Fall Football Preview 2012

NSA • KFHS • LHS • NRHS • IWA • WHS

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Friday, August 31, 2012 • Suffolk publications

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Page 2 – Fall Sports 2012, Suffolk News-Herald, Friday, August 31, 2012

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Small NSA faces big challenges

By Titus Mohler Correspondent

The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Saints bring a veteran squad back to the field and are eager to extend the win streak that ended the 2011 regular season.

The Saints went 6-4, falling just shy of qualifying for the state tournament, but it was the last half of the season that has everyone excited today.

“We actually ended up winning the last six after dropping the first four, so we’re on a six-game winning streak,” Saints head coach Lew Johnston said.

Last year was Johnston’s first

as the coach at NSA. He formerly had served as head coach at Western Branch High School for 22 years, where he honed the Wing-T offense that was created at the University of Delaware back in the 1950s.

The system relies heavily upon deception, motion, and shifting, requiring pinpoint execution. That precision did not come immediately for the Saints, but when it did, winning quickly followed.

“We were in every game there at the beginning of the year,” Johnston said. “Lost to Norfolk Christian with four seconds left.

Then the next week, we played Bishop Sullivan and lost again,

but we rushed for 411 yards and it’s like a light bulb came on. It clicked for the kids and, as I said, we ran off the last six and really dominated people.”

Last year’s team had five seniors, but a lot of underclassmen as well. One of the immediate challenges this year was to see if the 2012 squad could provide continuity with last year’s success.

Johnston had good news on this front.

“They have picked right up where we left off, and I’m just really pleased with where we are right now as far as the offense and the defense is concerned,” he said.

“It’s a veteran group.”

This veteran group is led by three seniors and a large junior class. Senior Tim Burns will return as quarterback after starting the majority of last season.

Johnston will also be counting on the other two seniors: running back/defensive back Ryan McClain and tight end/defensive end Parker Mizelle.

From the junior class, a tight end/defensive end is already getting special attention.

“We’ve got one junior, John Mobley, that a bunch of Division I colleges are already looking at,” Johnston said. “He had a great See NSA, 3

Titus Mohler/ Suffolk News-Herald

Challenges: The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Saints hope this year to continue the six-game winning streak they posted to close out a 6-4 season last year.

There's good reason to expect big things from the Saints, as they are returning a crop of veterans from that team.

CMYK Fall Sports 2012, Suffolk News-Herald, Friday, August 31, 2012 – Page 3

NSA: Small team has big hopes for 2012 season Continued from page 2

Titus Mohler/Suffolk News-Herald

Numbers: Nansemond-Suffolk Academy head coach Lew Johnston has had to adjust to the relatively small number of players who will contribute to the Saints' football effort. He came to NSA from Western Branch High School.

year last year as a sophomore.”

The biggest thing that Johnston had to adjust to from Western Branch to NSA was the size of the student body.

“We averaged 50 to 60 coming out for the varsity (team) at Western Branch,” he said, “and we’ve had 25 to 30 come out at Nansemond-Suffolk. Great kids, but because of the size of the school, we got to tell people it would be like coaching at a single A Division 1 school if it was a public school — we’re that small.”

The size means injuries are exponentially more devastating.

“If we get one or two kids hurt, “Johnston said, “we got big problems, because that’s not two positions, that’s four, ‘cause most of our kids are going to play both ways and even help out on special teams. So, I told them the

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other week, ‘If you like to play football, you’re on the right team.

Everybody’s going to play.’”

The group’s intelligence, combined with its experience, forms the team’s greatest strength.

“We got a weight program established last winter,” he said. “We averaged 20, 25 kids three days a week in the summer, so they’ve gotten bigger, and faster, and stronger and so they’re just great kids to work with. Tremendous attitude, tremendous work ethic. It’s fun to go out there and work with them every day.”

The strong pre-season that has followed last year’s win streak has affirmed the Saints’ confidence.

“All the pieces are in place,” Johnston said. “Sounds like a broken record, and everybody says that at every level, but if we can keep kids healthy, I think we’ve

NSA 2012 Football All games are scheduled for 7 p.m.

Home games are in CAPS. Fri., Aug. 31 FIRST FLIGHT Sat., Fri., Sat.,

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Sept. 14 at Norfolk Christian Sept. 22 at Bishop Sullivan (12:30 p.m.)

