
all-time leading rusher Cody Perkins graduated, the Dragons have Tyler Trevillians, Malik Mallory, Rayquone Wayne and Anthony Pritchett as options in the run game. Through the air Shackleford can get senior wideouts Khalil Green and Nic Hayes into the mix. The line (on both sides of the ball) has to replace William and Mary’s Mark Williamson, but senior Luke Sutton gives the Dragons a building block up front and the offensive line is big, checking in at an average of 280 pounds. In the defensive front four, Sutton will factor in and Hayes is a potential pass rushing threat. The secondary has experience with senior cornerback Corey Clements and safety Tyler Trevillians. Replacing linebackers like Josh King and Dylan Schaff won’t be an easy task at all, but Wayne played a lot in the middle, including a pair of starts and has a nose for finding the ball-carrier. Sure, there are holes to fill for William Monroe, but there are also parts in place that should allow the Dragons to make some noise in 2015 as Rocha looks to transform the Dragons into a regular playoff contender. He and Monroe both appear to be well on their way. ✖
Governors to continue progress Each season, Nelson County faces an uphill climb. The Governors play in a loaded Dogwood District. They have a fledgling youth program that may not bear fruit for a little while. They also have the recent past holding them back since the program’s last winning season was in 2002 and it’s been seven years since the squad went .500. Those are significant challenges that would be tough to overcome for any high school program that faced one of those impediments, much less all three. And yet, third-year coach Mark Poston and the Governors are making progress. An 0-10 season in 2013 appears to have been the bottom for the program, and after Nelson won twice in 2014 over Page County and Hargrave, the Governors are poised to take another step in 2015. But they’ve got their work cut out for them again as they replace leading rusher and starting quarterback Ray Chambers and look to break in several other new faces. Replacing Chambers may prove to be easier than it would seem at first glance as sophomore DeVante Rose has emerged as a solid potential signal-caller. The Governors had Rose in more of a flexbone, wing-t style triple option attack instead of last year’s single wing, which could really offset the fact that
Rose isn’t particularly tall yet. On keepers he’s shown a knack for making the right read and hiding behind his linemen as well as the toughness to hang in and take a hit to make the option pitch on the outside. Rose has some running mates in the backfield with junior Drai Taylor, senior Corey Mays and senior Carlos Rodriguez all back to help carry the load. The more Rose’s reads can get that trio in the offensive mix, the more it’ll ease his transition into the starting role. Mason Arthur will anchor an offensive line that needs to quickly get up to speed and create some running lanes for Rose, Taylor and Mays. Mays is a leader on the other side of the ball, where he handles getting the defense in position at middle linebacker, and Turner, Rose and Rodriguez will all likely play a part in the secondary as that continues to come together. Charles Tibbs, a sophomore, is a talented up and coming young defender in the trenches and along with Arthur should give the Governors a push. It is clear that progress is coming in Nelson, and if the positives keep building, Poston and his staff are going to have orchestrated one of the finest rebuilding projects in the state. For now, it’s one step at a time, and 2015 is all about taking that crucial next step. ✖
Barons building momentum The turnover at Blue Ridge can be striking, as it often is at boarding schools. When Tim Thomas took over as the Barons’ head coach last season, just two years before that, he’d been an assistant on the 2012 state title team. But there wasn’t a single holdover from that title squad still on the roster. That led to some growing pains as a new group of players acclimated to a new coach and a new coach acclimated to new players. However, a lot of key parts are back in the mix for the Barons. Malik Johnson, who runs the point during hoops season for Blue Ridge, is the Barons’ leading returning rusher and was impressive despite running behind a largely inexperienced offensive line last season. Scott Spencer, a Clemson basketball commit, returns as a tall, speedy target at wide receiver a year after hauling in 708 yards. Tae Watts, whose season ended early due to an injury, and Afanna Offor will also contribute as skill players, with Offor likely playing as a passcatching tight end. Throw in returning junior Josh Colon and there are a wealth of options who have a year in the system under their belt. The Barons have those playmakers back and a
