FOOTBALL 2015
Thursday, August 20, 2015
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Thursday, August 20, 2015 wilsontimes.com 2FB
Hunt High Lady Warriors The 2015-16 Hunt High cheerleading squad members are, from left, Kiannah Lewis-Cobb, Ally Varnell, captain A’tiana Archer, Iyana Gear, Abria Blount, captain Destiny Artis, Alexis Bailey, Kyra Atkinson, Kayla Vines, Kaitlyn Smith, Briannah Lewis-Cobb and coach Jessica Thompson.
Contributed photo
Beddingfield High Lady Bruins
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2014 stats
3
Big East
4
Hunt
5
Fike
6
Southern Nash 7 Eastern Plains 8
The 2015-16 Beddingfield High cheerleading squad members are, front from left, Hannah Rodgers, Brianna Negrete, Mykia Farmer, Kimberlin Pollock, Rebecca Bier and Chyna Carter. Back row: Maribel Herrera, Haylan Lucas, Alisa Lynch, Alexis Ward, Anaszia Lucas, Briah Pack, Alexa Ruffin and Jasmine Farmer.
Beddingfield
9
North Johnston 10 SW Edgecombe 11
Scott Jones | Special to the Times
Fike High Lady Golden Demons The 2015-16 Fike High cheerleading squad members are, front from left, Zoe Hines, Logan Walston, Maurissa Barnes, captain Caroline Herring, captain Sydney Williams, Serenity Spells, Michaela Lockridge and Mia Blanton. Back row: coach Katherine Locke, Brittney Mitchell, Asia Melton, Alexius Boykin, Skylar Brunetti, Ameila Byrd, Keiondra Harris and Payton Galloway. Not pictured: Kyra Woodard.
2-A ECC
12
Greene Central 13 C.B. Aycock
14
3-A/4-A ECC
15
Paul Durham | Times
THEY WEAR UNIFORMS FROM ... Shoppes at Brentwood • 252-291-5411 • www.ebsportsnc.com
Thursday, August 20, 2015 wilsontimes.com 3FB
No football on the radio this season Britt still hopes to call 40th season online By Randy Jones Staff Writer
Former Fike head coach and Wilson native Kim Brown, at the 2-A Eastern Carolina Conference coaches meeting Aug. 5 at King’s Restaurant in Kinston, is the new head coach at North Lenoir, replacing Calvin Sutton.
Tom Ham | Times
Wilson native Brown accepts latest challenge at North Lenoir By Tom Ham Senior Staff Writer
KINSTON — Kim Brown doesn’t deny that, during his coaching career of three-plus decades, he has embraced jobs that his peers not only would not take but simply didn’t want. His latest assignment falls into that category. The 54-year-old Brown, the Fike head coach in 2009 and 2010 and still a Wilson resident, became, in June, the head football coach of the North Lenoir High program of the 2-A Eastern Carolina Conference. The Hawks are mired in a decade-long struggle and Brown has been told the varsity record the last eight years is 10-75. North Lenoir snapped a losing streak of more than 40 games last year. “It intrigued me,” Brown said of his new position during the conference’s media day for the head coaches at King’s Barbecue on Aug. 5. “I looked at them on film; they were bad but they had some good athletes. I didn’t know much about the place but I understand it’s been 15 years since anybody talked about winning.” Brown comes to North Lenoir after serving as an assistant coach for three years at Knightdale High and one year at East Wake High. Those two stops followed the 2009 and 2010 seasons at Fike that produced a 4-18 record and were described by Brown as “holy hell.” “I sat back and had to figure out what I was going to do,” Brown commented of his plight after being relieved of his Fike duties. During his brief stint with the Golden Demons, Brown, a former assistant there, was plagued with diabetes-related problems with his right foot. He reported he is no longer experiencing problems with his foot and his mood was upbeat. At North Lenoir, Brown was greeted by a turnout of 27 varsity and 33 junior varsity hopefuls. He didn’t want to hear any talk of the past. “I went in like I didn’t know about the past,” he explained. “We don’t talk
with the kids about the past — getting the crap beat out of you the last 20 years. We have high expectations. “We have changed the way we practice, how we practice and the speed at which we practice. One thing I can say is that we don’t stand still.” Brown pauses, smiles and quips: “We’ve got to toughen them up; we are feeding them pepper every day. The kids are very slowly buying in and we’ve got great coaches.” Brown noted his staff includes John Jones, now retired but a former assistant at Fike, Beddingfield, SouthWest Edgecombe and with other programs. North Lenoir’s head coach praises Jones’ impact in working with linemen and the weight program, insisting: “The kids will run through a brick wall for him.” Brown, whose career achievements include coaching James Kenan to a North Carolina High School Athletic Association 1-A East Region final, is encouraged that 45-50 prospective players have consistently spent time in the weight room during the summer. However, he was anything but surprised to learn his Hawks were projected to finish in the cellar of the sixteam league in the head coaches’ preseason poll. “I like that,” responded Brown with a hint his Hawks may surprise some foes. “But it’s a good conference, good athletes,” he continued. “It’s eastern Carolina football. We have to roll up our sleeves and get tough; that’s what you have to do.” Thus, Brown and his staff are readying a wingT offensive scheme and 3-4 and 5-2 defensive looks for a rugged nonconference schedule that begins with a home assignment against 3-A Eastern Wayne on Aug. 21. Brown is eager. “Going back to football practice is fun again,” he explained. “I’m just anxious to see if everything we’ve done will pay off.” hammer@wilsontimes.com | 265-7819
Alton Britt certainly doesn’t want to see his 40-year streak of covering high school football games on the radio to end like this. However, as of press deadline for the Wilson Times High School Football Preview section on Tuesday, Britt had not secured a spot to broadcast a slate of games which he called most excellent in a phone interview. “The radio station is not going to do it this year,” Britt said, referring to WZAX 99.3 FM who had broadcast Wilson and Nash county football games live the past two
WHIG-TV football schedule Aug. 22 Tarboro at Nash Central Aug. 29 North Edgecombe at SW Edgecombe Sept. 5 Northern at Tarboro Sept. 12 Beddingfield at Fike Sept. 19 Southern Nash at Tarboro Sept. 26 Tarboro at SouthWest Edgecombe Oct. 3 Grace Christian at Rocky Mount Academy Oct. 10 Hunt at Northern Nash Oct. 17 Northern Nash at Southern Nash Oct. 24 Rocky Mount at Fike Oct. 31 Southern Nash at Rocky Mount Nov. 7 Hunt at Fike and Rocky Mount at Northern Nash
seasons with Britt handling the play-by-play. “I’m still attempting to get games on the Internet, but as of today, I have not.” Britt lamented that before last year he had only missed five games in his previous 38 years of broadcasting. In 2014, Britt missed four weeks in
Returning area leaders
Darius Barnes
Hunt
Jacob Williamson
Hunt
Chandler Matthews
C.B. Aycock
RUSHING
(Minimum 50 rushes)
Name, school Darius Barnes, HUNT A.J. Hines, FIKE Trequan Wade, GC Marcus Williams, SWE Jaquay Mitchell, SN Brandon Hunt, GC D.J. Daniels, FIKE Montavias Battle, GC Keshai Lindsey, BEDD Tae Davis, HUNT
G 12 13 12 14 13 12 13 12 11 12
Att. 182 157 155 96 120 104 134 107 106 68
Yds. TDs Avg. 1,325 17 110.4 1,345 19 103.5 984 13 82.0 1,010 12 72.1 897 4 69.0 727 8 60.6 742 4 57.1 642 7 53.5 461 4 41.9 437 5 36.4
PASSING
(Minimum 40 attempts)
Name, school Jacob Williamson, HUNT Zack Foster, SN D.J. Daniels, FIKE Tucker Pridgen, SWE Jake Flowers, CBA Trequan Wade, GC Dallas Krob, NJ
G A-C-I Yds. 12 151-75-6 1,318 13 122-62-8 1,261 13 159-80-11 1,330 14 47-20-3 402 12 55-26-2 172 12 184-72-10 947 11 99-31-3 387
TDs Rating 10 102.87 11 99.76 15 89.62 5 86.17 1 78.94 9 73.08 5 71.42
RECEIVING (Minimum 10 receptions)
Name, school Chandler Matthews, CBA Demonte Cherry, BED Kenny Sims, BED Brad Monroe, GC Miguel Brown, BED Shakuan Daniels, FIKE Tahj Deans, SN Damien Darden, CBA Tyrique Ford, CBA Jaquay Mitchell, SN
1-A
G 12 11 11 12 11 13 13 12 12 13
2014 NCHSAA CHAMPIONSHIP results
At Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh Robbinsville 21, Plymouth 18
1-AA
Rec. Yds. TDs Avg. 43 763 5 63.6 25 509 2 46.3 24 458 4 41.6 24 427 4 35.6 21 330 6 30.0 15 366 5 28.2 20 348 3 26.8 22 318 5 26.5 33 293 4 24.4 11 277 3 21.3
3-A
At Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh Shelby Crest 24, Havelock 3
3-AA
At Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh Wallace-Rose Hill 34, Boonville Starmount 21
At Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh Northern Guilford 14, Weddington 7
2-A
4-A
At BB&T Field, Winston-Salem Shelby 31, Clinton 7
2-AA
At BB&T Field, Winston-Salem East Lincoln 14, Washington 13
At BB&T Field, Winston-Salem New Bern 23, Charlotte Catholic 15
4-AA
At BB&T Field, Winston-Salem Charlotte Mallard Creek 25, Wake Forest 14
a row due to health issues, but returned to be at the microphone for the next 11 weeks. “I’m doing everything I can to not miss a week in my 40th,” Britt, “The Voice of Wilson Sports,” exclaimed. Britt said he had a schedule of games selected, including the Friday’s Fike at Bunn matchup to kick off the season. “But I don’t want to publish a list of games I want to broadcast,” he said.
13 games on whig-tv For the fifth straight season, games from Wilson, Nash and Edgecombe counties will be aired on a tape-delay basis on WHIGTV of Rocky Mount. The broadcast team of Wes Bradshaw and Edward Greene return for their fifth and fourth season in the booth, respectively. “We believe the NCHSAA script writers will
deliver us a season as amazing as our analysis will be crap,” Greene said mirthfully. “All in all, the Suddenlink High School Football Game of the Week is alive and well.” Games will be shown on the following channels; (31 on OTA, 17 on Suddenlink, 19 on Greenlight, 31 on Centurylong and 26 on Crystal Broadband). All games will be broadcast on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. Games of interest for Wilson County fans are on Sept. 12 (Beddingfield at Fike), Oct. 10 (Hunt at Northern Nash) and Oct. 24 (Rocky Mount at Fike). Also, WHIG-TV will cover both the Hunt at Fike and Rocky Mount at Northern Nash games on the week of Nov. 7. One of the two will play that day, the other will run a week later. rjones@wilsontimes.com | 265-8117 | Twitter: @RandyJonesWT
2014
BEDDINGFIELD (4-7, 1-4 EPC) Opponent Result @ Greene Central W Southern Nash W @ Pinecrest L Fike L Nash Central W @ Hunt L North Johnston W @ North Pitt L Washington L @ Farmville Central L SW Edgecombe L TOTAL PER GAME
results HUNT (6-6, 3-2 Big East)
PF PA 30 6 19 7 20 45 12 34 30 7 12 42 41 6 12 23 13 47 0 55 12 54 201 326 18.3 29.6
C.B. AYCOCK (4-8, 1-5 ECC) Opponent Result PF PA @ Rosewood W 43 15 Greene Central L 20 27 @ North Lenoir W 55 26 Goldsboro W 35 25 @ Corinth Holders L 28 42 New Bern L 0 44 @ Southern Wayne W 51 12 @ J.H. Rose L 0 45 D.H. Conley L 7 35 @ South Central L 22 51 Eastern Wayne L 21 47 TOTAL 295 425 PER GAME 24.6 35.4 FIKE (12-2, 4-1 Big East)
Opponent Result @ South Central L @ Hertford County W @ New Hanover L Northeastern L Currituck County W Beddingfield W Northern Nash W Rocky Mount L @ Southern Nash W @ Nash Central W Fike L @ Fike L TOTAL PER GAME
PF PA 17 20 42 13 32 36 0 28 54 14 42 12 31 27 14 31 18 7 28 0 21 51 16 21 331 281 27.6 23.4
NORTH JOHNSTON (1-10, 0-5 EPC) Opponent Result Louisburg L Bunn L @ Corinth Holders L @ Princeton L Lakewood L North Lenoir W @ Beddingfield L Farmville Central L North Pitt L @ SW Edgecombe L Washington L TOTAL PER GAME
PF 21 0 14 0 7 42 6 7 12 13 0 122 11.1
PA 49 47 44 54 25 14 41 48 39 49 48 458 41.6
SOUTHERN NASH (9-4, 4-1 Big East)
Opponent Result PF PA Bunn W 28 0 Roanoke Rapids W 41 7 @ Kinston W 21 12 @ Beddingfield W 34 12 Smithfield-Selma W 52 10 South Johnston W 41 35 @ Southern Nash L 35 42 Nash Central W 49 26 @ Rocky Mount W 14 12 Northern Nash W 43 7 @ Hunt W 51 21 Hunt W 21 16 Northern Guilford L 28 58 TOTAL 479 274 PER GAME 34.2 19.6
Opponent Result @ SW Edgecombe W @ Beddingfield L @ Bunn L Roanoke Rapids W @ Ayden-Grifton W Tarboro W Fike W @ Northern Nash W Hunt L Rocky Mount W @ Nash Central W Williams W Eastern Wayne L TOTAL PER GAME
PF PA 33 16 7 19 27 31 38 21 7 6 46 27 42 35 42 7 7 18 28 21 25 6 35 28 17 24 354 259 27.2 19.9
GREENE CENTRAL (4-8, 3-2 ECC) Opponent Result Beddingfield L @ C.B. Aycock W SW Edgecombe L @ Eastern Wayne L @ Farmville Central L @ North Pitt L Ayden-Grifton L @ North Lenoir W Kinston L South Lenoir W @ Goldsboro W @ Randleman L TOTAL PER GAME
PF PA 6 30 27 20 28 38 6 21 14 50 7 21 21 35 54 0 26 40 52 11 50 20 22 26 313 312 26.1 26.0
SW EDGECOMBE (10-4, 4-1 EPC) Opponent Result PF Southern Nash L 16 @ North Edgecombe W 22 @ Greene Central W 38 @ Tarboro L 14 Rocky Mount W 35 East Carteret W 48 North Pitt W 51 @ Washington L 13 Farmville Central W 48 North Johnston W 49 @ Beddingfield W 54 North Brunswick W 35 @ Jax Northside W 32 @ Northeastern L 6 TOTAL 461 PER GAME 32.9
PA 33 12 28 19 21 12 21 20 13 13 12 13 13 48 278 19.9
2014
fINAL STANDINGS
3-A Big East Conference Team Conf. All Fike 4-1 11-2 Southern Nash 4-1 9-4 Rocky Mount 3-2 8-5 Northern Nash 1-4 5-6 Nash Central 0-5 0-11
3-A/4-A Eastern Carolina Conference
PS 479 354 355 265 75
PA 274 259 224 248 394
2-A Eastern Plains Conference Team Conf. All Washington 5-0 14-2 SW Edgecombe 4-1 10-4 Farmville Central 3-2 11-3 North Pitt 2-3 4-8 Beddingfield 1-4 4-7 North Johnston 0-5 1-10
PS 474 461 532 197 201 114
PA 158 278 258 287 327 458
Team Conf. All New Bern 6-0 16-0 J.H. Rose 4-2 10-3 D.H. Conley 4-2 8-4 Eastern Wayne 4-2 11-3 South Central 2-4 7-5 C.B. Aycock 1-5 4-8 Southern Wayne 0-6 0-11
PS 579 529 395 513 368 295 65
PA 133 321 263 285 335 425 425
2-A Eastern Carolina Conference Team Conf. All Ayden-Grifton 5-0 8-5 Kinston 4-1 7-6 Greene Central 3-2 4-8 Goldsboro 2-3 3-8 North Lenoir 1-4 2-9 South Lenoir 0-5 2-9
PS 337 279 313 197 156 131
PA 271 287 312 348 507 351
Thursday, August 20, 2015 wilsontimes.com 4FB
Fike, SN again expected to vie for Big East title Gryphons eye a move up; Warriors look to rebound
Big East weekly schedule
By Paul Durham Sports Editor
Since the 3-A Big East Conference’s inception in 2009, Hunt High had reigned in the sport of football until last fall. The Warriors won four outright conference titles and shared the 2009 league championship with Northern Nash. But all that came crashing down last year when Fike and Southern Nash emerged as co-champions. The Golden Demons put an emphatic exclamation point on their ascendance with a 51-21 victory in Warrior Stadium on the last Friday of the regular season. The Firebirds gained their share with a 42-35 defeat of Fike on the first Friday of conference play but an 18-7 loss at home to Hunt in week 3 of the conference run doomed their outright claim to the Big East crown. So it came as little surprise that when the Big East coaches met Aug. 10 at Nash Central, they picked Fike to win the conference this season with Southern Nash a close second. “I’d rather it have been the other way,” said Fike head coach Tom Nelson, who accorded the Firebirds their only first-place vote. “I think it’s going to be a toss-up because I think Hunt’s really good, I think Southern Nash’s really good, Rocky Mount’s good. Northern Nash and Nash Central will be better. “To be picked is one thing but hopefully that first week in November, it’ll be that but there’s a long time between now and then.” Hunt and Rocky Mount tied for third in the poll, mirroring their 2014 league finish, while Nash Central, winless the last two seasons but with a new coach in Chris Lee, edged Northern Nash for fifth place. That was fine with Knights third-year head coach Randy Raper, who was pleased with getting underdog status. Even as Hunt steamrolled its way to five consecutive league crowns by winning 24 of 25 Big East regular-season games during that stretch, it never came easy, said Stevie Hinnant, who took over as Warriors head coach when Raper departed after the 2012 season. “Along that span of ever how many wins it was from 2009 to 2013, there were several nights that we were lucky to get out of there,” Hinnant said. “There were some games with Northern Nash and Nash Central that could have gone either way, right down to the last seconds of the game. “As far as the league being balanced and tough, it’s been tough the whole time we’ve been in it. We were just very fortunate to have a run of athletes and have some luck with us.” While there has been a winless team in conference play each of the previous six seasons in the Big East, there seems to be a sentiment among the six coaches that could come to an end this year. Certainly, Nash Central received more consideration than a team com-
Head coaches Tom Nelson of Fike, left, and Brian Foster of Southern Nash share a couch at the 3-A Big East Conference coaches meeting Aug. 10 at Nash Central. Their teams shared the Big East title last season while Fike was picked to finish first this season and Southern Nash landed second in the preseason coaches poll conducted that day. Paul Durham | Times
coaches poll
Results of the 3-A Big East Conference coaches’ preseason poll, conducted Monday, Aug. 10, at Nash Central High. Teams are given 5 points for first place, 4 for second place, etc. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their teams. First-place votes are in parentheses. 1. Fike (5) 2. Southern Nash (1) T3. Hunt T3. Rocky Mount 5. Nash Central 6. Northern Nash
25 21 15 15 8 6
ern Nash @ Tarboro; Nash Central @ Beddingfield; Goldsboro @ Northern Nash; J.H. Rose @ Rocky Mount FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 Hunt @ Beddingfield; Corinth Holders @ Fike; Ayden-Grifton @ Southern Nash; Bunn @ Nash Central; Smithfield-Selma @ Northern Nash; Hoke County @ Rocky Mount FRIDAY, OCT. 2 OPEN – Hunt, Fike, Southern Nash, Nash Central, Northern Nash, Rocky Mount FRIDAY, OCT. 9 Hunt @ Northern Nash; Southern Nash @ Fike; Nash Central @ Rocky Mount FRIDAY, OCT. 16 Hunt @ Rocky Mount; Fike @ Nash Central; Northern Nash @ Southern Nash FRIDAY, OCT. 23 Southern Nash @ Hunt; Rocky Mount @ Fike; Northern Nash @ Nash Central FRIDAY, OCT. 30 Nash Central @ Hunt; Fike @ Northern Nash; Southern Nash @ Rocky Mount FRIDAY, NOV. 6 Hunt @ Fike; Nash Central @ Southern Nash; Rocky Mount @ Northern Nash
Chris Lee, at the Nash County Jamboree on Aug. 12 at Southern Nash, is beginning his first season as Nash Central head coach after six seasons at Louisburg. Gray Whitley | Times
ing off 24 straight losses would normally get. The Bulldogs have gone 3-29 overall and 1-14 in the Big East since pushing Hunt to the limit in both the regular season and the second round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-AA playoffs in 2011. But the arrival of Lee, who replaced Kevin Crudup, has provided a spark of optimism on Old Carriage Road.