Sept. 28 Virginia Episcopal Oct. 5 Portsmouth Christian Oct. 13 at Norfolk Academy (2:30 p.m.)

Oct. 19 Greenbrier Christian Oct. 26 Trinity Episcopal Nov. 2 at Hampton Roads Academy

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Page 4 – Fall Sports 2012, Suffolk News-Herald, Friday, August 31, 2012

Bulldogs off to a good start

By Matthew Hatfield Correspondent

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R.E. Spears III/Suffolk News-Herald

Good start: The King's Fork High School Bulldogs started the season off right Aug. 24 with a 21-14 win against Booker T. Washington High School. The win marked an early improvement over last year's season, which started with a loss against Booker T.

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The King’s Fork Bulldogs head into the 2012 football season brimming with confidence and optimism.

Since the school’s opening eight years ago, King’s Fork has never made the playoffs in football. But there’s a feeling things could change this year with the number of experienced players and the amount of talent the Bulldogs have back in the pen.

And they started things off right, with a 21-14 win against Booker T. Washington on Aug. 24.

A total of 25 seniors, headlined by Virginia Tech commit Charles Clark and East Carolina commit Davon Grayson, are on the roster this year. And as the old saying goes, there’s no substitute for experience — or proven playmakers either.

“The seniors we have are hard workers, do well in school, and we’re really excited about this group,” King’s Fork head football coach Joe Jones said.

Replacing Matt Hommell at quarterback is Uriah Adams, a junior in whom the coaches have quite a bit of confidence to steer their offense in the right direction. He won’t go

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to battle alone, though, as the Bulldogs have plenty of weapons at their disposal in the form of Grayson, senior running back Devin Taylor and receiver James Hibbs. Incoming freshman Deshaun Wethington, who’ll play some fullback and slot-back, should be a player to watch in the future, as well.

System-wise, there won’t be a whole lot the Bulldogs will do differently. The coaching staff believes the familiarity and chemistry they’ve developed can take them a long way.

“We feel really good with Adams at quarterback, and Grayson, Clark and Wethington surrounding him as well as Taylor, who’s had a good offseason — that we’ll have the ability to make some place in space,” Jones said.

“We really haven’t changed much offensively in three years, other than the fact we’ll be doing more pistol. I think that will open things up a little more and give us more flexibility to make sure our playmakers are getting the ball. We feel that we have the personnel to be successful this year.”

A couple of seniors, Alex Holloway and Clarence Burrus, See KFHS, 6

CMYK Fall Sports 2012, Suffolk News-Herald, Friday, August 31, 2012 – Page 5

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Page 6 – Fall Sports 2012, Suffolk News-Herald, Friday, August 31, 2012

KFHS: Bulldogs off to a good start Continued from page 4 will pave the way up front along the offensive line. Also, Jones’ son, Bryce, a sophomore, is going to be another key blocker in the trenches.

Since they don’t have a ton of depth, the Bulldogs plan to have a few of those players with significant playing time on the offensive line also to get some snaps on defense to go with junior lineman Jerrell Hicks, a possible prospect down the road.

Defensively, the Bulldogs believe they’ll be solid at linebacker with Deshawn Johnson and T.C. Livingston, a pair of three-year starters. Of course, Clark and Grayson will give them a pair of future college football athletes in the secondary.

Clark was a major reason why King’s Fork gave up the fewest passing yards per game of any team in the Eastern Region last season, proving to be a shutdown defensive back as he CMYK went on to earn Southeastern District Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Their ability to stop the run will probably determine just how far the Bulldogs go. In 2011, they gave up more rushing yards than any other team in the Southeastern District. The better they do against the run, the more teams will have to throw, and that will give King’s Fork an opportunity to get some takeaways that put the offense back on the field.

After watching turnarounds by their city rivals Lakeland — which made a

King’s Fork 2012 Football All games are scheduled for 7 p.m. Home games are in CAPS. Fri., Sept. 7 Fri., Sept. 14 Fri., Sept. 21 Fri., Sept. 28 Fri., Oct. 5 Fri., Oct. 12 Fri., Oct. 19 Fri., Oct. 26 Fri., Nov. 2

Indian River at Nansemond River Great Bridge at Western Branch Lakeland at Hickory at Grassfield Deep Creek at Oscar Smith

stunning run to the playoffs a year ago — and Nansemond River — which was one win shy of getting there — King’s Fork believes this could be its year to play meaningful football games in the month of November.