more seasoned group of offensive linemen led by center Jahlil Puryear and Oscar Palin. Whoever ends up getting the nod at quarterback for Blue Ridge, whether it’s Jemeil King or newcomer Justin Armwood or someone else who emerges, will be replacing Trevor Eaton, who had a strong statistical year as the signal-caller despite the Barons’ 2-7 record. Defensively, Puryear should benefit from a year as a linebacker and he’ll likely be stout against the run game. Colon, Offor and newcomer Juan Marceo should also contribute in that unit. That wealth of wideout and running back options (including another newcomer in freshman Elijah Gordon) should also transfer over to the secondary. The Barons also have other factors leaning in their favor. For starters, instead of a tiny preseason period, Blue Ridge will get two and a half weeks under its belt before having to take the field against an opponent. The Barons have also expanded the staff which Thomas says should improve the program’s efficiency in practice. Throw in a brand new turf field, and that’s a lot of momentum and experience heading into fall, which bodes well for Blue Ridge this season. ✖
NELSON COUNTY
GOVERNORS
JAMES RIVER DISTRICT, 2014 RECORD: 2-8 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/16 10/23 10/30 11/6
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Luray Page County Covington McLuer Dan River Altavista Chatham Appomattox William Campbell Gretna
WHO’S GONE: RAY CHAMBERS (QB) WHO’S BACK: COREY MAYS (RB/LB, PICTURED BELOW), DRAI TAYLOR (RB), CARLOS RODRIGUEZ (RB/WR/DB), MASON ARTHUR (OL/DL) WHO’S NEW: DEVANTE ROSE (QB/DB)
BLUE RIDGE
BARONS OLD DOMINION CONFERENCE, 2014 RECORD: 2-7 9/11 9/18 9/26 10/1 10/10 10/17 10/24 10/31 11/7
@ @ @ vs. vs. vs. @ vs. vs.
Hargrave Flint Hill North Cross Covenant Blessed Sacrement Christchurch Virginia Episcopal Randolph-Macon St. Anne’s-Belfield
WHO’S GONE: TREVOR EATON (QB) WHO’S BACK: SCOTT SPENCER (WR, PICTURED BELOW), TAE WATTS (RB/DB), MALIK JOHNSON (RB/SB/DB), AFANNA OFFOR (TE/LB), JEMEIL KING (QB/DB), JAHLIL PURYEAR (OL/LB) WHO’S NEW: JUAN MARCEO (OL/LB), JUSTIN ARMWOOD (QB/DB), ELIJIAH GORDON (RB/DB)
www.scrimmageplay.com :: 20
COVENANT
EAGLES
OLD DOMINION CONFERENCE 2014 RECORD: 5-5 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/24 10/1 10/16 10/23 10/30 11/5
@ vs. vs. vs. vs. @ @ @ @ vs.
Portsmouth Christian Christchurch Virginia Episcopal Hargrave Massanutten Blue RIdge Fishburne St. Anne’s-Belfield North Cross Randolph-Macon
WHO’S GONE: AUSTIN LLERA (RB/LB), PAUL HUEMME (QB), QUANE WASHINGTON (ATH) WHO’S BACK: JOSH KLEIN (RB, PICTURED BELOW), JAMISON STELJES (OL/DL), STEPHEN WILDER (DB/WR), AUSTIN HALL (LB/K), RICK WEAVER (FB/DL) WHO’S NEW: SAM LEPAGE (SB/DB), BLAKE SCHAAR (SB/DB), JACK VELICKY (WR/DB)
FORK UNION
BLUE DEVILS PREP LEAGUE, 2014 RECORD: 2-8 9/4 9/12 9/19 9/25 10/2 10/19 10/16 10/23 10/30 11/6
@ vs. @ vs. @ vs. @ vs. @ @
Goochland Georgetown Prep Bishop O’Connell Charlotte Latin Paul VI St. Christopher’s Liberty Christian Collegiate Benedictine Woodberry Forest
WHO’S GONE: RASHON TORRENCE (RB), SAM ALLEN (QB/DB), JULIUS PURYEAR (QB/ WR/DB) WHO’S BACK: ADAM HACKENBERG (LB, PICTURED BELOW), JOSH NEVERS (OL/DL), PHILIP FITZPATRICK (TE/DL) WHO’S NEW: TAURUS CARROLL (WR/DB), ROMELLO BLANTON-WADE (WR/DB)
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Eagles begin roster overhaul Covenant’s football program took the first step in a re-tooling process last season in coach Dave Hart’s first year. The Eagles finished at .500 (5-5) and implemented a new offensive system, a flexbone option attack that clearly played to the Eagles’ strengths as a program. Now in year two under Hart, Covenant is looking to build on last year’s success and take another step forward. But they’ll have to do it while replacing a number of key players, including the squad’s top three offensive playmakers in Paul Huemme, Austin Llera and Quane Washington, who graduated. The cupboard is hardly bare for the Eagles, as several players capable of handling the ball-carrying load return. Seniors Stephen Wilder and Josh Klein, who both were solid defensive backs last season, should see more of a chance to contribute on offense as slot backs, the Eagles’ version of a wingback in the flexbone. At the single back fullback spot, Rick Weaver appears set to take over full-time duties from Llera. Weaver made a major impact in a number of different positions as an eighth grader, and could be destined for a breakout season. To take over for Huemme at quarterback, the Eagles have another Huemme, Paul’s younger