NEW FACE During his four years at North Johnston from 2007-2010, Nelson coached against Lee in the 2-A Northern Carolina Conference when the latter was the head coach at Louisburg. He’s a (former Rocky Mount head coach) B.W. Holt wing-T guy,” Nelson said of Lee. “His teams are fundamentally sound and play hard — all the things you’d want from a high school coach. All the things he does motivates kids and I think it’s going to be good for our conference. I don’t know if it’ll be good for us but it’s going to be good for our conference.” Lee, who was an assistant coach under Holt at Rocky Mount from 2000-2008, put together a 37-33 mark in six seasons at Louisburg, winning the 1-A Tar-Roanoke Conference championship in 2013. But he acknowledged the move up to the Big East from 1-A or even the 2-A Northern Carolina Conference, where the Warriors resided prior to the most recent NCHSAA realignment in 2013, will be a steep one. Lee said he was familiar with some of his other new colleagues from preseason scrimmages. “It’s all fun and games when you’re scrimmaging because you can stop and ask questions and help each other out because we were friends,” Lee said. “But now we’re going to be on the opposite sides of the fence on Friday night. It’s a tough conference. Any team can beat any team any night and that’s the way we’re hoping it will stay.”
FRIDAY, AUG. 21 Lumberton @ Hunt; Fike @ Bunn; Southern Nash @ Pittsboro Northwood; Tarboro @ Nash Central; Northern Nash @ Corinth Holders; Rocky Mount @ South Granville FRIDAY, AUG. 28 Hertford County @ Hunt; Fike @ East Wake; Beddingfield @ Southern Nash; Nash Central @ Smithfield-Selma; Northern Nash @ Elizabeth City Northeastern; Rocky Mount @ Apex Middle Creek THURSDAY, SEPT. 3 Bunn @ Southern Nash; Nash Central @ North Johnston; Kinston @ Fike FRIDAY, SEPT. 4 Corinth Holders @ Hunt; Northern Nash @ Tarboro; Rocky Mount @ Hertford County FRIDAY, SEPT. 11 Hunt @ Elizabeth City Northeastern; Beddingfield @ Fike; Southern Nash @ South Johnston; SW Edgecombe @ Nash Central; Wilmington Laney @ Northern Nash; Edenton Holmes @ Rocky Mount FRIDAY, SEPT. 18 Hunt @ Currituck County; Fike @ South Granville; South-
Randy Raper, shown at the Nash County Jamboree at Southern Nash on Aug. 12, is beginning his third season as Northern Nash head coach after 22 years in the same capacity at Hunt.
Gray Whitley | Times
NASH CENTRAL Lee, who retained assistant coach Juan Jackson, a star player at Hunt in the 1980s, said his players were displaying positive attitudes thus far. “The boys are hungry to win and I think they’re willing to do whatever it takes to get that first win for us,” Lee said. “We’ve got some athletes here and once we get a win under our belt, that could snowball into several wins.” With most of last year’s offensive line starters back, Lee said that group, led by seniors Adam Moore and A.J. Floyd, was the strength of its offense. Senior quarterback C.J. Pearce started all 11 games last year. Senior linebacker Myles Lane, junior linebacker D.K. Stample and senior defensive back Terrell Brown were listed by Lee as defensive leaders. The Bulldogs, who open at home against Tarboro on Aug. 21, will visit Rocky Mount the first Friday of Big East play on Oct. 9.
ROCKY MOUNT The Gryphons have been solid in each of head coach Jason Battle’s first three seasons. Rocky Mount, which went 9-6 last year, have gone 3-2,
finishing third in the Big East and reached the NCHSAA playoffs each of those years. Now Battle pines for more. “Yeah, we’re on the outside of the door peeking through the window, wishing we could come in and hang out with Fike and Southern Nash and be with the upper-echelon guys,” he said. To get there, he said, is “just learning how to finish games and controlling emotions.” “For us, it’s the little things at this point,” Battle continued. “We should have all our components but we’ve got to learn how to finish at this point.” Forrest Bell, the backup to Josh Carter at quarterback last year, has been handed the Gryphons’ reins this year. He will have a capable backfield to work with as Rocky Mount’s top two 2014 rushers, junior B.J. Sanders (559 yards) and senior Nick Bynum (709), are back. Junior linebacker Sherrod Greene, the top returning tackler, spearheads a defense anchored by defensive line returners Artavious Richardson and Michael Ward. While stopping the run is paramount to defensive success in the Big East, Battle warned: “Everybody likes to run the football but there’s so many different styles that you’re getting. There’s a different preparation every week.” The Gryphons visit South Granville on Friday.
NORTHERN NASH After 203 wins over 22 seasons at Hunt, Raper’s Northern Nash squads have produced nine victories in his two seasons in kelly green. After going 5-6 last year and just 1-4 for the second straight versus Big East foes, Raper admitted that he’s not going to gauge the success of the 2015 Knights by the number of wins they get. “You always want to win as many as you can but right now, our goal is to get our kids to compete
Hunt High head coach Stevie Hinnant watches his team scrimmage at Cleveland High on Aug. 12.
Sheldon Vick | Special to the Times
Rocky Mount head coach Jason Battle, at the Nash County Jamboree on Aug. 12 at Southern Nash, has guided his alma mater to a third-place finish in each of his first three seasons at the Gryphons helm. Gray Whitley | Times
— every down,” he said. “I really feel this group here, their attitude is different, their work ethic is different but we’re going to see a much different mindset of a Northern Nash team right now.” Leading the Northern Nash rushing attack will be Quan Whitakers, the only senior in a stable of of running backs that includes Latrell Pulley and Carlos Royster. “We’re pretty deep — young and deep there,” Raper said. Junior Chris McNeil anchors the offensive while senior Namir Davis is the top receiver. The quarterback situation, however,
is still unsettled. Davis is the only returning starter in the defensive secondary while junior Javon Clark returns at middle linebacker. Raper expressed concern at his team’s lack of size on the defensive line, especially going against some of the power rushing teams in the Big East. “They’re more the inyour-face type runners and that’s something that concerns us because of our lack of size,” he said. The Knights travel to Corinth Holders on opening night and host Hunt to start Big East play Oct. 9. paul@wilsontimes.com | 265-7808
Thursday, August 20, 2015 wilsontimes.com 5FB
Warriors return with chip on their shoulder Hunt looks to restore Big East elite status after subpar 2014 season By Paul Durham Sports Editor
The bull’s-eye on the back has turned into a chip on the shoulder for the Hunt High football team. The Warriors, who had won five straight 3-A Big East Conference championships (sharing the 2010 crown with Northern Nash), limped to the finish line last season. Hunt finished 6-7 overall and 3-2 in Big East play but its last two losses came at the hands of archrival Fike, including a painful 51-21 walloping by the Golden Demons on Senior Night in Warrior Stadium. Hunt then lost at Fike 21-16 the following Friday night in the first round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-AA playoffs. It was a sharp departure from the norm for a program that had been to four straight NCHSAA Eastern Championship games, losing each time to the eventual state champion. The Warriors, who experienced a bit of a talent hangover last year, return no longer as the favorite to win the Big East but with a bucketful of determination to return to what they feel is their rightful spot atop the conference. A big reason for that confidence is experienced hands at nearly every offensive skill position. “I’m not satisfied (with the offense thus far) because we’ve got a lot of work to do but it feels good to come to practice knowing that you’ve got guys out there that have been there two or three years,” said Hunt head coach Stevie Hinnant. “It makes things a lot easier.”
EXPERIENCE AT SKILL SPOTS Leading the offense for the third straight year is quarterback Jacob Williamson, a strong-armed senior who has added a couple of inches to his frame. The 6-foot, 190-pounder, who has verbally committed to play baseball at the U.S. Naval Academy, is an exceptional athlete. Hinnant revealed that Williamson plans to play
Mascot: Warriors Colors: Royal blue and silver Conference: 3-A Big East Head coach: Stevie Hinnant (3rd season) 2014 record: 6-6 overall, 1st round 3-AA playoffs), 3-2 Big East (T-3rd) OPPONENTS School Record* Beddingfield 31-8 Bertie 10-7 Bunn 1-0 Burlington Williams 2-1 C.B. Aycock 14-2 Clayton 4-3 Cleveland 1-0 Currituck County 2-0 D.H. Conley 2-0 Eastern Wayne 15-1 Eastern Randolph 0-2 Eliz. City Northeastern 7-9 Fayetteville Byrd 1-1 Fayetteville Ross 1-0 Fayetteville Sanford 2-0 Fike 28-16 Fuquay-Varina 0-1 Garner 1-1 Gaston 1-0 Greensboro Smith 1-0 Greenville Rose 6-8 Harnett Central 2-0 Havelock 1-0 Hertford County 14-4 High Point Central 1-0 Holly Springs 2-0 Kinston 12-4 Lejeune 0-1
key performer
Darius Barnes Senior • RB/DB 6-foot, 190 pounds Emerged as the Warriors’ top offensive threat in 2014, rushing for 1,325 yards and 17 touchdowns despite missing two games with a sprained ankle. Earned all-Big East Conference and Wilson Times AllArea acclaim. With more offensive weapons surrounding him, the senior is expected to once more be the feature back in Hunt’s base pro-I formation offense.
No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 11 12 14 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 28 30 38 40 44 54 56 58 60 65 66 67 70 71 72 75 79 80 84 99
Name Jacob Williamson Tae Davis Michael Ellis Cam Hill Delvin Edwards Niseem Tillery Jeremy Harris P.J. Hammonds Mani Leach Ikeem Holden James Kent Corey McCalston Darius Taylor Ra’Shod Shipman Marcus Jones Jayquan Williams Jay Wiley Byron Brown Ivan Ampley Darius Barnes Naize Strickland Mallory Cain T.J. Speight Jah’Quan Miller Dallas Kemp Cameron Joyner Gary Kitchen Bryant Gibson Collin Lee Valente Arizpe Brandon Lewis Ny’saiah Allen Cody Cambra Tanner Klutey Emory Lyndon Anthony Gaetano Osaze Barnes Anth’Ane Faison
2015 ROSTER
Pos. QB RB/DB QB/DB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB RB/DE WR/DB WR/DB TE/LB WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB RB/DL WR/LB WR/DB RB/DB RB/DE RB/DB WR/DB TE/DL RB/LB OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL C/DL OL/DL K/P TE/LB RB/DE
Ht. 6-0 6-0 5-10 6-1 5-8 5-11 6-1 5-9 5-10 6-1 5-7 6-2 6-0 6-5 6-3 5-11 6-1 6-1 6-0 6-0 5-4 6-3 6-0 6-3 5-10 5-11 5-11 6-0 6-1 5-9 6-0 6-3 6-0 5-10 6-3 6-3 6-0 6-0
Wt. 190 160 155 175 180 165 215 185 140 197 130 170 171 175 245 140 192 185 195 190 115 190 220 300 205 232 225 248 225 230 215 240 205 215 275 175 208 225
Class Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr.
Senior Jacob Williamson, looking to pass in a scrimmage at Cleveland on Aug. 13, returns as Hunt quarterback after starting the previous two seasons at the position.