The basic requirements for a successful season, Jones said, are “staying healthy, especially up front, and getting off to a good start. Last year we felt we didn’t really capitalize on some things in our opener against Booker T. We had some opportunities early in the first quarter to score a couple times in that game, deep in their territory, came away with nothing and struggled.

We’ve got to come out of the blocks running those first few games.”

They’re off to a good start.

R.E. Spears III/Suffolk News-Herald

Quarterback: King's Fork High School quarterback Uriah Adams talks with his coach during the Bulldogs' first game of the season, a 21-14 win over Booker T. Washington High School on Aug. 24.

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CMYK Fall Sports 2012, Suffolk News-Herald, Friday, August 31, 2012 – Page 7

Lakeland hopes for Super season

By Titus Mohler Correspondent

The Lakeland Cavaliers enter the 2012 season with enormous confidence and credible reasons for it.

Last year, the Cavaliers lost quarterback Zack Super to injury two and a half games into the season.

The loss of Super meant the Cavaliers had to rely heavily upon running back and Southeastern District Co-Offensive Player of the Year Raekwon Johnson.

“Raekwon played quarterback for us last year, and (opposing

teams) knew he couldn’t throw, so everybody played the run,” Cavs head coach Glenwood Ferebee said.

The Cavs still went 7-4 and made it to the first round of the playoffs. Ferebee was named Division 5 Coach of the Year.

“We had to revamp our whole offense to finish out the season, and we still managed pretty well,” Ferebee said. “So I was excited knowing that we (were) getting all those guys back this year. We wanted to get that taste last year, so hopefully bigger things happen this year.”

This year, if Super stays healthy, as he is now, the

restored option to run or pass is expected to give defenses an immense challenge.

Other players Ferebee expects to be major contributors include a trio of wide receivers: Derrick Edgehill, Antonio Jefferson, and Darnell McMillian. Offensive/ defensive linemen Chris Rodgers and Craig Taylor will also be counted on for major contributions.

“I think we’ve got the best quarterback in the district, I think we’ve got the best running back in the district, and we’ve probably got three of the See LHS, 8

Titus Mohler/suffolk news-herald

Super: Lakeland High School quarterback Zack Super will be the key to the Cavaliers' high hopes this season if he can stay healthy. Super was injured early last year and sat out the rest of the season. Returning him to the lineup will CMYK give Lakeland an added dimension on offense.

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Page 8 – Fall Sports 2012, Suffolk News-Herald, Friday, August 31, 2012

Titus Mohler/Suffolk News-Herald

CMYK Confidence: Lakeland High School's Cavaliers return to the field this year with enormous confidence in their prospects for the 2012 football season, and they've got credible reasons for that confidence.

Quarterback Zack Super could be the best in the district, and the team's strong running game will add to the choices coaches have when they are calling plays.

LHS: With return of Super, Lakeland has high hopes for 2012 football season Continued from page 7 top eight wide receivers in the district,” Ferebee said. “So, we could go either way. The offensive line is pass-blocking really well. I only lost two linemen, so most of the linemen know their assignments for the run game.

You pick your poison with us this year, and I think that’s the big key for us going into games.”

One of Lakeland’s greatest strengths is something every team would love to lay claim to.

“We’re fast,” Ferebee said.

“We’ll probably be the fastest team in the district this year as a collective group.”

When it comes to the team’s specific on-field weaknesses, the coach figures it will be upfront play.

“I think that’s always going to be the weakness out here,” Ferebee said, “because young linemen are just starting to play football in middle school,

so they never got to play Pop Warner, because they were too big.”

Nevertheless, the team’s strengths seem to greatly outweigh its weaknesses, so Ferebee knows what the team will have to fight.

“Just not getting complacent with what happened last year,” he said. “I think that’s going to be the biggest challenge — not going into games overconfident.

Because we beat a team last year doesn’t necessarily mean that they (are) going to lay down for us this year.”

Expectations for the team as a whole are clear: the district championship. However, the biggest goal is loftier.

“We played Oscar Smith tough last year,” Ferebee said.

“We were a touchdown away from tying the game with a minute and 30 seconds to go in the game, and I think that gave us

Lakeland 2012 Football All games are scheduled for 7 p.m.