brother John. The sophomore appears set to run the offense, a position in the flexbone that requires more precise footwork and speed rather than a big arm. Defensively, the Eagles will feel the loss of Washington in particular as he gave Covenant a building block to shape the defense around in the secondary as one of the area’s better cover defenders and someone who could also step up on the edge in the run. But Wilder, Klein and Huemme should play significant roles in the back end of the defense. As for the front seven, Jamison Steljes, who has also been a fixture the last few years on the offensive line when healthy, is slated to play linebacker. Weaver could end up spending a lot of time on the defensive line. Throw in an array of versatile, speedy athletes like lacrosse players Austin Hall and Oakleigh Archer as well as Blake Schaar and Jack Velicky and the Eagles have some strong pieces to work with. Now they’ve just got to get everyone in place. The Eagles raced out to a 5-1 start in 2014 before dropping the last four games of the season. If Covenant can find a way to close the year with the same style that it usually has to start the season, the Eagles could challenge for a playoff spot. ✖
Blue Devils load up front To say that the Blue Devils had a complicated 2014 season is putting it lightly. For starters, they spent much of the season with out its starter at quarterback, Sam Allen, because of illness. Thanks to Julius Puryear’s effort and willingness to slide into the QB role, Fork Union was able to compete early on against a brutal schedule. Unfortunately for the Blue Devils, their record did not reflect just how close they were having a truly quality season, the kind the programs is used to. FUMA fell by a point to Georgetown Prep and loss to perennial VISAA Division 1 power Liberty Christian by two. Throw in a narrow loss to St. Christopher’s and Bishop O’Connell and you have all the makings of season that was far better than it appears on paper. Now in the third year with Brian Hurlocker as coach, Fork Union looks to take those narrow losses and turn them into victories. With the loss of Allen and Puryear and standout running back Rashon Torrence, that won’t be easy. But the good news is that the Blue Devils return the bulk of talent in the trenches to make that transition and growth an easier goal. Offensively, FUMA has five key players back on the offensive line in Zach Pace, Chris Moody, Brennan Gar-
rison, Bo Barnes and Michael Harper. With tight ends Philip Fitzpatrick and Josh Nevers both back, the front is strong. Daniel Judy will be under center at quarterback to fill the void left by Allen and Puryear. With Taurus Carroll and Romello Blanton-Wade, the Blue Devils have new comers at wide receiver to help develop the passing game. Running back remains a question mark in training camp, but this a program with a strong track and field background that seems to spit out quality backs with regularity. With an experience line, look for FUMA to find those runners quickly. Defensively, junior linebacker Adam Hackenberg will look to lead a defense that struggled last year because of youth and size. He, Fitzpatrick, Nevers and Harper will spearhead the workload for the front seven. Carroll and Blanton-Wade, both of whom have impressed Hurlocker early on, will lead the way for the secondary. While the schedule is as daunting this year as it was last, the result should be different thanks to line play. By the time that Blue Devils open up Prep League play in October, this should be a seasoned group ready to get this program back to the VISAA Division 1 playoffs after a two-year hiatus. ✖
Kareem Johnson St. Anne’s-Belfield, Sr. Good things happen for the St. Anne’s-Belfield’s football team when Kareem Johnson has the ball in his hands. It doesn’t matter how the ball gets there, just that it does and the more often, the better. Johnson scored 13 touchdowns four different ways last year (rushing, receiving, interception and punt returns), giving the Saints an explosive, dynamic force in all three phases of the game. Now Johnson returns for a STAB squad that’ll need some of that explosiveness as they break in a new quarterback with the graduation of Lee Parkhill. Johnson, who is also an all-state defender for the Saints’ state-title winning lacrosse team, combines with another multi-tooled threat in Jalen Harrison to make the Saints extremely difficult to guard when both players are lined up on opposite sides of the field. If whoever takes over at quarterback can pick up on matchups and deliver the ball to Johnson when he creates separation, the Saints could get going again in 2015 and potentially duplicate 2014’s run to the state championship game. After all, good things happen when the ball is in Johnson’s hands. ✖