Sheldon Vick | Special to the Times
“We’re looking for good things from him. He realizes now this is his senior year, his last year, and I think he’s ready to carry the load.” — Stevie Hinnant
goalkeeper for the Hunt boys soccer team. “I don’t care as long as it don’t conflict with us. (Former MLS goalkeeper) William Hesmer was one of the best football players that ever played here and he was the best goalie that ever played here,” Hinnant said. Williamson threw for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns while completing 50 percent of his passing attempts. But Hinnant said Williamson will be more of a running option this year after having mostly toted the ball in goal-line situations or scrambles the last two seasons. “Now he’s not going to be a threat to outrun anybody over 80 yards but he’s worked on his quickness and his speed enough to where we can also put him into the (running) mix,” Hinnant said.
hunt history
Manteo 0-1 Nash Central 12-3 Northeast Guilford 0-2 Northern Guilford 0-3 Northern Nash 23-10 Northern Vance 6-0 North Johnston 1-0 Oxford Webb 1-0 Pender County 1-0 Raleigh Athens Drive 2-0 Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons 2-0 Raleigh Millbrook 1-0 Roanoke Rapids 1-0 Rocky Mount 15-17 Roxboro Person 0-1 Smithfield-Selma 5-3 South Central 1-1 Southeast Guilford 1-0 Southern Durham 1-2 Southern Nash 24-6 Southern Wayne 3-1 SouthWest Edgecombe 20-7 Tarboro 3-2 Triton 3-1 Washington 5-1 West Brunswick 2-0 West Carteret 1-0 West Craven 0-1 Wilmington Laney 0-1 Wilmington New Hanover 0-5 Winston-Salem Parkland 0-1 * All-time records are not complete.
HEAD COACHES Name Years Record Lawrence Edwards 1978 10-1 Bill Williamson 1979-1989 67-51 Bruce Snyder 1990 4-6 Randy Raper 1991-2012 203-72 Stevie Hinnant 2013-present 17-10
Hunt junior free safety Cam Hill brings down a Wake Forest Heritage ball carriers as Warriors defenders Tae Davis (2) and T.J. Speight converge during a scrimmage session Aug. 13 at Cleveland High.
Sheldon Vick | Special to the Times
Senior Darius Barnes, who rushed for more than 1,300 yards despite missing two games last year, will be the feature back in Hunt’s offense, which operates out of a base power-I set but runs through multiple sets in the course of a game. Leading Barnes will be converted offensive lineman Marcus Jones at fullback. Jones, at 6-3, 245 pounds, has impressed the Hunt coaches with his ability to not only clear rushing lanes but also carry the ball. The X-factor, so to speak, in the Hunt offense will be Tae Davis. “But he’s definitely our go-to man because he can go from anywhere: quarterback, running back, receiver,” Hinnant said of the speedy, 6-0, 160-pound junior. Davis will take snaps when Hunt moves to the wildcat formation while Fike transfer Michael Ellis, a senior, is also available at QB. As always, Hunt will have a stable of running backs, including seniors Jeremy Harris, Ivan Ampley, Delvin Edwards and Byron Brown. Despite losing its top two 2014 receivers, Darrion Ballard and Jaylen Gilliam, to graduation, senior P.J. Hammonds leads a capable corps of pass-catchers that also includes senior Jay Wiley, junior Cam Hill and, of course, Davis. The Warriors have less experience on their offensive line but do have three returning starters in 6-3, 275-pound senior right tackle Emory Lyndon; 6-1, 225-pound senior left
2015 schedule DATE Aug. 21 Aug. 28 Sept. 4 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 6
OPPONENT Lumberton Hertford County Corinth Holders @ Eliz. City Northeastern @ Currituck County @ Beddingfield OPEN @ Northern Nash* @ Rocky Mount* Southern Nash* Nash Central* @ Fike*
* 3-A Big East Conference game
guard and 6-3, 240-pound junior left tackle Ny’saiah Allen. The others in the mix for starting jobs are junior Cameron Joyner, sophomore Tanner Klutey, senior Brandon Lewis, senior Osaze Barnes, senior Ikeem Holden, junior Jah’Quan Miller, junior Gary Kitchen, sophomore Dallas Kemp and sophomore Bryant Gibson. “We’ve got some competition going,” offensive line coach Richie Pridgen said. “They pretty much understand that there’s no definite starters right now. We’re going to move them around so on Friday night, we’ve got the best five interior guys we’ve got and a tight end.” Pridgen assured that the unit had better perform better than last year. “We’d better be better than we were last year and
we absolutely can be,” he said. “Right now the attitudes are good.” Senior Anthony Gaetano returns as the all-around kicking specialist, having earned Wilson Times AllArea acclaim last season.
SPEIGHT LEADS THE D Just as with the offense, the Hunt defense returns experienced starters at its most key positions: inside linebacker. T.J. Speight, now a 6-0, 220-pound senior, is the undisputed leader of the defense a year after having that mantle placed on him. “He has years of knowledge for anything we’re trying to do,” Hunt defensive coordinator Andrew Farriss said of the threeyear starter. “There’s nothing new to him. He’s bringing a lot of leadership. Last year he wasn’t quite ready for the leadership he was having to take on and I think it took him by surprise, but this year, he’s stepped up from day 1.” Right beside Speight on the inside will be Holden, who emerged as a defensive star for the Warriors last season, finishing with 73 tackles. “He finally just kind of took over that spot and he’s looked really good this offseason and I feel like he’ll be even better with another year,” Farriss said. “He’s one that can play several different positions. We’ve even tinkered with putting him at outside backer if we really need to.” Osaze Barnes will also see time at inside linebacker while Brown, Edwards,
Ampley and Hammonds are ticketed for duty at outside linebacker. A Hunt secondary that lacked experience a year ago returns as a defensive strength with Davis and Wiley at the corners and the 6-1, 175-pound Hill at free safety. Darius Barnes and Ellis will also see time in the secondary. The defensive line has more question marks with 6-0, 225-pound senior end Anth’Ane Faison the only true returning starter. Miller, at 6-3, 300 pounds did start later in the season at tackle. Farriss said Harris, Kitchen and Joyner are in the mix for the other end spot while Allen, Marcus Jones, Miller and Lewis are going to see action at tackle. The biggest difference on Hunt’s defensive line this season will be a concession of size for speed. “That’s something that we’re trying to do is get a little bit more speed on the field,” Farris said. “We’ve got to have people that can run and get to the ball. They might get blocked at the point of attack but they’ve got to fight the pressure and get to the ball and that’s what we’ve focused on.” While acknowledging that a non-conference schedule that includes 4-A Lumberton, first-time opponent Corinth Holders and 2-A power Elizabeth City Northeastern could be as tough as the Big East wars, Hinnant assured: “We’ll be in most of ‘em.” paul@wilsontimes.com | 265-7808
Thursday, August 20, 2015 wilsontimes.com 6FB
Golden Demons strive for more in 2015 Back-to-back playoff seasons leave Fike still unsatisfied By Tom Ham Senior Staff Writer
The prospect of a third consecutive season with double-digit wins and the opportunity to contend for a conference championship appeals to most high school varsity football teams at any level. However, the Fike High Golden Demons, with Tom Nelson at the helm for the fifth season, want more — much more. Each of the previous two seasons has seen the Demons compile a 11-2 record and the 2014 edition shared the 3-A Big East Conference championship with Southern Nash. But in each instance, a loss in the second round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association playoffs produced the season-ending thud. “We have worked so hard to get up that mountain,” commented Nelson. “Then, we ran into the (eventual) state champions in the second round. We’ve got to get there. At some point, we’ve got to get past that second round.” Will 2015 be the season? Fike, in its season opener at 2-A Bunn on Friday night, will unveil a roster laden with 20 returnees, six offensive starters and two on the defensive side. Furthermore, the presason coaches’ poll projected the Demons to be the class of the league.
HIGH-OCTANE OFFENSE Last week’s scrimmages revealed a high-octane offense, but the demands of replacing nine defensive starters glared. “I feel really good,” Nelson said. “We have all the parts. It’s whether we put them together and get good leadership and team chemistry. We’ve got to see it all work together.” Spearheading the multidimensional offense will be the returning starters — senior quarterback D.J. Daniels, senior running back A.J. Hines, junior wide receiver Shakuan Daniels, senior tackle Alex Williams and guards Deandre Rouse, a junior, and Hunter Massey, a senior who has shifted from center to guard. Full-time defensive starters last season were senior linebacker Scott Feltman and senior secondary performer Delante Hall. Senior Lavaris Speight also started in the secondary the latter part of the season. Speight, who is being counted upon offensively and defensively, is expected to be sidelined at the season’s outset with a heart condition. Fike senior Shakuan Daniels, the Golden Demons’ top returning receiver from 2014, runs with the ball against D.H. Conley during the Fike Jamboree on Aug. 14.
Gray Whitley | Times
Fike quarterback D.J. Daniels, front, breaks a touchdown run with teammate A.J. Hines escorting him against C.B. Aycock during a scrimmage session at the Fike Jamboree on Aug. 14. The senior duo will be instrumental for the Golden Demons offense this season.
Gray Whitley | Times
key performer
and five TDs. At quarterback, D.J. Daniels connected on 68 of 131 passes for 1,139 yards, 13 TDs and eight interceptions. As a rusher, he amassed 655 yards and four TDs on 112 carries.
WILL RUN MORE
D.J. Daniels Senior • QB 6-foot-2, 200 pounds Set to start at quarterback for third season. Has progressed to the extent he will be responsible for his option reads instead of executing predetermined plays. He has verbally committed to play football and baseball at NCAA Division I James Madison University. As a junior, rushed for 655 yards and four touchdowns on 112 carries, and completed 68 of 131 passes for 1,139 yards. Threw for 13 touchdowns and was intercepted eight times. This season, could provide another offensive option in the role of punter. “We look for him to take the third step in his progression and build on it. He will be a better runner and has got a great arm. His decision-making will be quick and , hopefully, the game will slow down for him. He puts us in the right situation on every play. He has a lot of decisions to make.” — Tom Nelson
The bruising Hines thundered for 1,109 yards and 17 touchdowns on 128 rushes last season. Shakuan Daniels emerged the leading receiver with 15 receptions for 366 yards
Nelson hints D.J. Daniels will be more visible as a runner his senior season. The coaching staff expects his numbers to escalate significantly. Not only is Hines expected to surpass 1,000 yards rushing again but also assert his presence defensively. Speight was an effective rusher last season. Fike fans remember the heroics of graduated Anthony Evans a year ago; Kenny Johnson, a junior speedster, may remind them of Evans in 2015. “Running backs, we’ve got three good ones. We’re excited about them,” Nelson assured. Massey is a key cog in the offensive line — where he will be joined by junior Malik Atkinson at center, 250-pound junior Jamie Williams, senior Nick Schans, 6-foot-3, 290-pound junior Chris Batchelor and senior Trey Parker. Williams, said Nelson, has stepped up. “The concern,” Fike’s head coach explained, “is how many of them will have to play defense.” Shakaun Daniels is joined in the receiving corps by Hall, who saw action last season. Junior Logan Hill, at H-back or tight end, shows promise. “He has size, great hands and we hope he can block like a tight end,” Nelson remarked.
WEST IS BACKUP
2015 schedule
DATE Aug. 21 Aug. 28 Sept. 3 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 6
OPPONENT @ Bunn @ East Wake Kinston Beddingfield @ South Granville Corinth Holders OPEN Southern Nash* @ Nash Central* Rocky Mount* @Northern Nash* Hunt*
* 3-A Big East Conference game Backing up D.J. Daniels is 6-3 junior Gage West, who lost but one game his sophomore and freshman seasons as the junior varsity quarterback. West is also ticketed for defensive duty and at receiver. Sophomore twins John and Walker Gliarmis are battling for duties on placement kicks and kickoffs. Said Nelson, both are accurate and their kicking legs are significantly stronger. D.J. Daniels, as a punter, represents more options and defensive headaches. Atkinson can also punt. Massey and Hill will be the long snappers. Opposing defenses will have to contend with the triple option, counters and power running. Defensively, Feltman is the anchor with his experience at linebacker. Hines, at inside linebacker, may be asked to establish the physicality “we want for our team,” Nelson said. “We feel really good about Scott,” Fike’s head coach expressed. “He’s a lonesome dove as far as returners.” A “committee” of Alex Williams, sophomore Dangelo Hodge, Batchelor, Parker, Schans and Massey will be counted upon up front in the 3-4 scheme. “Nothing would make me happier than for some of them to step up,” Nelson said. Johnson, Speight, Hill, senior Jalen Hinnant and junior Marquavus Joyner will be utilized at outside linebacker. “No team will have better athletes at outside linebacker,” Nelson contended.
SECONDARY HELP West will be complemented in the secondary by junior Prince Harmon, senior Amir Etheridge, senior Syquan Hutcherson and senior Isaiah Oakes. Speight
No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 21 22 23 24 25 31 32 33 34 40 42 44 50 51 52 53 55 56 58 62 64 68 71 73 79 81 84 89
2015 ROSTER
Name Pos. Prince Harmon RB/DB Shakuan Daniels WR/DB Delante Hall WR/DB Syquan Hutcherson WR/DB Luther Williams WR/DB Carter Searcy QB Aaron Jamison WR/DB Devon Spells WR/LB Benlerneb Hamza WR/DB Amir Etheridge WR/DB D.J. Daniels QB Gage West QB/WR/DB Logan Hill WR/LB D’Angelo Hodge TE/LB Michael Sanders WR/LB Noel Ruiz K Lavaris Speight RB/DB Marquavus Joyner LB Isaiah Oakes DB Kenny Johnson RB/LB Jalen Hinnant RB/LB Aaron Reid RB/LB A.J. Hines RB/LB John Gliarmis K Fred King LB Kiontay McFarlin TE/LB Will Brown LB Scott Feltman LB Tikeen Batts DE Trey Parker DE Malik Atkinson OL/LB A.C. Secrest OL/DL Chris Batchelor OL/DL Jiquan Clemmons OL/DL Jamie Williams OL/DL Alex Williams OL/DL Nick Schans OL/DL Brody Boykin OL/DL Darius Parker OL/DL Hunter Massey OL/DL Deandre Rouse OL/DL Walker Gliarmis K Malachi Holmes WR/DB Dihamane Fleming WR/DB
Mascot: Golden Demons Colors: Old gold and blue Conference: 3-A Big East Head coach: Tom Nelson (5th season) 2014 record: 11-2 overall (2nd round of 3-AA playoffs), 4-1 Big East (T-1st)
Wt. 155 160 150 140 160 175 150 165 145 150 200 175 190 145 155 150 165 170 165 165 195 165 220 150 150 190 175 190 175 185 210 175 290 225 250 225 235 215 230 220 250 150 170 145
Class Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr.
Fike history
OPPONENTS School Record* Beddingfield 24-12 Bertie 6-9 Bunn 2-2 Chapel Hill 3-0 C.B. Aycock 7-4 Clayton 0-2 D.H. Conley 4-4 Durham 10-12-1 Durham Hillside 4-0 Eastern Wayne 3-3 Eliz. City Northeastern 7-1 Fayetteville Byrd 1-4 Fayetteville Pine Forest 1-4 Fayetteville Smith 1-0 Fayetteville Sanford 5-6 Garner 2-0 Gastonia Ashley 1-0 Goldsboro 23-17-2 Greensboro Dudley 1-1 Greensboro Smith 1-0 Greenville Rose 3-9 Harnett Central 2-2 Henderson Vance 1-1 Hertford County 1-9 High Point Central 1-1 Hoke County 0-2 Hunt 16-28 Jacksonville 4-2 Jacksonville Northside 0-2 Jacksonville White Oak 1-1 Kinston 21-11 Lee County 1-0 Manteo 1-0 Nash Central 6-7 New Bern 7-1
being shelved will provide an opportunity for Joyner and senior Tikeen Batts. “We have eight different starters in the offensive and defensive lines,” Nelson noted. “That’s where it all happens. We have to find guys who are aggressive, can tackle and can defend. We feel good about the guys we have.” Johnson, Speight, Hines, Shakuan Daniels, Etheridge and junior Aaron Jamison are available as kick returners. Nelson again foresees a rugged path through the Big East for his Demons. “Southern Nash is going to be really good,” he cautioned. “Hunt and Rocky
Ht. 5-9 5-8 5-8 5-8 5-8 5-10 5-10 5-8 5-9 5-6 6-2 6-3 6-2 5-11 5-7 5-9 5-6 5-9 5-8 5-10 5-7 5-9 6-0 5-7 5-8 5-10 5-10 5-11 5-10 5-11 5-10 5-7 6-3 5-10 6-2 6-1 5-11 6-0 5-10 6-0 6-1 5-7 6-0 5-8
Northeast Guilford 0-1 Northern Guilford 0-1 Northern Nash 22-10 Raleigh Millbrook 1-1 Raleigh Wakefield 0-2 Richmond County 0-1 Roanoke Rapids 2-0 Rocky Mount 22-32-2 Scotland County 0-1 Smithfield-Selma 10-0 South Central 4-0 South Johnston 6-2 South Durham 0-1 Southern Nash 13-11 South Mecklenburg 1-0 Hope Mills South View 0-1 SouthWest Edgecombe 6-8 Tarboro 1-6 Triton 2-2 Washington 6-4 West Carteret 0-1 West Craven 0-2 Wilmington Hoggard 7-0 Wilmington New Hanover 0-6-2 Winston-Salem Atkins 0-1 Winston-Salem Carver 0-1 Winston-Salem Parkland 0-1 Winston-Salem Reynolds 0-4-1 * All-time records are not complete.