Home games are in CAPS. Fri., Sep. 7 Hickory Fri., Sep. 21 at Western Branch Fri., Sep. 28 Oscar Smith Fri., Oct. 5 at King's Fork Fri., Oct. 12 Grassfield Fri., Oct. 19 at Great Bridge Fri., Oct. 26 at Indian River Fri., Nov. 2 Nansemond River

the confidence to know that we can play with anybody.”

The biggest goal is to win the state championship.

“That’s what we talk about every year,” Ferebee said, “and I think the kids are starting to believe it.”

file photo

High hopes Lakeland defensive back Rausheeim Thompson drags down a Hickory ball carrier during Lakeland’s 41-15 district win at Hickory last year.

CMYK Fall Sports 2012, Suffolk News-Herald, Friday, August 31, 2012 – Page 9

NRHS sets goal for improvement

By Titus Mohler Correspondent

If Nansemond River can meet head coach Tracey Parker’s perennial goal, the Warriors will be in for a winning season this year.

“We want to be better than we were the year before,” Parker said. “If we can continue to be better than we were the year before, then good things will happen.”

The Warriors closed out their 2011 campaign with a 5-5 record, which was their best record in years. With continued improvement, the playoffs could be within reach.

“We were probably one or two games away last year,” Parker said, “so it’s important that we come back this year and really focus, play one game at a time, stay on task.”

This season will bring a challenge due to last year’s graduation.

“We graduated a bunch of really good skill guys last year, so right now, we’re kind of feeling our way through that,” Parker said.

Some very important positions do feature returning players, however.

“I think our greatest strength probably right now is our line,” Parker said.

“We have a group of kids that started as freshmen for us, and they’ve kind of gone through some battles here. They’ve worked really hard over the years and put in some really good weight-room time.”

After three consecutive years as the starting line, Parker Bowden, Tracey Parker, Jr., Caleb Repko and Tyron Smith take the field together this fall for their final high school season.

Darwin Barbee will also be returning as the starting quarterback for the Warriors.

Rather than naming standout players, though, Parker explained that he has been emphasizing to the team how each and every player is accountable.

“We can’t have the success we desire to have without everyone buying into what we’re doing, and in order for everyone to buy in, we don’t necessarily have any key individuals,” he said. “We can’t win with a great lineman or a great quarterback or a great receiver. We’ve got to have everyone working together with the same goal in mind, and that’s going to CMYK

CMYK

Titus Mohler/Suffolk News-Herald

Starting line: Nansemond River High School's Warriors return four linemen this year who have started on the offensive line together for the past three years. The experience could prove invaluable as the team looks to improve on last year's record.

make us a better team.”

After the exodus of seniors, this year’s team is notably younger. To aid in player development, Parker has kept his offensive and defensive schemes consistent with previous years.

“No significant changes,” he said, “and I think the continuity is important, because it’s not new information the kids are having to digest, and I think that’s helping us to move along a lot faster.”

Parker also sees avoiding injury as particularly vital to NR’s success due to the relative size of their student body.

“I think our major challenge for us

is to stay healthy,” he said. “We’re not blessed with the numbers that some of your larger schools may have. So, our emphasis — practice and stay on our feet, get to the football, try to avoid those injures that occur in practice with people just standing around. And if we can stay healthy, we’ll be OK. I think that’s the key for us.”

With quick-learning youth and consistent good health for NR, Suffolk could be witness this season to further developments in the Warrior resurgence.

“But, of course,” Parker said, “you can only be better than the year before if you take one game at a time.”

Nansemond River 2012 Football All games are scheduled for 7 p.m. Home games are in CAPS. Fri., Aug. 31 at Woodrow Wilson Fri., Sept. 7 Grassfield Fri., Sept. 14 King’s Fork Fri., Sept. 21 at Oscar Smith Fri., Sept. 28 Deep Creek Fri., Oct. 5 at Indian River Fri., Oct. 12 Great Bridge Fri., Oct. 19 at Western Branch Fri., Oct. 26 Hickory Fri., Nov. 2 at Lakeland

Page 10 – Fall Sports 2012, Suffolk News-Herald, Friday, August 31, 2012

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CMYK Fall Sports 2012, Suffolk News-Herald, Friday, August 31, 2012 – Page 11

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Titus Mohler/Suffolk News-Herald

Continuity: Coach Tracy Parker has kept his offensive and defensive schemes consistent at Nansemond River High School to aid in the development of his young team. His goal is for the Warriors to continue improving, posting a better record this year than last year's 5-5. If they can do that, the Warriors have a chance to go to the playoffs at the end of the football season. shown here with their

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Page 12 – Fall Sports 2012, Suffolk News-Herald, Friday, August 31, 2012

Tradition name of game

BY DALE LIESCH The Tidewater News

What do you do if your team, which placed fourth in the state last year, loses 11 seniors, including the starting quarterback?