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Michael Davenport Woodberry Forest, Sr. His size and speed as a defensive back make him a coach’s dream. For Woodberry coach Clint Alexander, it allows him to play Davenport as a centerfielder or leave him alone on an island, a defensive back capable of changing an entire defensive scheme. Woodberry will look to Davenport now to lead this group of defensive backs who will be the safety net for a defensive front that earned a lot of experience last year. Last year the Tigers’ secondary almost single-handedly carried the team — and often provided a much needed scoring punch. With Davenport in the fold, this unit is once again as dangerous as ever, a staple at Woodberry on a year-to-year basis. And then there’s his play on special teams. Davenport’s track and field background make him a perfect fit as a punt and kickoff return man. His top gear separates him from the rest of the field, but his ability to find seems, hit small openings are reminiscent of the days when CJ Prosise (now at Notre Dame) played for the Tigers. All in all, What is Davenport? A humantouchdown-in-waiting, and he doesn’t play on offense. ✖
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Saints look to take final step Last season’s 10-2 record and St. Anne’s-Belfield’s trip to the VISAA Division II state final was the culmination of a complete about face by the Saints’ program as they built from an 0-10 record during many of the current seniors’ sophomore year. While several core members of that squad, including prolific quarterback Lee Parkhill and stalwart linebacker Minor Smith, graduated, the Saints appear poised to put together a pretty solid encore to last season’s incredible effort. The core for the Saints this season starts much as it has the last two years, with Kareem Johnson and Jalen Harrison on the boundaries. Johnson and Harrison have owned the edges at both wide receiver and defensive back the last two years for the Saints, and their impact should only increase. Johnson emerged as a pass rushing threat in the box last season and could be used that way again this year. Both should factor into the return game in some capacity and they’ll give whoever settles in at quarterback to replace Parkhill a pair of explosive, sure-handed targets that can score from anywhere. Harrison went for 779 yards and 11 touchdowns through the air last year, leading the area in receiving TDs while Johnson had 605 yards and eight touchdowns on 31 catches. He also threw in four
touchdowns in the return game and on defense. Tight end Campbell Miller should also continue to be a factor in the passing game. He scored on nearly half of his 13 catches on the season, finding the end zone six times while picking up 312 yards. John Woodson should shoulder more of the load in the ground game, but he’ll have to do so with some new faces up front after Bredt Stockwell and Gideon Elron graduated. Look for senior Woods Gibbons to take more of a leadership role in the trenches along with returning center Joe Upchurch, who’ll also be a factor on defensive line. Joining Johnson and Harrison in the secondary will likely be Miller and Lucas, with Lucas returning from an injury last season. Woodson should be ready to provide pressure on the edge much as he did last year. The Saints have opted for speed and quickness defensively the last couple of years in lieu of size, and it has paid dividends with the versatility of players like Woodson and Johnson, who can make an impact all over the field. The Saints are obviously no longer rebuilding after two straight playoff runs. They’re looking to load up, and with this group in place they certainly seem ready for another strong campaign. ✖
ST. ANNE ’S -BELFIELD
SAINTS
OLD DOMINION CONFERENCE, 2014 RECORD: 10-2 9/4 9/12 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/23 10/30 11/7
@ @ vs. @ vs. vs. vs. vs. @
Hargrave Christchurch St. Christopher’s Trinity Episcopal Nansemond-Suffolk North Cross Covenant Virginia Episcopal Blue Ridge
WHO’S GONE: LEE PARKHILL (QB), MINOR SMITH (OL/LB), BRODIE PHILLIPS (RB/DB) WHO’S BACK: CAMPBELL MILLER (TE/QB/ DB, PICTURED BELOW), KAREEM JOHNSON (WR/DB/RS), JALEN HARRISON (WR/DB/ RS), JOHN WOODSON (RB/DL), LOGAN LUCAS (ATH), JOE UPCHURCH (C/DL), PATRICK BLAKE (PK), WOODS GIBBONS (OL/DL) WHO’S NEW: BOBBY NICHOLSON (QB)
WOODBERRY FOREST
Tigers start with loaded roster
TIGERS