HEAD COACHES Name Years Record Paul Marklin 1958-63 26-34-2 Henry Trevathan 1964-69 45-22-1 Gary Whitman 1970 7-3 Bob Paroli 1971-75 35-11-7 Dick Knox 1976-77 14-8-1 Maxie Williams 1978-80 13-18 Gus Andrews 1981-84 30-13 Tim Karrs 1985-86 11-9 William Huffstetler 1987-90 18-22 Eddie Summerlin 1991-94 14-22 Richie Pridgen 1995-2008 80-83 Kim Brown 2009-2010 4-18 Tom Nelson 2011-present 29-20
Mount are always good. You never know about Northern Nash and Nash Central.” However, Fike is not only bolstered by 20 returners but by the best players off jayvee squads that have lost but one game the last two seasons. “I hope we have gotten to the point that the kids are really confident,” Nelson emphasized. “We have put a lot into it. The kids are proud to put on a Fike jersey and they know the expectations when they put it on. We have a little swag — which is not bad.” hammer@wilsontimes.com | 265-7819
Thursday, August 20, 2015 wilsontimes.com 7FB
Firebirds seek to replicate 2014 success SN returns lots of talent at skill positions but OL, DL starting over By Paul Durham Sports Editor
Coming off the first conference championship in head coach Brian Foster’s 17 seasons, the Southern Nash High football team has the components in place to do it again. But the Firebirds, who shared the 2014 3-A Big East Conference crown with Fike, will have to take the same path in terms of rebuilding. Just as in 2014, Southern Nash returns plenty of quality players at the offensive skill positions but will start seven new faces on the offensive line. The defensive line faces a similar rebuilding situation, just as it did in 2014, but there is experience at linebacker and in the secondary.
Southern Nash senior quarterback Zack Foster sets up behind his offensive line of all new faces at the Nash County Jamboree on Aug. 13 at Southern Nash. Gray Whitley | Times
key performer
QUICK FACTS
Mascot: Firebirds Colors: Scarlet and navy Conference: 3-A Big East Head coach: Brian Foster (18th season) 2014 record: 9-4 overall (2nd round 3-AA playoffs), 4-1 Big East (T-1st) Top returning passer: Zack Foster (122-62-8; 1,261 yds.; 11 TDs) Top returning rusher: Jaquay Mitchell (897 yds., 4 TDs) Top returning receiver: Tahj Deans (20 rec.; 348 yds., 3 TDs) Foster hopes the chips fall in the same fashion this time around, expressing confidence that the 2015 Firebirds, thus far, have made the necessary investment over the offseason to have a chance to contend again. “I think anytime you sacrifice and put something into it, it means something to you,” he said at the Big East coaches meeting Aug. 10 at Nash Central. “I think it definitely means something to those guys if they’re on the field. I don’t know how that translates into how they’ll carry out their assignments or how many games we’ll win.” Southern Nash won nine and lost four last year, falling to Eastern
Tahj Deans Senior • WR/DB 6-foot-2, 187 pounds His superior athleticism makes the East Carolina University commit a force to be reckoned with on both sides the ball. Deans, who led the Firebirds with 20 catches for 348 yards in 2014, will demand extra coverage from opposing defenses. From his free safety position, Deans has the physical tools to interrupt enemy aerials and punish opposing receivers once they catch the ball. Deans’ potential is limited only by himself, said head coach Brian Foster. “He’s played a lot of football and he understands the concepts of what people are trying to do against him. He can be as good as he wants to be. “It’s not like he doesn’t work hard or anything, but there’s just more in him that he can show.” — Brian Foster
Wayne in the second round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A playoffs for the second straight year. That followed a 4-1 Big East run in which the Firebirds handed Fike its only conference loss but, two weeks later, were dealt their only league de-
feat by Hunt. Southern Nash’s sixth straight winning season and eighth in the last 10 years didn’t come easy. The Firebirds started 1-2 while Foster dealt with the unexpected death in August of his older brother, Travis, at his home in Forest City, eight years after his younger brother, Jarrett, died in a boating accident. The tragedy was felt throughout the program. “Even though we shared the conference (title), I don’t think we were really a close group,” Foster said. “I think we cared but we had too many little fractions everywhere and a part of that was me.” A year later, the Firebirds and their coach seem better prepared to tackle the oncoming season, which for Southern Nash starts Friday at Pittsboro Northwood of the 3-A Big Eight Conference. “I already feel different about this team. I feel they’re closer together,” Foster said. Even with daunting line reconstructions looming, the Firebirds are a strong contender to win the Big East again. Conference coaches voted Southern Nash second behind Fike in their annual preseason poll, conducted Aug. 10.
DEEP BACKFIELD Senior Jaquay Mitchel has proven to be a dangerous threat however the ball is put in his hands. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound wingback ran for 897 yards and 4 touchdowns while catching 11 passes for 277 yards despite missing the first five games with a lacerated kidney sustained over the summer. Opposite him is promis-
Senior Jaquay Mitchell, running against Southeast Halifax at the Nash County Jamboree on Aug. 13 at Southern Nash, is the top returning rusher for the Firebirds. Gray Whitley | Times
2015 schedule
DATE Aug. 21 Aug. 28 Sept. 3 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 6
OPPONENT @ Pittsboro Northwood Beddingfield Bunn @ South Johnston @ Tarboro Ayden-Grifton OPEN @ Fike* Northern Nash* @ Hunt* @ Rocky Mount* Nash Central*
* 3-A Big East Conference game ing sophomore Kendrick Bell and junior Demetris Perry returns at fullback after chugging for 304 yards and five TDs as a sophomore starter last fall. Aside from those three, there’s senior wideout Tahj Deans, who has verbally commited to East Carolina University, and sophomore speedster Nadir Thompson, who finished second in the 200-meter dash at the NCHSAA 3-A track and field championship meet in May. “Hopefully we can get those kids in space and when they’re in space, they’re fun to watch,” Foster said. Senior Chris Lucas, sophomore Dae’One Wilkins, junior Jerod Wright and junior Tremane Williams will also see backfield duty. Directing the offense again will be Zack Foster, who threw for more than 1,200 yards as a junior. That is likely the most yardage any quarterback has thrown for in his father’s 17 seasons as head coach. The younger Foster, a wiry 6-2, 168 pounds, limited bad decisions and ran the offense capably in his first year as a starter. “He’s so much better of a kid than I was at that age, it’s not even funny!“ said Brian Foster, who was also a QB in high school. “It’s true though. He’s been a blessing.” While the backfield bounty is evident, the true question mark comes on the offensive line. “I would take our skill people against anybody but the key for us has always been what we do up front,” reminded Brian Foster. Indeed, having a cohesive unit clearing holes has made the Firebirds’ double-wing offensive attack hum these last few years but the rare combination of running instincts, speed and a legitimate aerial assault could help flatten the learning curve for the linemen. That task falls into the lap of offensive line coach
No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 20 22 23 24 26 28 30 31 33 34 40 44 46 48 51 52 53 54 55 56 58 60 61 62 63 64 68 71 74 76 77 78 81 82 85 86 87 89
2015 ROSTER
Name Pos. Matt Hampton QB/WR/DB Chris Lucas WR/DB Michael Zimmerman QB/WR/DB Eddwan Norman RB/DB Jerod Wright RB/DB Kendrick Bell RB/LB Nadir Thompson RB/DB Tahj Deans WR/DB Hunter Perry TE/LB Demetris Perry RB/DL Alex Puente RB/LB Tremane Williams RB/LB Zack Foster QB Keyon Fields TE/LB Robert Spivey RB/DB Tramaine Andrews RB/DB Jaquay Mitchell RB/LB/DB Dae’One Wilkins RB/LB Tyrone Hopkins RB/DE Kijour Perry RB/DL Chandon Thompson RB/LB Brandon Farris RB/LB Joey Edgerton RB/DB Daniel Lewis RB/LB Na’Sheen Cooley FB/DL Nathan Paris TE/DL Luke Bailey TE/LB Kasey Braidy RB/LB Taylor Keith OL/LB Jauphy Harris OL/DL Landon High OL/DL Kenneth Johnson OL/LB Chris Lazarte OL/LB Josh Taylor OL/DL Kyron Hinton OL/DL Jacob Brantley OL/LB John Michael Clanton DL Bret Barnes OL/DL Tyler Tant OL/DE Zion Lynch OL/LB Josh Pierce-Perry OL/DL Tommy Kirby OL/DL Lamont Strickland OL/DE Tim Batchelor OL/DL Jaquan Bailey OL/DL Jordan Hunter OL/DL Antawn Stokes RB/DB Lorenzo Sessoms QB/DB Matt Alford TE/DE Cody Vasquez K Jose Salazar K Carlos Hernandez K
Brian Batchelor, who agreed that the success of last year’s team with seven new starters provided some confidence that this year’s group could be successful, too. “We’re a little more confident that we’ve done it, or the kids have done it and even though they’re different kids, they’re coming through the same program,” Batchelor said. “It’s not like we’re trying to get a new offensive line and a new offense. It’s the same thing that we had to do last year — a new offensive line and the same offense they’ve played for two or three years.” Batchelor said that the hope this year is to have two full units that will be interchangeable instead of having a starting group that played most of the down. Leading the way are seniors Lamont Strickland, Taylor Keith, Tommy Kirby, Jacob Brantley and Keyon Fields along with juniors Nathan Paris and Jauphy Harris. Matthew Alford, Kyron Hinton, Chris Lazarte, Josh Pierce-Perry, Zion Lynch, Kenneth Johnson, Luke Bailey and Jaquan Bailey are also in the mix.
GOING SHOTGUN One difference this year is that Southern Nash will operate out of a shotgun formation more often. With more pass plays in the rotation, the move became a necessity. “We like it for throwing the ball more. What we found when we put it in in the spring is that there’s more misdirection than what we had under center,” Batchelor said. “We’ve got a chance to have more people crossing and doing stuff and that’ll help the linemen. We try to tell our backs that a good fake is just as good as a block.” The place-kicking job is up for grabs with senior soccer players Cody Vasquez, Jose Salazar and
Ht. 6-2 6-1 5-9 5-6 5-10 5-7 5-10 6-2 6-0 5-11 5-9 5-10 6-2 6-2 5-5 5-8 5-11 5-10 5-7 5-7 5-9 5-8 5-6 5-6 5-5 5-10 6-4 5-8 5-11 6-2 5-8 5-8 5-3 6-0 6-0 5-11 5-8 6-2 6-4 5-10 5-6 6-1 6-5 6-0 5-11 5-9 5-8 5-9 6-2 5-4 5-9 5-5
Wt. 170 165 158 145 180 165 165 187 190 210 170 188 168 188 130 160 165 180 190 185 192 139 155 200 240 190 205 190 205 240 180 190 155 255 225 190 180 185 220 165 250 195 189 384 245 225 135 145 185 127 196 123
Class Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. So. So. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr.
Carlos Hernandez vying for the duty.
YOUNG DEFENSE The defense is young but there are a handful of players back from the unit that allowed just 194.8 yards per game in 2014, by far the least in among Wilson Times readership area teams. Sophomores Alex Puente and Wilkins, dubbed by Foster as the unit’s leaders, return as starting inside linebackers. Tremane Williams and Daniel Lewis will likely start on the outside with Bell, Lazarte and Lynch providing backup. The secondary is the most experienced group with Deans at free safety and Thompson and Wright starting at cornerback. Senior Eddwan Norman, Andrews and Lucas are also expected to see action. The defensive line, however, faces a retooling with only Perry as a returning starter. The 5-11, 210-pound junior made a splash at end as a sophomore but his offensive duties make depth a necessity at the position. Senior Tyrone Hopkins, Paris and Fields will also line up at end while massive 6-0, 384-pound senior Tim Batchelor, who saw action in 2014, will anchor the interior line with Hinton, Kirby and Pierce-Perry. Deans will again be the punter. While Brian Foster understands this year’s edition of the Firebirds has the talent and experience to make another run at a conference championship as well as in the state playoffs, it will take a lot of work, just as it has in the past. “I think people sometimes because you’ve had a couple of good years, they think it’s just going to continue. And we hope it does but we’ve lost some good people!” he said. paul@wilsontimes.com | 265-7808
Thursday, August 20, 2015 wilsontimes.com 8FB
Pam Pack picked to rule EPC for 3rd straight year By Jimmy Lewis Staff Writer
Washington High, the class of the 2-A Eastern Plains Conference in both seasons as a member, enters the 2015 varsity football campaign needing to replace 26 seniors on its roster. But until someone hangs at least one league loss on the Pam Pack — something that hasn’t happened in 10 tries — Washington will continue to garner the lion’s share of preseason accolades.
coaches poll
Results of the 2015 2-A Eastern Plains Conference preseason coaches poll, conducted Aug. 5 at Parker’s Barbecue in Greenville. Teams are given 1 point for first place, 2 for second place, etc. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their teams. Firstplace votes are in parentheses. 1. Washington (5) 2. SouthWest Edgecombe (1) 3. Farmville Central 4. Beddingfield 5. North Pitt 6. North Johnston
5 9 13 19 20 23
That was the message of respect sent by the other five EPC coaches at their preseason meeting Aug. 5 at Parker’s Barbecue in Greenville, as the Pam Pack were a unanimous selection to win their third EPC crown in as many seasons. Since coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams, Washington head coach Sport Sawyer cast his ballot in favor of SouthWest Edgecombe and head coach Jonathan Cobb. Washington, which reached the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 2-AA title game last season, returns just five offensive starters and three on defense. One of the offensive losses was running back Markel Spencer, who rushed for 2,041 yards and 27 TDs before departing for NCAA Division III North Carolina Wesleyan. “Right now we are relatively, in a lot of areas, new,” Sawyer reviewed. “We have about 41 players on the roster right now, but I think in a couple weeks, we will be down to 37, 36, 35. We’ve got to fill some holes. We’re solid at middle linebacker, I think, we’re going to be solid at (offensive) line, but there’s a lot of key areas we’ve got to fill.” That newness could serve to open a door in a top-heavy league where Washington, 14-2 last season, had to fend off serious challenges in order to maintain its stranglehold on the EPC. Both second-place SouthWest Edgecombe (104) and third-place Farmville Central (11-3) won at least 10 games last year, with both losses to the Pam Pack coming by a single possession. The Cougars and Jaguars were picked to reprise those finishes in the 2015 preseason poll. “It has been a battle with these guys,” Sawyer assured. “There is some good football in this conference.” SouthWest Edgecombe presents a 23-member senior class and brings back seven starters on each side of the football. While the
Beddingfield High head coach Tyrone Johnson makes a point during a recent practice. Johnson’s Bruins missed the playoffs last season for the second time since joining the 2-A Eastern Plains Conference in 2009. Scott Jones | Special to the Times
SouthWest Edgecombe head coach Jonathan Cobb, walking off the field during the Greene Central Jamboree on Aug. 13 in Snow Hill, took his Cougars to the third round of the NCHSAA 2-AA playoffs in 2014 after finishing second in the 2-A Eastern Plains Conference. Scott
Jones | Special to the Times
Cougars will miss the services of bruising fullback Devontrell Hyman, a stable of running backs are prepared to give SouthWest a formidable blend of speed and power behind an offensive line brimming with potential. The biggest name in the Cougars’ backfield is that of senior Marcus Williams, a verbal commit to Elon University. Williams rushed for 976 yards and 11 TDs while spending the tail end of last season hampered by a foot injury. Along the offensive line, SouthWest will be buoyed by the returns of seniors Britt Griffin and Kevin Parker up front, while senior Devonte Hyman, a fearsome pass rusher, helps anchor the defensive line. “I think this conference as a whole will be stronger this year than it was last year, and it was strong last year,” Cobb said. Farmville Central, which produced its highest win total in seven seasons under head coach Scott Gardner,
loses linebacker Edward Davis, a 2014 Shrine Bowl selection now at Appalachian State. Also gone is East-West All-Star and defensive lineman Emmanuel Scott. Nevertheless, the Jaguars do return senior quarterback Shaft Parker as well as senior running back Kashon Baker, hailed by Gardner as a Div. I talent. “Just like last year, I felt like we could make a run at a conference championship or a state championship,” Gardner said. “We put a lot of time in the weight room and we’ve got kids that have lifted for three or four years. Basically, our whole team is benching over 300 pounds. We’ve got depth problems. That’s our problem right now. We don’t numbers like Washington’s got and some of the other ones.” The depth issues also extend to Beddingfield, which was picked to finish fourth in this year’s preseason poll after a 4-7 record that saw it miss the postseason. Head coach Tyrone Johnson brings back eight starters on each side of the ball, but will need to insert a new quarterback to replace the elusive Kavajae Ellis. That duty will fall to Lamont Morgan, while a bevy of skill position players include receivers Miguel Brown, Kenny Simms and Demonte Cherry. One area that Johnson raves about is the potential of his offensive line, expected to be led by senior Amorris Liles. “You can go 3-2 and have an outstanding year, you can go 2-3 and have a good season with this conference we play in,” Johnson said. “But if we’re healthy, then I expect to be able to compete for it. Last year, we lost our best player (wide receiver Javius Nixon) the first half of the first game. That really just turned the whole season.” North Pitt, slotted fifth in the preseason, brings back 15 lettermen and five starters on each side of the ball. “We call it the SEC of 2-A,” Boal said of the EPC in a reference to the roughand-tumble college football conference. “We talk about it all the time and people don’t really realize how North Johnston head coach Ashley Ennis talks to his team during a scrimmage Aug. 11 at C.B. Aycock. The Panthers have yet to defeat a 2-A Eastern Plains Conference opponents in two years in the league.