If you’re Isle of Wight Academy Head Football Coach Dale Chapman, you do things like you’ve always done.

“Our goal and everything we’re about is about tradition,” Chapman said. “We put pressure on (players) to be as good or better than the team before.”

This year’s starting quarterback, junior Brandon Saxby, backed up last year’s starter, Ben Epps, but didn’t play too many games, Chapman said.

“He didn’t get a lot of time last year, but has been learning the craft,” he said.

This year’s team has two eighth-graders, 13 freshmen, seven sophomores, five juniors and five seniors.

CMYK Chapman said the Chargers will have

IWA 2012 Football All games are scheduled for 7 p.m.

Home games are in CAPS. ≠

Aug. 31 at Portsmouth Christian Sept. 14 Kenston Forest Sept. 21 at Brunswick Academy Sept. 28 Fuqua School Oct. 5 Broadwater Academy (5 p.m.)

Oct. 12 Walsingham Academy Oct. 19 at Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot Oct. 26 Alliance Academy Nov. 2 Atlantic Shores Christian

experience in skilled positions with linebacker and running back Zeb Warnick, wide receiver and defensive end Jackson Goodman, running back and defensive back Matt Brummett, wide receiver and defensive back Gage Rogers as well as Saxby returning.

The inexperience will be on the offensive and defensive lines where the Chargers will have returning starters in Josh Regula and Will Milburn.

“Our success is directly linked to how quick our line grows up,” Chapman said.

Some “tweaking” of the secondary will be needed, while he’s looking “for guys who can fill some holes at linebacker.”

“Most of the guys on defense have a considerable amount of experience,” he said.

The Chargers will run a base 4-3 defense with four linemen and three linebackers. Chapman expects to start Goodman and Warnick at linebacker and Alex Fromfelter and Brummett at the cornerback slots.

The Chargers are coming off a 7-3 year, in which they won the Virginia Commonwealth Conference. They lost to Norfolk Christian in the first round of the playoffs.

Dale Liesch/The Tidewater News

Rebuilding: The Isle of Wight Academy Chargers will work on rebuilding their team this year, after having lost 11 seniors, including the starting quarterback, to graduation last year.

Windsor aims to build on last year

BY DALE LIESCH The Tidewater News

Dale Liesch/The Tidewater News

Improving: The Windsor High School Dukes have a good mix of youth and experience on their team this year and hope to improve on the 7-4 record they had last year, when they lost to Woodstock Central in the first round of the playoffs.

After losing seasons in 2009 and 2010, Windsor High School in 2011 placed second in the Tri-Rivers District and lost 24-8 in a first-round playoff game against Woodstock Centeral.

Coach Chuck Parrish, in his fourth season, hopes to build on that success with this year’s team.

“As a team we’re getting better every day,” Parrish said.

“Last year was a good year and of course we want to build off that. We want to get back to the playoffs.”

The Dukes have five returning starters and lost 11 seniors from the team that finished 7-4 last season, but Parrish said he has a good mix of youth and

experience.

“We have some young guys and some older guys,” he said.

Parrish said the team would focus on the fundamentals on both sides of the ball to improve this year.

“We always want to strive to execute better,” he said. “We just have to keep competing.

We did a pretty good job of competing last year.”

The Dukes plan to continue using a 5-2 base on defense, using five linemen and two linebackers. The offense will primarily run the ball.

“Not a lot is going to change in what we do,” he said.

The Dukes will play Franklin and Southampton, but Parrish said the team will take the season game by game, starting with the contest at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24, at

WHS 2012 Football All games are scheduled for 7 p.m. Home games are in CAPS. Aug. 31 WEST POINT Sept. 7 at Nandua Sept. 14 at Southampton Sept. 21 NORTHAMPTON Sept. 28 WASHINGTON AND LEE Oct. 5 CHARLES CITY Oct. 12 SUSSEX CENTRAL Oct. 19 at Surry County Nov. 2 at Franklin

Arcadia.

“The only game we’re looking forward to is Arcadia,” he said.

Parrish refused to provide a roster because he said he didn’t want other coaches scouting his team.