Woodberry Forest coach Clint Alexander faces an interesting challenge each year in constructing the Tigers’ schedule. With only a handful of Prep League opponents a set part of the slate, each year he has to hunt for opponents. This year, he’s put together a whopper of a schedule. The Tigers play Bishop McNamara, 4A North Carolina state champion Pinecrest, IAC Champion Bullis (Potomac, Md.) and Avalon School along with their usual round robin of top-flight in-state prep schools like Liberty Christian Academy, Fork Union and Collegiate. It’s a doozy, but the Tigers might just have the kind of deep, talented squad a program needs to navigate those kind of waters. That starts with junior quarterback Lindell Stone. The Texan signal-caller is back as the Tigers’ starter with scholarship offers from UCLA, Virginia, West Virginia and Purdue among many others. In his two years at Woodberry, Stone is undefeated as a starter. He’ll also have senior Zack Roderick to throw to as the senior returns after catching 33 balls last year for 392 yards and four touchdowns while John Kirven, a junior tight end with an offer from UVa, should also factor into the passing game. Newcomer junior
9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/3 10/9 10/17 10/24 10/31 11/6 11/14
Terrel Jana will join the mix at wideout. Protecting Stone are three returning starters up front in Stanford commitment Clark Yarbrough and fellow seniors Jack Sari and Darby Henagan. Running back has some question marks with the graduation of current Columbia tailback H.T. Minor, but talented athletes like Lionel Johnson and others will likely fill that spot nicely for the Tigers. The secondary, as it so often is, is loaded for the Tigers despite the graduation of Prep League MVP Nathaniel Tyrell. Logi Portugal returns as does Michael Davenport at free safety. Look for Khalid Thomas to potentially have a breakout year as a sophomore in that unit while Bebe Olaniyan joins the defensive backs likely as a strong safety. While there are several holes to fill at linebacker, Joseph Stephenson was an all-state performer in the middle last year and Ryan Grady has an offer at Army and can cover the entire field with his speed. As the new defenders in the front seven like Derek Lora and Billy Solms find their footing, the Tigers’ offense will need to be ready to roll out of the gate. Sure, it’s a tough schedule. But this group of Tigers will be prepared to handle the pressure. ✖
PREP LEAGUE, 2014 RECORD: 8-1 vs. @ @ @ vs. @ vs. @ vs. vs. @
Bishop McNamara Pinecrest Bullis Liberty Christian Avalon Collegiate Trinity Benedictine St. Christopher’s Fork Union Episcopal
WHO’S GONE: H.T. MINOR (RB), COLE MARTINI (OL), NATHANIEL TYRELL (DB/RS) WHO’S BACK: ZACK RODERICK (WR, PICTURED BELOW), LINDELL STONE (QB), CLARK YARBROUGH (OL), MICHAEL DAVENPORT (DB), LOGI PORTUGAL (DB), LIONEL JOHNSON (RB/OLB), JOSEPH STEPHENSON (LB/SS) WHO’S NEW: KHALID THOMAS (QB/DB), JOHN KIRVEN (TE)
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Success stories begin here.
Success Story: Will Furrer Will Furrer came to Virginia Tech at a pivotal point for the Frank Beamer era, the coach for the Hokies since 1987. After attending Fork Union and playing for the Blue Devils’ postgraduate football team in 1987, he signed to play for Virginia Tech. Despite the Hokies success on the national level over the last 15 years, Furrer stands as the school’s fifth all time career passing leader. He went 16-18-1 as a starter. As a junior and senior, Furrer threw for 2,122 yards and 19 touchdowns 1,820 yards and 15 yards respectively. Over a four year span he completed 494 of his 920 passing attempts for 5,915 yards. Furrer’s freshman and sophomore years were the first two winning season’s of the Beamer era and played a large role in the Hokies joining up with the Big East. Only Logan Thomas, Tyrod Taylor, Bryan
Randall and Don Strock managed to throw more that 6,000 yards at Virginia Tech. After his time in Blacksburg, Furrer was drafted in the fourth round of the 1992 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. He played in Chicago, then for the Houston Oilers, Denver Broncos and St. Louis Rams. Now a Senior Vice President of Product for Q2, Furrer also sits on the FUMA Board of Trustees as well as the the Virginia Tech Alumni Association Board of Directors. This fall he will be inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame. A Danville, PA, native, Furrer came to Fork Union with a simple goal. To this day, he’s an integral part of the program for both for the Blue Devils and Hokies. That’s an amazing journey, one that both Furrer and his respective schools clearly hope to continue.