Scott Jones | Special to the Times
tough it is until they really look at it. There’s no easy night.” North Johnston, which was 1-10 and 0-5 in EPC play in the first season of head coach Ashley Ennis, brings back senior quarterback Dallas Krob to run the Panthers’ wing-T offense. “It’s a very strong football conference and I don’t think that’s going to change no time soon,” Ennis reviewed. “We’ve got a lot of good coaches. They work hard, their kids work hard and we’re trying to catch up and raise our level of play to where we can be a little more competitive with them on Friday night.”
AUG. 21 Goldsboro @ Beddingfield; Kinston @ Farmville Central; North Johnston @ Louisburg; SW Edgecombe @ Edenton Holmes; Havelock @ Washington; OPEN — North Pitt AUG. 28 Beddingfield @ Southern Nash; North Lenoir @ Farmville Central; North Johnston @ Rosewood; North Pitt @ Kinston; North Edgecombe @ SW Edgecombe; Tarboro @ Washington SEPT. 3 Nash Central @ North Johnston; South Central @ SW Edgecombe SEPT. 4 Greene Central @ Beddingfield; Farmville Central @ Pamlico County; North Pitt @ Ayden-Grifton; Washington @ D.H. Conley SEPT. 11 Beddingfield @ Fike; AydenGrifton @ Farmville Central; Princeton @ North Johnston; South Central @ North Pitt; SW Edgecombe @ Nash Central; OPEN — Washington SEPT. 18 Nash Central @ Beddingfield; Farmville Central @ Greene Central; North Johnston @ Smithfield-Selma; North Pitt @ Pasquotank County; Bertie @ SW Edgecombe; Roanoke Rapids @
eastern plains weekly schedule Washington
SEPT. 25 Hunt @ Beddingfield; Farmville Central @ Goldsboro; South Johnston @ North Johnston; North Pitt @ Greene Central; Tarboro @ SW Edgecombe; Washington @ Kinston OCT. 2 Pinetown Northside @ North Pitt ; Washington @ Plymouth; OPEN — Beddingfield; Farmville Central; North Johnston; SW Edgecombe OCT. 9 Beddingfield @ North Johnston; Farmville Central @ Washington; SW Edgecombe @ North Pitt OCT. 16 North Pitt @ Beddingfield; Farmville Central @ North Johnston; Washington @ SW Edgecombe OCT. 23 Beddingfield @ Washington; SW Edgecombe @ Farmville Central; North Johnston @ North Pitt OCT. 30 Farmville Central @ Beddingfield; SW Edgecombe @ North Johnston; Washington @ North Pitt NOV. 6 Beddingfield @ SW Edgecombe; North Pitt @ Farmville Central; North Johnston @ Washington
Farmville Central head coach Scott Gardner listens during the 2-A EPC coaches meeting Aug. 5 at Parker’s Barbecue in Greenville. The Jaguars are coming off an 11-3 season, the best in Gardner’s seven seasons as FC head coach.
Jimmy Lewis | Times
jlewis@wilsontimes.com | 265-7807 | Twitter: @JimmyLewisWT
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Thursday, August 20, 2015 wilsontimes.com 9FB
Bruins hope to stay healthy, return to playoffs Beddingfield relying on line play to combat rugged schedule By Jimmy Lewis Staff Writer
With eight starters returning on each side of the football, veteran Beddingfield High head coach Tyrone Johnson likes his team’s chances to be competitive in the unforgiving 2-A Eastern Plains Conference. That is, if his Bruins can make it to the final week of the regular season without incurring any long-term, serious injuries to key contributors. Such is the thread-like cocoon surrounding this Bruins edition, and by extension, most any team on the 2-A level. Beddingfield, which finished 4-7 last season, went 1-4 in the Eastern Plains Conference and failed to make the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 2-A playoffs for the second time in four seasons after nine straight postseason appearances extending to its time in the 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference. The Bruins must break in a new quarterback as senior Lamont Morgan takes the first extended in-game reps of his prep career. But protecting him will be an offensive line that has the ability to control the line of scrimmage, led by stalwart senior guard Amorris Liles. Defensively, the Bruins’ front four will be expected to eat up blocks and allow the Beddingfield linebackers to flow to the football in space within a base 4-4 alignment. “Like I tell everybody, if we can have this same 11 we’ve got today, come week 12, I feel good about it,” Johnson said. “If we can last throughout the non-conference schedule going into our conference schedule, I feel good about it. But we’ve just got a hell of a schedule. We play six teams nonconference that are going to be great. All six of them are going to be good football teams.” The initial preseason roster records 35 players ahead of Friday’s season opener at home against Goldsboro. Due to a scheduling miscommunication with 3-A Smithfield-Selma, the Bruins were unable to participate in a scrimmage — marking the second time in the past three years that Beddingfield has not hit an
2015 schedule DATE Aug. 21 Aug. 28 Sept. 4 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 6
OPPONENT Goldsboro @ Southern Nash Greene Central @ Fike Nash Central Hunt OPEN @ North Johnston* North Pitt* @ Washington* Farmville Central* @ SW Edgecombe*
* 2-A Eastern Plains Conference game opposing jersey in the preseason. Right now, the Bruins enter their season opener completely healthy. “We’re just going to try not to beat them too bad at practice so that they can give it all they got in the game,” Johnson reviewed. “But we’ve got to train, train, train and work, work, work and scheme, scheme, scheme. That’s basically what we’re going to be doing right now.”
OPPONENTS School Record* Bertie 5-8 C.B. Aycock 8-1 Clayton 0-2 D.H. Conley 1-1 Eastern Alamance 0-1 Eastern Wayne 4-4 Eliz. City Northeastern 3-9 Farmville Central 8-8 Fike 12-24 Gaston 0-1 Goldsboro 2-0 Graham 1-0 Greene Central 15-5-1 Greenville Rose 2-8 Harnett Central 5-3 Hertford County 3-5 High Point Andrews 0-2 Hope Mills Gray’s Creek 1-0 Hunt 8-31 Kinston 12-12 Manteo 1-0 Nash Central 6-2 North Edgecombe 1-0 Northern Nash 10-8
Scott Jones | Special to the Times
key performer
THE MORGAN SHOW At quarterback, Morgan steps in for the elusive Kavajae Ellis, now a defensive back at Furman University. Ellis left Beddingfield as arguably the area’s best playmaker behind center in 2014, throwing for 1,609 yards and 14 TDs and adding 475 yards on 100 carries with eight TDs. In limited action last season, Morgan collected just 225 yards through the air and didn’t have a touchdown pass. However, spring practice has yielded a more confidence in the pocket for Morgan, who has displayed zip on his drop-back attempts and has hit receivers with precision coming out of their breaks. Of course, an opposing pass rush has yet to test his development. “He got a lot of work in the summertime,” Johnson said of Morgan. “We’ve been pleasantly surprised with his work ethic and with his progress so far.” Under Johnson, Beddingfield has rarely strayed
Beddingfield Mascot: Bruins Colors: Columbia blue, gold and black Conference: 2-A Eastern Plains Head coach: Tyrone Johnson (20th overall season, 10th straight) 2014 record: 4-7 overall, 1-4 Eastern Plains (5th)
Senior Lamont Morgan will start at quarterback for Beddingfield after back up Kavajae Ellis the past two seasons.
history
North Johnston 3-0 North Pitt 4-2 Oxford Webb 1-1 Pinecrest 0-2 Raleigh Athens Drive 1-0 Raleigh Millbrook 1-0 Reidsville 0-1 Roanoke Rapids 0-1 Rocky Mount 2-14 Smithfield-Selma 3-4 South Central 1-0 South Johnston 5-0 Southern Durham 0-4 Southern Nash 15-12 Southern Wayne 5-2 SouthWest Edgecombe 12-14 Tarboro 1-5 Triton 3-1 Wake Forest-Rolesville 4-0 Warrenton 3-1-1 Washington 1-3 Washington, Va. 0-1 West Craven 1-4 West Johnston 2-0 Western Harnett 4-0 * All-time records are not complete.
HEAD COACHES Name Years Record Ray Barger 1978-83 27-31-2 Lonnie Lamm 1984-85 8-12 Jim Tabb 1986-87 4-16 Clark Harrell 1988-89 10-11 Tyrone Johnson 1990-99 52-57 Bennett Jones 2000-01 10-11 Tom Nelson 2002-05 33-21 Tyrone Johnson 2006-present 51-56
Amorris Liles Senior • OL/DL 6-foot-2, 330 pounds Returns to anchor Beddingfield offensive and defensive lines that are expected to be team strengths this season. Has earned praise from coaching staff for tireless work ethic. Earned Wilson Times All-Area Ironman as a junior, frequently requiring double teams on defense from opposing offensive lines. Expected to patrol the left guard position in 2015. “He is just so special, man. He’s a leader, he’s a captain, he’s everything for us. He’s a leader by example. He does all those things that we need done and he’s getting it done for us. So we are really, really excited about him. He’s a throwback, that’s for sure. He’s what we call a throwback player.” — Tyrone Johnson
that caught more than 20 passes last season. Cherry, who can be used out of the backfield or in a slot position in place of a traditional tight end, is the team’s leading returning receiver, having caught 25 passes for 509 yards. Johnson hailed junior Rodney Speight as another dangerous downfield target in the passing game. Juniors Noah Adams and Aaron Jenkins supplement a deep group of Beddingfield receivers. Then there’s the offensive line, which has high hopes placed upon it — even if the depth is somewhat lacking. Junior Tony McNeil is stationed at right tackle, with senior Antonio Barnes at right guard. The center is junior Tyreek Liles and the mammoth 330-pound Amorris Liles will man the left guard spot. At left tackle will be senior Jahmel Hinnant. Sophomore Jamar Rolle, the nephew of former Bruins defensive back and Houston Texans corner Jumal Rolle, will be one primary backup, along with sophomore Jarvis McNeil. “They’re going to have to get nasty for us to be able to move the ball like we’re looking to move it,” Johnson assured of his offensive line. “We expect big, big things out of them and what they do determines what we’re going to be able to do for sure.”
No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 20 22 24 25 30 33 35 40 42 44 51 52 54 55 56 57 60 62 66 70 72 77 80
Name Miguel Brown Demonte Cherry Noah Adams Amitri Hopkins Lamont Morgan Quay Ballard Kenneth Sims Jovontae Farmer Aaron Jenkins Rodney Speight Marcus Parker Joe Messer Amonte Finch Robert Mann Keshai Lindsey Altyrick Sherrod Michael Hamilton Jaylen Taylor Bryson Walker Ivory Huggins Joe Pender Barry Bullock Calvin Woodard Devin King Carlos Burks Tyreek Liles Jahmel Hinnant David Bryant Avery Boykin Antonio Barnes Jamar Rolle Tony McNeil Amorris Liles Jarvis McNeil Raeshawn Gaines
2015 ROSTER
Pos. WR/DB RB/DB WR/DB RB/LB QB RB/DB WR/DB RB/DB WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB K/LB WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB WR/LB WR/DB WR/LB WR/LB WR/DB WR/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL WR/DB
Ht. 6-5 6-0 5-9 5-6 6-3 5-5 5-5 5-6 5-10 5-8 5-7 6-0 5-9 5-5 6-0 5-9 6-0 5-4 5-8 6-1 5-10 5-9 6-3 5-8 6-1 5-11 6-1 5-8 5-8 6-1 6-0 6-2 6-2 6-0 5-8
Wt. 175 192 186 156 178 151 150 162 157 163 172 193 166 160 204 146 185 158 188 206 170 182 190 160 205 268 260 203 180 305 294 234 330 293 142
Class Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Jr Sr. So. Jr..
Speedy senior Jovontae Farmer will see plenty of action at running back for Beddingfield this season.
Scott Jones | Special to the Times
DEFENSIVE LINE STRENGTH from putting the football in the air, but with a first-year starter and an offensive line expected to be a team strength, the Bruins may encroach towards more of a run-pass balance this season than in recent campaigns. Sophomore Marcus Parker and senior Demonte Cherry will be the backups. “Nothing helps a quarterback more than a running game,” Johnson said. “Hopefully we’re going to be able to establish the running game to be able to help him in those areas.” At running back, senior Jovontae Farmer has shown a burst of speed in getting to the second level in practice and will share starting duties in the backfield with senior Keshai Lindsey. Lindsey, also a projected starter at linebacker, will give the Bruins a stern between-thetackles presence. Parker is a backup option as well as Cherry and junior Quay Ballard. Senior Miguel Brown and his long 6-foot-5 frame leads a capable group of Bruin wide receivers. While the Bruins intend to establish the run to help Morgan, Beddingfield brings back a pair of receivers in Brown and junior Kenneth Sims
As is the case with the Bruins’ offensive line, the Beddingfield front four on defense is expected to be the cornerstone of that unit. Amorris Liles will be a constant in the middle at one tackle position. Tyreek Liles will see action on a rotational basis at the other tackle position, with senior David Bryant, junior Michael Hamilton and senior Avery Boykin also rotating along the front for defensive coordinator James Ward. Senior Carlos Burks and junior Tony McNeil are penciled in as the defensive end starters as Amorris and Tyreek Liles open in the middle. Johnson fully expects Amorris Liles to draw double teams, opening lanes for his linebackers. At linebacker, Johnson said that the Bruins are still seeking a complete starting quartet. Right now, five to six players are fighting for the four spots, with Lindsey and Parker contending at the two middle linebacker positions. Outside spots are up in the air among senior Joe Messer, junior Barry Bullock and senior Robert Mann. Senior Devin King could also factor into the mix at linebacker. “The linebackers should
Amorris Liles, a 6-foot-2, 330-pound senior, will anchor the offensive and defensive lines for Beddingfield this season.
