Cornerstone

COOSA VALLEY REBELS

It’s year two of the Vince DiLorenzo’s rebuild of the Coosa Valley program, and this year, the head coach says his returning players now know what to expect.

In the midst of a good summer, the players know what’s important to DiLorenzo and his coaching staff, which has helped the team make tremendous waves in the offseason with several multi-sport athletes also on the team.

With a good mix of seven seniors, seven juniors, four sophomores and a freshman, the Rebels will switch up offensive styles this year, but they feel confident in their chances after making the playoffs a season ago and winning three games following back-to-back winless seasons.

CLASSIFICATION

AISA Class A, Region 1

2021 RECORD

3-8 (3-2)

HEAD COACH Vince DiLorenzo

RECORD

3-8 (Second year)

ASSISTANT COACHES

Reece Donahoo, Michael Sylesteine

LAST REGION TITLE

2010

LAST PLAYOFF GAME

2021

MEET THE TEAM

QUARTERBACK

Starting quarterback Canaan Johnson has departed, but the Rebels will replace him with junior Blake Warnick. After enrolling at the end of last year, Warnick became the clear favorite to run the new offensive style this season. He’s an athletic playmaker who has worked hard in the weight room and won’t be afraid of contact.

RUNNING BACK

Last year, the running back position was up in the air going into fall practice, but DiLorenzo has a better feel this season. Jacob McGaha was a lineman last year, but he was determined to play a skill position and worked in the offseason to reshape his body. Senior Lukas Bynum will also return this year and has also worked hard to transition into more of an everydown runner. Those two will be joined by junior Dustin Prickett.

RECEIVERS

Austin Griffith is a returning senior and is considered one of the team’s best athletes. He will be a leader at the position, while Broxton Lightner is a player the team is hoping will step up. As a basketball player, he is new to the team, but he presents an athletic presence who can go up and high-point the ball, while he also is smart and understands the routes well. Justin Tarwater and Jamie Pack will also help at

Photo by Keith McCoy

the position.

OFFENSIVE LINE

One of the biggest highlights of this year’s team will be the offensive line thanks to the return of starters Levi Ponder and Carter Gunnells. In addition to them, junior Brody Davenport is a player the Rebels will rely on heavily as a starter at times last year. Beyond those three, Grant Loess, Zach Swalley and Jacob Sims are all juniors that the coaching staff is excited about. Coleman Lantrip, Brandson Brooks, Logan Vincent and Lightner are four sophomores that will also play a role, while Zeke Dailey is a freshman who is coming along.

DEFENSIVE LINE

The majority of the offensive line will transition over to the defensive line as well. With several players, that will help the Rebels with stamina.

LINEBACKERS

Defensively, the linebacker position may take the biggest hit this season for the Rebels. They’ll lose starters such as Canaan Johnson, Hayden Dooley and Justin Tate, but they’ll also get back Bynum. A starter at the position last year, Bynum will be the leader at linebacker as a senior. Beyond him, the Rebels will be looking for the right group of skill players to split between the secondary and linebacker this season.

SECONDARY

The secondary will lose a couple of starters this season, but they’ll also return some of their top two-way players. Several of the receivers expected to step up will also play a key role here. Griffith, Prickett, Tarwater, Pack and Lightner should all split time playing on both sides of the ball.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Pack, who proved he could handle more positions this season, will still be the leader at kicker after a strong season for the Rebels as a sophomore.

Blake Warnick, QB Warnick will take the reins at quarterback this season and is expected to be one of the team’s top athletes, which allows the coaches to build the offense around him.

Jacob McGaha, RB

One of the hardest workers on the team, McGaha is moving from a lineman position into the role of being a featured running back after working hard in the weight room to become a skill player.

Austin Griffith, WR/DB

One of the team’s best athletes, Griffith is a senior who will be key at both receiver and defensive back this season as a leader at each position.

Levi Ponder, OL/DL

A returning starter on both sides of the ball, Ponder will be crucial to the success of this year’s team as a two-way starter up front.

Carter Gunnells, OL/DL

Gunnells will return along with Ponder this season, as the offensive and defensive lines have the potential to take big steps forward this season.

2022 SCHEDULE

Aug. 19: Bye

Aug. 26: Cornerstone Sept. 2: @ Lowndes* Sept. 9: @ Lakeside* Sept. 16: Pickens Sept. 23: @ Banks

Sept. 30: @ Evangel Montgomery Oct. 7: Crenshaw* Oct. 14: Abbeville Oct. 21: Southern* Oct. 28: @ Sparta

*Region game

2022 Coosa valley Roster

NO. NAME POSITION YEAR

2 Jamie Pack WR/DB 11 4 Dustin Prickett RB/DB 11 10 Blake Warnick QB/LB 11 20 Lukas Bynum RB/LB 12 22 Justin Tarwater WR/DB 12 23 Broxton Lightner TE/DE 10 26 Austin Griffith WR/S 12

NO. NAME POSITION YEAR

45 Jacob McGaha RB/LB 12 60 Jacob Sims OL/DL 11 62 Carter Gunnells OL/DL 12 64 Levi Ponder OL/DL 12 65 Coleman Lantrip OL/DL 10 66 Grant Loes OL/DL 11 68 Brody Davenport OL/DL 11

NO. NAME POSITION YEAR

70 Logan Vincent OL/DL 10 75 Zeke Dailey OL/DL 9 77 Zack Swalley OL/DL 11 78 Brandson Brooks OL/DL 10 82 Nacoa Santiago TE/DL 12