Fork Union Military Academy is the leading Christian military boarding school for boys in grades 6 - 12 and PG. www.forkunion.com — 1-800-GO-2-FUMA
Overtime
Proper installation Two teams face similar expectations, different challenges
M
y high school squad seemed to only run about four plays when I was a junior, prompting one local media member to claim that our offense was “handoff to Chuck Robinson and get out of the way.” Looking back, I can’t argue with him. But it’s rarely that simple for a high school squad. Putting together an offense and inputting the system is a unique challenge each year, a job that’s essentially never done, no matter what stage a team is in. When a high school team is installing its offense at the beginning of a season, any number of factors can impact the pace and breadth with which the team can install. Injuries or a new coach or a new offense or experience or an offense’s complexity can have a wide-ranging impact on how fast a staff and players can acclimate to an offense. This year, two teams that both had tremendous 2014 campaigns are facing very different situations when it comes to installing their offense. St. Anne’s-Belfield is coming off a state title game appearance and Western Albemarle put together the deepest playoff run in program history to the state semifinals. But experience and personnel is making for very different fall camps for the teams’ respective offenses, at least in the early going. STAB rode the arm of Lee Parkhill last season, but with his graduation, the Saints have to find a new signal-caller and they’re sorting through some choices. There’s usual tight end Campbell Miller, defensive back Logan Lucas who’s back from an injury, and all-state wideout and defensive back Jalen Harrison. “If I was coming out here for the first time and seeing the athletes we have at quarterback I’d be drooling a little bit,” said STAB coach John Blake. “Campbell is throwing a little bit, Logan Lucas is throwing them and Jalen is (chomping at the bit) about when are you are gonna let me throw. It’s all about what will help us win and all those guys are going to buy in to that.” Then there’s the wild card and perhaps the least disruptive option, UVa baseball commitment Bobby Nicholson, who played youth football but has focused solely on baseball the last few years. With a big arm and good size, if he can acclimate to the offense quickly he’d allow players like Harrison and Miller to stay in place and make the Saints’ offense that much more dynamic. But with Nicholson’s lack of experience, the Saints are having to spend a little more time on the basics this offseason versus last year when Parkhill had been running the STAB system for three full years when camp started. “We’ve talked about that and it’s going to be a slower process, by far,” Blake said. “But I have a feeling we’re going to shake this thing out pretty quick here on who’s the top couple of guys and press the accelerator a little bit.” The built-in advantage of Blake’s I-form offense, however is that there isn’t a huge playbook for Nicholson to use. It’s more about doing a few things particularly well, like STAB’s signature off tackle run. That particular play and the variations off of it have led to a lot of wins over the years and the Saints drill it and drill it. Once they’ve got that foundational piece down, a lot of the offense comes together after that pretty easily. “Even though we had some guys like Lee had been doing it for so long that we were pretty quick to install things, we only do so much,” Blake said. “We only really do a few things.” At Western Albemarle, the Warriors are in a completely different scenario. The team’s
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“We’ve talked about that and it’s going to be a slower process, by far.”- John Blake top two receivers, their leading rusher and starting quarterback are all back, as well as center Sam Carey and Matthew Mullin to anchor the offensive line. That’s allowing Western to focus more on nuances in many cases than just fundamentals, which has manifested itself in an early emphasis on tempo — running drives at different speeds. “We really started doing it in the playoffs last year,” said senior quarterback Sam Hearn. “It’s something we found success with at the end of the year and we’re trying to throw it in more at the beginning of the year because it worked and it keeps us in better condition.” Make no mistake though, whatever the install process is like, both squads are set on attaining similar success to last year. Western faces a unique challenge of trying to prevent complacency. The path may be different for STAB and Western and every other squad that’s getting ready for the 2015 season, but that’s not going to change the end game. ✖
Bart Isley,
CRE ATIVE DIRECTOR
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