Scott Jones | Special to the Times have a field day because of the attention that our big men are going to create,” Johnson assessed. “That’s what we’re counting on.” In a 4-4 alignment, the secondary can often find itself on an island in man-toman coverage. Responsible for the corner positions will be Ballard at one spot and Jenkins at the other. Farmer and Sims will also factor into the discussion when opponents employ more than two receivers. Cherry or Ballard will patrol the lone safety spot, and the 6-5 frame of Brown can also be used in the back end of Beddingfield’s
defense. On special teams, Messer will handle both the punting and kicking duties. Sims is slated to be the long snapper, with Messer having a preseason range of 40 yards on field-goal tries. “We need to get to the conference healthy,” Johnson said. “Then, we’ll have a chance to compete for it. But if we’re not, it’s going to be like it was last year — it will be tough. Last year, we were out sometimes five or six starters every time. So, that’s tough.” jlewis@wilsontimes.com | 265-7807 | Twitter: @JimmyLewisWT
Thursday, August 20, 2015 wilsontimes.com 10FB
Panthers still taking baby steps in rugged EPC North Johnston more comfortable in Ennis’ 2nd year as head coach
No. 1 2 3 4 7 8 9 25 28 32 35 36 44 50 52 55 60 65 67 72 75 77 78 88
By Jimmy Lewis Staff Writer
On multiple levels, there is still work to be done in transforming the North Johnston High football program into a competitive outfit within the rugged 2-A Eastern Plains Conference.
QUICK FACTS
Mascot: Panthers Colors: Red and silver Conference: 2-A Eastern Plains Head coach: Ashley Ennis (2nd season) 2014 record: 1-10 overall, 0-5 Eastern Plains (6th) Top returning passer: Dallas Krob (99-31-3, 387 yds., 5 TDs) Top returning rusher: Tracy Barnes (138 yds., 2 TDs) Top returning receiver: Ben Jaramillo (7 rec., 107 yds., 1 TD) With head coach Ashley Ennis bringing the wing-T offense to Kenly last season, the Panthers finished 1-10 overall and endured a winless five-game stretch in EPC play. Numbers are still rather low, with 25 varsity names on the initial preseason roster. But as the Ennis era transitions to year 2, the expectations of the regime are more firmly entrenched. Indeed, the uncertainty has been lessened as Friday’s season opener at Louisburg looms. “I think we’re in a lot better shape going into week 1 against Louisburg than we were last year,” Ennis said. “There’s no doubt about that. The kids are familiar with us, we’re getting more out of practice. It’s not new to them anymore as far as scheme and offense and the defense goes. So we’re way ahead of the curve as far as that goes.” However, there’s another curve that the Panthers must reach to be relevant in the EPC discussion. Ennis readily acknowledges this. “But you know, our curve is kind of we’re still at this level, and we’ve got to get up to this level,” Ennis said, gesturing with his hands. “It’s baby steps for us.”
ON WING-T TIME Senior quarterback Dallas Krob is back for his second season piloting the wing-T of Ennis, a run-based offense which attempts to create positive plays by way of counters, fakes and misdirections. Deception is key, and the linemen are often coached to not give the play away by their movements immediately following the snap. Krob, who will also line up at outside linebacker on defense, threw for just 387 yards and five TDs as a junior. Ennis hailed his game-management skills as well as his fiery on-field demeanor. Junior Matthew Griswold will be the backup. “He would find a role and start for almost any of the teams in our conference,” Ennis said of Krob. In the backfield, North Johnston figures to trot out a committee approach with many of its skill position players playing both offense and defense. Ball carriers will be expected to familiarize themselves with the concepts of running back, full back and wing
North Johnston senior fullback A.J. Edwards grinds for yardage in a scrimmage at C.B. Aycock on Aug. 11 in Pikeville. Scott Jones | Special to the Times
key performer
Dallas Krob Senior • QB/DB 5-foot-11, 180 pounds Enters second season as the signal caller in North Johnston’s wing-T offense. Threw for 387 yards and five TDs as a junior. Described by head coach Ashley Ennis as a “fiery” presence on the field. “I think he’s where we would expect him to be, being a senior quarterback and a senior starting linebacker. He should be doing what he’s doing, and I don’t think that surprises anybody.” — Ashley Ennis.
back in the offense. Senior A.J. Edwards, at 5-foot-8 and 230 pounds, stands to be a fullback exclusively. “We’re not going to have a workhorse,” Ennis surmised. “I think our fullbacks will be our workhorses somewhat, early on especially.”
Juniors Jonathan Gonzalez and Treshawn McPhatter, as well as Griswold and senior Tracy Barnes are all expected to be interchangeable components in the North Johnston backfield. Sophomore Jordan Dixon is a running back option from the junior varsity. At split end, junior Grayson Headley and Tanner Gibson are targets in the Panthers play-action game and will seek to open the edges for the multi-faceted run game. Juniors Holden Hales are Ben Jaramillo are the tight ends. “We want to be able to throw when we want to throw, not for it to be dictated to us,” Ennis said. “That always makes the play-action work obviously. We don’t need to be in third and long to where were predictable.” Along the offensive line, North Johnston must replace a pair of departed starters in Jacob Cuddington and Greg Castle. Right now, senior Ethan Williams is at one tackle position, followed by senior Dawson Bowen at guard. Junior Robert Jackson is the center, while senior Robert Moore is at the other guard spot. Senior Cy Daughtry fills out the line at tackle. Ennis mentioned Moore as a player that needs to make strides from his center position. Daughtry, at 6-2 and 285 pounds, must develop an angry disposition on the field. Depth concerns are a reality in the trenches. “We need Cy to get a mean streak is what we
need,” Ennis reviewed. “He’s super smart, he’s nice and I don’t know if he’d hurt a fly. While we want him to be a gentleman off the field, we want him to be borderline going to prison on the field. We want him to be mean a little bit and that’s hard for him because he’s such a good kid.”
DEFENSE North Johnston will primarily utilize a 3-4 front with a sprinkling of under looks featuring four down linemen. With continued improvement, Ennis sees the defensive line as a strength. Jaramillo and junior Chace Reed are expected to start at the two defensive end spots, with Williams at the nose guard. The same rotation along the offensive line will be called upon defensively to keep bodies fresh as much as possible. An increased rotation will take place along the defensive line, and gap control will be paramount. At linebacker, Krob will help lead the unit from one outside spot, but can move inside if needed. Bowen and Moore are the projected starters inside. Junior Tyler Scott will start alongside Krob at outside linebacker. The speed of Kamari Taylor could also figure into the linebacking corps, as well as Dixon from the junior varsity. In the secondary, Gonzalez and McPhatter will battle for starting spots alongside senior D.J. Joyner. Headley and Griswold will
2015 ROSTER
Name Pos. DJ Joyner SE/DB Jordan Dixon RB/LB Tracy Barnes RB/DB Treshawn McPhatter RB/DB Matthew Griswold RB/DB Dallas Krob QB/DB Ricardo Sanchez K/P Jonathan Gonzalez RB/DB A.J. Edwards FB/DL Ezra Warren WR Tyler Scott WR/LB Grayson Headley SE/DB Ben Jaramillo TE/OLB Kamari Taylor LB/OL Hunter Moore G/MLB Dawson Bowen G/LB Tavis Cooley DT Robert Jackson OL/DL Cy Daughtry OL/DL Ethan Williams G/DT Joshua Wandland OL/DL Chace Reed G/DT Evander Stancil T/DT Holden Hales TE/DL Ian Walston K
help patrol the safety spots, with senior Tracy Barnes serving as a hybrid cornerback/safety. “They’ve got some experience back there,” Ennis said of his secondary. “We’re a little stronger. I think that showed (during scrimmage action) with some tackling. They were able to make some plays and make some tackles that they didn’t do last year because of just physical ability.” Jaramillo will handle the punting duties with Hales serving as the long snapper. A pair of kickers from the soccer team — Ian Walston and junior Ricardo Sanchez — give the Panthers a pair of able specialists. Sanchez is capable of field goals from inside 35 yards. While a breakout season for the Panthers still may be a year or more down the road, the groundwork for future success is being laid. “We’re taking baby steps here,” Ennis reminded. “If somebody falls asleep on us and we stay healthy, then we can surprise some people. But it’s kind of up
Ht. 5-10 5-10 5-9 5-6 5-8 5-11 6-0 5-7 5-8 5-10 5-10 6-1 6-3 5-10 6-0 5-11 5-8 6-0 6-2 6-2 5-10 6-2 6-1 6-1 5-10
Wt. 145 155 155 135 145 180 145 140 230 165 165 175 225 185 175 205 210 230 285 240 255 220 235 215 155
Class Sr. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr.
2015 schedule DATE Aug. 21 Aug. 28 Sept. 3 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 6
OPPONENT @ Louisburg @ Rosewood Nash Central Princeton @ Smithfield-Selma South Johnston OPEN Beddingfield* Farmville Central* @ North Pitt* SW Edgecombe* @ Washington
* 2-A Eastern Plains Conference game to them. It’s like I tell them all the time. This is your time. You’re the ones playing. Nobody up there in the stands can play anymore. Your daddy can’t play no more. Just enjoy your time playing football kind of at its purest.” jlewis@wilsontimes.com | 265-7807 | Twitter: @JimmyLewisWT
Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club Tackle Football Join us Saturday, August 29 for our Football Jamboree at CCS Come see four great teams scrimmage to get ready for this year’s football season. Teams include: The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Wilson, South West, The SPOT, and Nash County.
Gates open at 8:00 a.m. and scrimmages start at 9:00 and run until 2:30. Tickets are only $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12. Kids under 5 get in for free. Tickets can be bought at the gate. Concessions will be available.
Come enjoy a day out with fun for the whole family. For more information contact the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club at 252-243-5443 North Johnston junior linebacker Tyler Scott (35) blitzes against C.B. Aycock during the teams’ scrimmage Aug. 11 in Pikeville. Scott Jones | Special to the Times
Thursday, August 20, 2015 wilsontimes.com 11FB
Experienced Cougars take shot at EPC crown SWE will have 25 seniors in Cobb’s third season as head coach By Jimmy Lewis Staff Writer
By any reasonable estimation, the SouthWest Edgecombe High football program enters the 2015 season with reams of positive momentum.
QUICK FACTS
Mascot: Cougars Colors: Columbia blue and navy Conference: 2-A Eastern Plains Head coach: Jonathan Cobbs (3rd season) 2014 record: 10-4 overall (3rd round 2-AA playoffs), 4-1 Eastern Plains (2nd) Top returning passer: Tucker Pridgen (46-20-1, 394 yds., 5 TDs) Top returning rusher: Marcus Williams (1,012 yds., 11 TDs) Top returning receiver: Quontellas Norwood (7 rec., 188 yds., 3 TDs)
A total of 25 players assume senior roles for a Cougars outfit that went 10-4 last season and advanced to the third round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 2-AA postseason. SouthWest ended up one touchdown shy of the 2-A Eastern Plains Conference title and is a legitimate championship contender this time around after back-to-back league kingpin Washington suffered heavy graduation losses. Yet third-year head coach Jonathan Cobb is quick to caution that last year’s success will not automatically translate into 2015 as the season kicks off Friday at Edenton Holmes. “Yeah, there is,” Cobb said of momentum around the Cougar program. “But it’s 2015, not 2014. Of course, we all hope here that we can utilize a little bit of that momentum with a strong group of players who were on that 2014 team, but football’s a complex game. You still have to evolve and grow, even those guys who were great players for us last year. “The competition worked in the winter, spring and summer and is now working in August just like our guys are working. Hopefully, our players understand that every day, no matter what time of year it is, we’ve got to work harder and put forth more effort than our competition.” The Cougars will still
Senior quarterback Tucker Pridgen (10) hands off to classmate Devonte Hyman (23), who runs behind junior tackle Jeremy Ngo as SouthWest Edgecombe scrimmages Greenville Rose at the Greene Central Jamboree on Aug. 11. Scott Jones | Special to the Times
key performer
Devonte Hyman Senior • RB/DE 5-foot-6, 160 pounds Enters senior season as one of the most feared pass rushers in The Wilson Times readership area. As a junior, collected 85 tackles, five sacks, forced two fumbles and recovered two others. Will also see time in a crowded SouthWest backfield. Named Wilson Times All-Area as a junior. “We can’t run at him in practice. Nobody can block him. To be fair to our tight ends sometimes, I feel like we’ve got to take him out and put another guy in who will be more like the guy they’ll see on Friday night.” — Jonathan Cobb
rely on their trademark downhill running game, buoyed by an offensive line brimming with potential in the eyes of Cobb. Defensively, speed rusher Devonte Hyman returns for his senior campaign, and with the addition of Nash Central junior transfer Dylan Hodges, SouthWest gains a formidable presence in the middle of its defense along with a change-of-pace option at quarterback.
PAVING THE WAY Being an offensive lineman in the SouthWest system does not come easy. The responsibility of changing the play at the line of scrimmage if need be does not rest with the
quarterback, but with the five bodies up front. “It all starts with the offensive line,” Cobb said. “We say here, one play for the running backs might be 25 for the offensive line. That’s just how our system works. That’s what it’s all about.” While depth along the offensive front does not register as a SouthWest strength, the core group is expected to clear the way for a number of talented running backs. Senior Britt Griffin will man the left tackle spot, with sophomore K’Shun Lancaster at right guard. Senior Kevin Parker, a three-year starter, is back at center after dealing with injury last season. Junior Chandler Myrick is penciled in at right guard, while the right tackle duties fall to junior Jeremy Ngo. Ngo is hailed as the best drive blocker of the quintet, while Lancaster’s aggressiveness and upside excites both Cobb and offensive line coach Jeff Gould. All five bench in excess of 300 pounds in the weight room. “They know their assignments, you better look out!” Cobb declared. “Because it’s five big boys that can get after it coming at you.” At quarterback, senior Tucker Pridgen returns for his final season and will take the majority of the snaps. He’ll be asked to develop as a play-action passer when the SouthWest ground game sets up favorable down-the-field situations, as well as occasionally run the football against defensive ends who over-pursue. Pridgen only threw it 47 times as a junior, compiling five TDs on 20 completions. The unknown variable at quarterback for the Cougars will be Hodges. His presence stands to give the Cougars something they haven’t had recently — a wildcat, option-type quarterback that can spell Pridgen for one to two drives. Cobb said that Hodges could step into a changeof-pace role very early in
2015 schedule
DATE Aug. 21 Aug. 28 Sept. 3 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 6
OPPONENT @ Edenton Holmes North Ed gecombe South Central @ Nash Central Bertie Tarboro OPEN @ North Pitt* Washington* @ Farmville Central* @ North Johnston* Beddingfield*
2-A Eastern Plains Conference game
the season. In the backfield, SouthWest will bid farewell to Devontrell Hyman, the bowling ball of a fullback that amassed 2,123 yards and 24 TDs on his way to Wilson Times and EPC Offensive Player of the Year honors. Now, primary ball carrying duties are expected to fall to senior Marcus Williams, who eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark last year despite battling a foot injury. He’ll lead a stable of running backs that includes senior Keanan Williams, senior Kynazi Page, junior Hassan Hammiel, and senior Raquan White, a Greensboro Grimsley transfer. Devonte Hyman and junior K’Vonte Dupree, up from the junior varsity, are other options. Senior fullback Trevon Pittman also returns and was the team’s best blocker last season. As for wide receivers? Technically, they don’t exist in Pinetops. “We don’t even have a wide receiver position at SouthWest,” Cobb said. “If you’re a wide receiver, you play tight end or running back first, because we’re going to put our athletes out there. As such, three-year starter Quontellas Norwood will be the Cougars’ primary tight end. His 6-foot-3 frame allows SouthWest to
No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 18 21 22 23 32 33 34 38 44 46 47 50 54 56 58 60 62 65 67 71 74 75 78 80
2015 ROSTER
Name Pos. Marcus Williams RB/DB K’Vonte Dupree RB/DB Keanan Williams RB/DB Hassan Hammiel RB/DB Keyshon Edwards RB/LB Josh Davis WR/FS Kynazi Page RB/DE Quontellas Norwood TE/LB Jarratt Mobley K Tucker Pridgen QB Jack Coltrane QB Montavius Andrews TE/DE Jo’el Clark TE/DE Malcolm Beasley WR/DE Elijah Andrews TE/DE Trey Johnson RB/DB Raquan White RB/LB Devonte Hyman RB/DE Dylan Hodges QB/RB/LB Ezequell Manzo-Pineda K Trevon Pittman FB/DL Antonio Dickens DB Brady Overstreet TE/LB Deondre Cutler TE/DB James Parker TE/DE Fateen Still OL/DL Bobby Dales OL/DL Adrian Gaines FB/LB Britt Griffin OT/LB Lester Barber-White OL/DL Zachary Wainright OL/DL Chandler Myrick OL/DL Jordan Holden OL/DL Kevin Parker OL/DL K’Shun Lancaster OL/DL Joshua Powell OL/DL Jeremy Ngo OT Rashaun Smallwood WR/LB
flex him out wide for jump ball situations. Other options at tight end include senior Brady Overstreet and 6-2 senior Elijah Andrews. “For the most part, we welcome everybody to load the box,” Cobb said. “We count out what we need to count out and run what we need to run. And here it comes.”
HYMAN’S HAVOC He’s only 5-6 and 130 pounds on the roster, but Devonte Hyman packs quite a serious punch on the edge for the Cougars. He had five sacks a season ago, forcing two fumbles and recovering two others en route to being SouthWest’s secondleading tackler. The entire balance of the Cougars’ defensive line returns, with Myrick, Pittman, junior Jordan Holden and Andrews all back. Ngo and Lancaster can move over from the offensive line and play both ways. SouthWest has a flexible defensive front, throwing out 4-4, 5-3 and even 6-2 packages at times depending on the opponent. “We feel like we can be very good up front because we’re very experienced there,” Cobb said. The linebackers carry promise as well, with Norwood slated to man one outside linebacker spot for the third year in a row. Hodges patrols the middle, and Griffin has moved over from left tackle to provide a presence at inside linebacker. Sophomore Keyshon Edwards,
Ht. 5-11 5-8 5-8 5-7 5-6 5-10 5-7 6-3 6-0 6-4 5-11 6-2 6-3 5-7 6-2 5-9 5-11 5-6 5-11 5-8 5-7 5-8 6-0 5-8 6-0 5-10 5-11 5-7 6-1 6-1 6-1 6-1 5-5 6-2 6-4 6-0 6-1 5-11
Wt. 190 145 170 155 165 160 140 190 150 200 155 175 177 145 190 140 170 160 215 160 225 150 205 140 200 245 235 175 250 235 230 265 215 270 275 200 300 160
Class Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. Sr.
junior Malcolm Beasley and White are candidates to fill the other outside linebacker spot. The secondary has a pair of returnees in Hammiel at cornerback and senior Josh Davis at free safety. In addition to his duties as the feature running back, Williams will be a two-way starter and line up across from Hammiel in SouthWest’s defensive backfield. Special teams will be handled by a combination of kickers in returning senior Jarratt Mobley and senior Ezequeil ManzoPineda, moonlighting from the soccer team. Hodges, who punted during his time with Nash Central, won’t reprise that role with the Cougars. Instead, SouthWest will elect to remain with Norwood at punter, thereby retaining a rugby-style kicking game that rarely allowed returns last season. Improved kickoff coverage is an area of preseason emphasis. Also of emphasis to Cobb is a faster start to the season after his Cougars opened 2014 with a 2-2 record. “We finished conference 4-1, losing to Washington,” Cobb reviewed. “We’d like to improve that. We’ve got a tough conference. We really desire to win the conference championship and utilize our non-conference to be a good enough football team when we get to conference to have a good enough chance to do that.” jlewis@wilsontimes.com | 265-7807 | Twitter: @JimmyLewisWT
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Thursday, August 20, 2015 wilsontimes.com 12FB
Ayden-Grifton still the team to beat in 2-A ECC By Tom Ham Senior Staff Writer
A look of disbelief flashed across the face of 11th-year Ayden-Grifton head football coach Paul Cornwell. During the recent 2-A Eastern Carolina Conference media day at King’s Restaurant in Kinston, results of the preseason football poll conducted by the league’s six head coaches was announced, and Ayden-Grifton drew the nod to win its third championship in as many years of the league. The Chargers landed three of the six first-place votes and amassed 23 points. Second was 2014 runner-up Kinston with a pair of first-place ballots and 21 points. Greene Central, the thirdplace finisher in the ECC’s first two years, accumulated 19 points and the other first-place vote in being projected to finish, you guessed it, third. Then came Goldsboro (13), North Lenoir (8) and South Lenoir (7). “Come watch us practice,” Cornwell responded to Ayden-Grifton getting the preseason nod. “It’s probably based on the past. We have kids back, but we lost a lot of leadership. We have big question marks in ability and toughness.” Last season, AydenGrifton swept its five conference tests and finished 8-5 overall in reaching the second round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 2-A playoffs. Graduation claimed the Chargers’ top two 2014 offensive weapons. Ayden-Grifton was joined by Kinston and Greene Central as playoff qualifiers and only Kinston managed a win.
coaches poll
2A eastern carolina weekly schedule
Results of the 2-A Eastern Carolina Conference preseason football poll conducted by the league’s head coaches Aug. 5 at King’s Restaurant in Kinston. Teams are given 5 points for first place, 4 for second place, etc. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their teams. First-place votes are in parentheses. Ayden-Grifton (3) Kinston (2) Greene Central (1) Goldsboro North Lenoir South Lenoir
23 21 19 13 8 7
EVERYBODY BETTER Regarding the poll, Cornwell is not certain whether to be flattered or suspect a conspiracy. “I think everybody is a little better,” he said. “The league is getting more competitive and is improving. Our team can be competitive, but there are teams in the conference better than we are. We lost a strong senior class and we don’t have a lot of bodies. I don’t know how we’ll respond when we get hit in the mouth.” Cornwell pointed out Kinston and Greene Central are returning the most players. However, rival coaches speak glowingly of Cornwell’s ability to regroup and his teams’ knowing how to win. “Ayden-Grifton dominated the first two years,” Kinston head coach Ryan Gieselman reminded. Third-year head Greene Central coach Allen Wooten indicated the last year’s high expectations reflected by the poll proved damaging. The Rams and AydenGrifton each garnered a trio
Allen Wooten, entering his third season as Greene Central head coach, watches the action during the Greene Central Jamboree on Aug. 12. Scott Jones | Special to the Times
of first-place votes and the Rams were projected second in the poll. “We were not ready for it,” Wooten contended, “and it gave us a false sense of how good we were. Third is a pretty fair assessment. This makes us hungry and is right where I like it.” Wooten suggested AydenGrifton, from last season, lost the most of any team but also has not experienced the sting of losing in the league.
NOT SURPRISED Of the Chargers being
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tabbed No. 1, secondyear Goldsboro head coach Bennett Johnson, a record-setting quarterback at Beddingfield High, reacted he was not surprised. “Who knows how it’s going to shape up,” he added. “Ayden-Grifton is used to winning and has a good recipe for success.” New North Lenoir head coach Kim Brown and second-year South Lenoir head coach Fred Kennedy reasoned Ayden-Grifton should be considered the class of the league until losing to a conference foe. Noted Brown: “They probably picked us at the bottom (actually fifth) — I like that. It gives us more motivation. “But it’s a good conference with good athletes. It’s Eastern Carolina football and we have to roll up our sleeves and get tough; that’s what you have to do.”
TOP PERFORMERS Leading Ayden-Grifton will be senior running back Michael Baker, senior quarterback Tijaun Blount, offensive-defensive lineman Cam Moye, who weighs 305 pounds; and 6-foot-3, 250-pound center/defensive tackle Zack Swanson. Baker rushed for 900 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Blount is a two-year defensive starter at safety. Kinston players bidding for marquee attention are senior running back/ slotback Jeremiah Fields, four-year varsity lineman Dy’Quan Waters and senior quarterback Thomas Vermillion. The Vikings again eye goals of winning the conference title, playing in December and pursuing the state championship. “Greene Central has got a ton of guys returning,” Gieselman cautioned. “Goldsboro has a new offense and defense, and will do some good things.” Triggering Goldsboro hopes are senior quarterback Nashir Bowden, 6i-3, 225-pound sophomore Aaron Smith, senior middle linebacker Sterling Dodson and senior outside linebacker Shen Mitchell. “We are excited about our guys,” Johnson commented. “To pick us to finish fourth is fair, but we think we can finish first.”
RAMS, KINSTON ATHLETIC Kennedy pointed out that, when he accepted the position, he became South
AUG. 21 West Craven @ Ayden-Grifton; Goldsboro @ Beddingfield; Greene Central @ South Central; Kinston @ Farmville Central; Eastern Wayne @ North Lenoir; Seven Springs Spring Creek @ South Lenoir AUG. 28 D.H. Conley @ Ayden-Grifton; Goldsboro @ Eastern Wayne; C.B. Aycock @ Greene Central; North Pitt @ Kinston; North Lenoir @ Farmville Central; Jones County @ South Lenoir SEPT. 3 Kinston @ Fike SEPT. 4 Greene Central @ Beddingfield; North Pitt @ Ayden-Grifton; Southern Wayne @ Goldsboro; North Lenoir @ C.B. Aycock; South Lenoir @ North Duplin SEPT. 11 Ayden-Grifton @ Farmville Central; C.B. Aycock @ Goldsboro; Eastern Wayne @ Greene Central; Kinston @ Jacksonville White Oak; North Lenoir @ Southern Wayne; Richlands @ South Lenoir SEPT. 18 Ayden-Grifton @ Pamlico County; Goldsboro @ Northern Nash; Farmville Central @ Greene Cen-
tral; Kinston @ Southern Wayne; East Duplin @ North Lenoir; South Lenoir @ Rosewood SEPT. 25 Ayden-Grifton @ Southern Nash; Farmville Central @ Goldsboro; North Pitt @ Greene Central; Washington @ Kinston; SW Onslow @ North Lenoir; South Lenoir @ East Duplin OCT. 2 OPEN — Ayden-Grifton; Goldsboro; Greene Central; Kinston; North Lenoir; South Lenoir OCT. 9 Greene Central @ Ayden-Grifton; Goldsboro @ North Lenoir; Kinston @ South Lenoir OCT. 16 Ayden-Grifton @ South Lenoir; Goldsboro @ Kinston; North Lenoir @ Greene Central OCT. 23 North Lenoir @ Ayden-Grifton; South Lenoir @ Goldsboro; Greene Central @ Kinston OCT. 30 Ayden-Grifton @ Goldsboro; Greene Central @ South Lenoir; Kinston @ North Lenoir NOV. 6 Kinston @ Ayden-Grifton; Goldsboro @ Greene Central; South Lenoir @ North Lenoir
Paul Cornwell, at the 2-A Eastern Carolina Conference coaches meeting Aug. 5 at King’s Restaurant in Kinston, has led Ayden-Grifton to the ECC title both seasons since the league started in 2013. His Chargers were picked to rule again by league coaches. Tom Ham | Times
Fred Kennedy will begin his second season as head coach at South Lenoir after becoming the Blue Devils’ fourth head coach in as many seasons in 2014. Tom Ham | Times
Lenoir’s fourth head coach in as many years. He graduated 17 players from his first team and said a good 2015 season would finding a way to squeak into the playoffs. Regarding the rest of the league, Kennedy expressed: “Ayden-Grifton lost a lot. Greene Central and Kinston are very athletic. And it will be interesting to see how Goldsboro does.” As a whole, league teams face rugged nonconference schedules. Greene Central opens
against 4-A South Central; South Lenoir welcomes 1-A Spring Creek; AydenGrifton entertains 3-A West Craven; Kinston is the guest of 2-A Farmville Central; Goldsboro goes to 2-A Beddingfield; and North Lenoir challenges 3-A Eastern Wayne. And North Lenoir’s Brown spoke for all the conference’s head coaches when he remarked: “I’m just anxious to see if everything we’ve done will pay off.” hammer@wilsontimes.com | 265-7819
Thursday, August 20, 2015 wilsontimes.com 13FB
Focused Rams take aim at 2-A ECC crown Senior QB Wade leads potentially explosive Greene Central offense By Tom Ham Senior Staff Writer
Allen Wooten, beginning his third season as the Greene Central High head varsity football coach, will never be the brunt of a joke about an individual with a long neck. But long or short, Wooten doesn’t mind sticking his neck out in regards to expectations for his Rams during the 2015 season, which kicks off Friday night at 4-A South Central.
QUICK FACTS
Mascot: Rams Colors: Royal blue and red Conference: 2-A Eastern Carolina Head coach: Allen Wooten (3rd season) 2014 record: 4-8 overall (1st round of 2-AA playoffs), 3-2 2-A Eastern Carolina Conference (3rd) Top returning passer: Tre Wade (184-72-10, 947 yds., 9 TDs) Top returning rusher: Tre Wade (984 yds., 13 TDs) Top returning receiver: Brad Monroe (24 rec., 427 yds., 4 TDs)
Coming off a 4-8 2014 campaign and a first-round loss in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 2-A playoffs, Wooten is not only forecasting success but a return to prominence for a program that, in Wooten’s first two seasons, produced a 7-17 record and a pair of thirdplace finishes in the Eastern Carolina Conference. The 2015 Rams were projected, in the preseason poll of the league’s head coaches, to finish third behind reigning champion Ayden-Grifton and Kinston. But with a roster boasting nine offensive and eight defensive starters among 28 returnees, Wooten is not about to temper his optimism. “A three-year plan is a good plan,” Wooten reasoned. “The system and expectations are in place. Those things don’t happen overnight. We’ve had hard knocks and, when we messed up, we didn’t know how to deal with it.”
PAINFUL LESSON Wooten emphasizes his players learned a painful lesson last season — when the Rams matched AydenGrifton’s three first-place votes in the poll, but struggled at the outset of conference play and didn’t have a realistic shot at winning the conference title. Furthermore, the Rams experienced defeat as the result of bewildering circumstances. They found uncanny ways — especially regarding ball security — to lose. “We had lofty expectations — too lofty — and that caused complacency,” Wooten explained. “It made them think twice; they were not as ready as they thought they were. It made them realize the importance of every rep and every conditioning drill.” Thus, numerous are 2015 goals — at least eight wins, a conference cham-
Greene Central’s Brandon Hunt, who rushed for more than 700 yards as a junior, looks for room to run against Greenville Rose during a scrimmage at Greene Central on Aug. 12.
Scott Jones | Special to the Times pionship and noise in the playoffs. “This team is excited to think it can pave the way to get back on the state map and prove good football is still played here,” Wooten expressed. “We feel like we are developing a winning philosophy and we’ve got to continue it.” The foundation is not only experience but top athletes off junior varsity teams that have combined for an 18-2 record the last two seasons as well a connected group of coaches. Wooten speaks of a “great coaching staff” that includes offensive coordinator Bryan Tripp, defensive coordinator Charles Harris, former all-state Greene Central player and Winston-Salem State assistant coach DaRon Tripp, Delmus Willis and jayvee head coach David Bryant. Greene Central’s head coach contended those on the outside looking don’t understand that a coaching staff is a brotherhood.
PIECES FITTING “The whole vision is coming together,” Wooten declared,” and the pieces are fitting together nicely. It’s a whole lot easier to practice when everybody is on the same page, and I think we’re going to see results this year.” High expectations will be jump-started by the trio of senior quarterback Tre Wade, senior running back/strong safety Montavias Battle and 6-foot-2, 280-pound junior offensive-defensive lineman Dominick Bryant. In orchestrating the spread offense, Wade, said Wooten, is capable of amassing 4,000 yards total offense. The Rams’ head coach forecasts a huge increase in passing yardage for Wade, who rushed for 800-plus yards and threw for well over 1,000 yards last season. Battle, a force on both sides of the football, is considered the best overall player. Bryant, the only true two-way starter, is rated the squad’s best college prospect. Wade can hand off to senior wide receiver Brandon Hunt, who rolled up 750 rushing yards in five conference games last season. Senior Brad Monroe excelled as a receiver and is described by his head coach as “a great ball player.” While Hunt displays the most vision and is a zone running threat, senior upback Tyrece Parks, a transfer from West Charlotte, is described as a hybrid tight end/fullback. Returning
key performer
Tre Wade Senior • QB/S 6-foot-1, 185 pounds Among new head coach Allen Wooten’s initial tasks was to “find the most athletic kid we have to build our spread offense around.” That individual was Tre Wade, a basketball player who accepted the challenge to play varsity football. In his first season, Wade steadily progressed in running the Rams’ spread offense. On 155 rushes, he amassed 984 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaged 6.3 yards per carry and 82 yards per game. Connected on 72 of 184 passes for 947 yards and nine TDs. Threw 10 interceptions. Wade’s coach deems him capable of piling up more than 4,000 yards total offense his senior season. “He has the confidence and ability to be THAT guy. He’s much more comfortable in his second season. We really see him taking off and dominating.” — Allen Wooten
senior slot Stephen Buckley is a speed threat.
BRYANT A ROAD GRADER Up front, Bryant is a “road grader” and returning junior center Hunter Moore is dubbed a technician. Other returning linemen are senior Heath Hill and senior Sullivan Cain.
2015 schedule
DATE Aug. 21 Aug. 28 Sept. 4 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 6
OPPONENT @ South Central C.B. Aycock @ Beddingfield Eastern Wayne Farmville Central North Pitt OPEN @ Ayden-Grifton* North Lenoir* @ Kinston* @ South Lenoir* Goldsboro*
No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7 8 9 10 11 12 20 20 21 22 23 24 25 32 34 44 50 53 56 58 59 60 61 63 65 70 72 73 74 75 77 80 88
Name Dana Lanier Ryan Warren Brad Monroe Willie Edwards Montavias Battle Taylen Speight Dajon Thaggard Jalen Carmen Josh Brown A.J. Davis Trequan Wade Jackson Batchelor Bryce Armstrong Bobby Holloway Tion Speight Tyreke Speight Stephen Buckley Reggie Davis Brandon Hunt Taboris Bynum Rhalyk Elbert Javon Edwards Tyrece Parks Sullivan Cain Dashawn Bryant Devan Davis Delmarkus Super Dane Hedgepeth Heath Hill Daniel Crespo Hunter Moore J.J. Rouse Anthony Wooten Cartrell Hill Miles Williams Bailee Dunn Dominick Bryant Quintin Harris Tyrese Williams Caleib Austin
2015 ROSTER
Pos. DB/WR TE/LB WR/LB RB/LB RB/SS WR/DB DB/RB WR/DB LB/FB WR/DB QB/S QB WR/DE WR/DB WR/DB FS DB/WR LB/RB WR/DB CB/WR WR/CB RB/LB HB/LB OL/DE LB/OL G/LB G/LB LB/G OL/DL K OL/DL OL/DL DT/OT DL/OL DL/RB OL/DL DL/OL OL/DL TE/DE DB
Ht. 6-0 6-1 6-2 5-10 5-10 5-8 5-5 5-8 6-1 6-1 6-1 5-8 6-3 5-8 5-8 5-9 5-9 5-11 5-8 5-6 5-7 5-11 6-0 6-3 5-9 5-10 5-10 5-8 5-11 5-9 5-9 5-9 6-1 6-3 5-5 6-3 6-2 5-10 5-11 5-7
Wt. 160 190 195 195 200 155 130 150 225 150 185 155 190 143 150 157 170 200 165 145 145 197 210 195 210 195 240 190 220 155 220 235 230 250 185 315 280 175 175 145
Class Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr.
* 2-A Eastern Carolina Conference game Tackle help is provided by junior Devan Davis, senior Dashawn Bryant and 6-3, 315-pound junior Bailee Dunn. Monroe will be joined by 6-1 senior Ryan Warren as frequent Wade targets. Buckley and junior Daniel Crespo will handle placement kicking duties, while Buckley will punt and Warren kick off. “Our offense should be tough to stop,” Wooten expressed. “It could be scary. But we’ve got to be consistent and do it throughout the game.” The defensive mission will be consistency and avoiding missed assignments. Senior Josh Brown has moved from middle linebacker to end. Dominick Bryant and senior Miles Williams are returning starters up front, where junior Delmarkus Super is capable of asserting his presence. Dashawn Bryant and senior Reggie Davis are veteran fixtures at linebacker, while Devan Davis will be starting for the first year. Battle is the “hybrid guy” who can also play strong safety.
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Greene Central junior Dominick Bryant gets his hands on the Greenville Rose quarterback as Rams teammate Willie Edwards (60) fends off a blocker during the Greene Central Jamboree on Aug. 11. Scott Jones | Special to the Times
The secondary will be manned by senior returnee Dana Lanier, rangy senior A.J. Davis, Battle and sophomore Tyreke “Missile” Speight. Lanier and Hunt will return kicks, while sophomore Taboris Bynum, sophomore Willie Edwards, sophomore Javon Edwards and returning senior J.J. Rouse are viewed by the coaching staff as talented backups. Wooten insists as many as 30 players can play productive roles.
THE 2015 TEAM But will the 2015 team rise above adversity or al-
low it to be deflating? “Ball security is fixable and the mental approach is fixable,” Wooten responded. “The talent and physicality are there. “How can you get them to do it if you don’t expect them to do it? If everybody does their job, I can’t see how (success) doesn’t happen. “We are much more focused. I am excited where we are right now and excited where we’re going. We have to win non-conference games against strong opponents and take advantage of opportunities.” hammer@wilsontimes.com | 265-7819
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Thursday, August 20, 2015 wilsontimes.com 14FB
Golden Falcons ready to ‘Earn It’ in 3-A ECC Battle-tested junior class to lead way for C.B. Aycock QUICK FACTS
By Randy Jones Staff Writer
PIKEVILLE — Always a fan of anything Steve Spurrier, Charles B. Aycock head football coach Steve Brooks brought in a video of the Gamecocks training session to the Golden Falcons’ weight room during the offseason. In it, the players are competing during workouts, pushing each other to the limit. “I’m really involved with the kids on social media, Twitter and such,” Brooks said. “So, I am always showing them stuff. That video showed South Carolina players in competition with each other in the weight room. And during it, they say ‘You’ve got to earn it!’ “And the kids, they said ‘Coach, that’s what we want!’ And it’s been our slogan every since.” The Golden Falcons enter the third season of Brooks’ tenure having advanced to the postseason both years, going the exact 4-8 overall and 1-5 in the tough 3-A/4-A Eastern Carolina Conference. The mindset at CBA is that this is the year to have a breakthrough and claim the 3-A ECC crown out of the clutches of county rival Eastern Wayne, and with it a home playoff game or two. “That’s what they are striving for,” Brooks said. “They’ve been working hard in the offseason. It’s kind of the mindset we have out here in Pikeville, that you have to go out and get it, you have to earn it because nothing is ever handed to you.” Brooks said the junior class, which is 16 strong, was thrown out to the wolves as sophomores. A talented bunch that took their lumps is ready to show that the hard work has paid off. “We’re not going to be satisfied with a No. 15 seed and travelling to Guilford County this time around,” he said. “We want to earn that No. 1 seed from our league, and the home game in the playoffs.”
No more Morrow A self-proclaimed offensive-minded coach, Brooks had the luxury of a dual-threat quarterback
C.B. Aycock wide receiver Chandler Matthews eludes a would-be West Johnston tackler during a scrimmage at Aycock on Aug. 11. Matthew snared 42 passes during a breakout sophomore season for the Golden Falcons, tops in The Wilson Times readership area.
Mascot: Golden Falcons Colors: Columbia blue and gold Conference: 3-A/4-A Eastern Carolina Head coach: Steve Brooks (3rd season) 2014 record/finish: 4-8 overall (1st round 3-A playoffs), 1-5 ECC (6th) Top returning passer: Jake Flowers (55-26-2, 172 yds., 1 TD) Top returning rusher: Tyrique Ford (132 yds., 2 TDs) Top returning receiver: Chandler Matthews (42 rec., 750 yds., 5 TDs)
with experience in his first two seasons with the nowgraduated T.J. Morrow. In his place will be junior Jake Flowers, who saw action in nine games last season, completing 26 of 55 passes for 172 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. The 5-foot-10, 160-pounder is more of a drop back style passer, one who will have to avoid sacks and especially turnovers for the CBA offense to be effective, Brooks said. “Jake is an extremely hard-working kid,” the coach said. “He lives the game of football and is constantly trying to get better. He’s well-respected by the kids, and it shows.” Brooks said two of Flowers best friends happen to be his best targets in juniors Damien Darden, a 6-4, 246-pound tight end, and 6-foot, 156-pound Chandler Matthews, the Wilson Times area’s leading receiver from 2014. Darden, who has already committed to play at North Carolina State, had 22 catches for 320 yards and five TDs last year. Matthews hauled in 42 receptions for 750 yards, a 17.9 yards per catch average, with five scores. In the slot will be senior Tyrique Ford (5-10, 158) and sophomore Luke Frederick (6-0, 160). Other receivers include seniors Keyshawn Cobb, Logan Edenfield, Holden Cox and Ugo Umoefia; as well as juniors Micah Castillo and Troy Barnes.
C.B. Aycock junior tight end Damien Darden has verbally committed to play football at N.C. State University.
Scott Jones | Special to the Times
Scott Jones | Special to the Times
key performer
Micah Castillo Junior • FS/RB 5-foot-9 172 pounds A student of the game, is the unquestioned leader of the defensive unit with his knowledge and instincts for the game. Had 48 tackles (27 solo) and three pass deflections as a sophomore safety. As a free safety is responsible for calling defensive sets. In practice, has to be contained from calling out the Aycock plays before the other players have a chance to make adjustments. A hard-hitter, won’t back down in coming up to stop the run or chase the quarterback, but is just as at home covering receivers and big tight ends. “Micah is a great player to have. He’s a yes sir, no sir kind of guy. He has great character and great parents. He’s small, but he’ll hit you like a ton of bricks. He’s hard-nosed and just loves to play football. He’s the kind of guy you wish you had 40 of, so you could build a team of Micah’s.” — Steve Brooks
In the backfield, Morrow as the leading rusher the past two seasons, but with Flowers primarily a pocket passer Aycock will have a more traditional running game unless Ford enters as a wildcat-type QB. Leading the way will be junior Caleb Gough. The 5-9, 189-pounder carried the ball 35 times for 108 years and a TD as a sophomore, but should see the bulk of carries. “Caleb has worked extremely hard and we feel like he gives us a great feature back,” Brooks said. Other backs who will see plenty of action are sophomore Michael Hemmingway (5-6, 195) and junior Tim Farmer (5-9, 195). The offensive line sees four starters returning, all juniors who at times last year were overmatched, but learned a lot in their trial by fire in 2014. “It’s a tough group of guys,” Brooks said. “(Last year) was all about getting them ready for their junior and senior years. Those guys as sophomores, they outworked
2015 schedule
DATE Aug. 21 Aug. 28 Sept. 4 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 6
OPPONENT Rosewood @ Greene Central North Lenoir @ Goldsboro Corinth Holders OPEN Southern Wayne* @ D.H. Conley* South Central* @ New Bern* J.H. Rose* @ Eastern Wayne*
* 3-A/4-A Eastern Carolina Conference game
the guys they were competing with, so they got to play. When you are building a program, trying to change the culture, sometimes that’s the best way to do it. They played good at times, but they played like sophomores other times.” Starting at center will be Randy Floars (6-1, 240), who is coming back from a torn ACL. At the tackle positions will be juniors Ellijah Bryant (6-4, 256) and Zack Mott (6-0, 250) and at the guards will be Zack’s twin brother Sam (6-0, 248) and senior Jeremy Person (5-8, 201).
Line anchors ‘D’ Brooks says the Golden Falcons’ defensive line will stack up with anyone’s on the 11-game regularseason schedule. “Up front, our D-line is as good as anyone’s,” he said. “We have good size, experience and a lot of depth. It’s the strength of the defense for sure.” Defensive end spots will be filled up the huge frames of Bryant and Darden, who, like most CBA players, will be twoway starters. Junior Austin Lane (5-10, 244) will also be a force. Seniors Jabori Cox, Dallas Pridgen and Jerry Pittman and juniors Trevor Holt, Floars, and Donte McNair will also take up time on the line. Linebacker is a position without a lot of depth, Brooks stressed. “We are inexperienced there,” he said. “How those guys develop will tell a lot about our success on defense.” The leader of the bunch is senior Jaret Paynter (59, 195). He will be joined by classmates Andrew Taylor and Mason Watt at outside LB, while Farmer and sophomore Jordan Woodard will be inside. Castillo (5-9, 172) heads
No. 3 5 14 15 16 17 18 21 22 23 25 28 30 32 40 52 58 59 60 66 68 70 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 82 84 88 89
2015 ROSTER
Name Pos. Seth Harrison K Caleb Gough RB-DB Chandler Matthews WR-CB Luke Frederick WR-CB Jordan Woodard LB Logan Edenfield WR-DB Jake Flowers QB-SB Tim Farmer RB-LB Tyrique Ford RB-QB-CB Nick Hainey S Micah Castillo WR-S Holden Cox WR-CB Michael Hemmingway RB Troy Barnes WR-DB Jaret Paynter LB-DE Donte McNair DE Jeremy Person OL-DL Andrew Taylor OL-LB Randy Floars OL-DL Cole Dinges OL-DL Zack Mott OL Trevor Holt DL Jordan Gay OL-DL Austin Lane DL Sam Mott OL Jabori Cox DT-NG Jerry Pittman DT-NG Dallas Pridgen OL_DL Elijah Bryant OL-DE Mason Watt TE-LB Damien Darden TE-DE Keyshawn Cobb WR-DB Ugo Umoefia TE-LB
up the secondary as a free safety. A coach on the field, Brooks looks for him to call plays and recognize formations. Junior Nick Hainey is another safety, while Gough, Matthews, Frederick, Ford, Barnes and Cobb all will see time at corner and safety spots. The special teams duties will be split up as
Ht. 5-8 5-9 6-0 6-0 5-10 6-0 5-10 5-9 5-10 5-8 5-9 6-1 5-6 5-8 5-9 5-9 5-8 5-9 6-1 6-0 6-0 6-1 6-1 5-10 6-0 6-0 5-10 5-11 6-4 5-11 6-4 5-11 5-9
Wt. 134 189 156 160 174 150 160 195 158 150 172 155 195 158 195 243 201 213 240 246 250 246 225 244 248 327 270 237 256 180 246 165 170
Class So. Jr. Jr. So. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr.
sophomore Seth Harrison and Matthews will do the placekicking, while Darden and Matthews will punt. A single kick-returning specialist has yet to be found, but plenty of the team’s running backs and receivers are battling for the opportunity. rjones@wilsontimes.com | 265-8117 | Twitter: @RandyJonesWT
Senior Tyrique Ford runs with the ball after a handoff from quarterback Jake Flowers (18) during C.B. Aycock’s home scrimmage Aug. 11. Both players will be integral parts of the Golden Falcons offense in year 3 under head coach Steve Brooks. Scott Jones | Special to the Times
Thursday, August 20, 2015 wilsontimes.com 15FB
New Bern still the lead dog in 3-A/4-A ECC By Randy Jones Staff Writer
Lou Holtz would have been proud of the coaches of the 3-A/4-A Eastern Carolina Conference when they met to discuss the upcoming season. Holtz, the former college coach who was infamous for badmouthing of his own team, would have smiled with glee as coach after coach talked about how it was a rebuilding year, or he had a young team. Only one coach — D.H. Conley first-year head coach Nate Conner — talked of lofty expectations, saying “We set the goal of winning the state championship each year.” The votes in the coaches poll saw the race for the league crown to be New Bern’s to lose as the defending 4-A state champions garnered six of the seven first-place votes for 36 points, with the other vote going to Greenville J.H. Rose, who racked up 31 points. “Top to bottom, I think our conference is as tough as any in the state,” C.B. Aycock head coach Steve Brooks said. “You better be ready to play every Friday night. It’s not gotten any easier, I’ll say that.” Bears head coach Bobby Curlings, however, was quick to point out that his offensive and defensive lines will be young. “We’ve got one guy back, well, one and a half, on the offensive line,” he said. “How those guys mature will go a long way in dictating our success.” At quarterback, NB must replace UNC signee Mike Huges. Junior Dee Becton (5-foot-9, 172 pounds) will battle with Taron Mallard, a 6-6, 235-pounder who played in the New Bern system as a freshman, but
New Bern head coach Bobby Curlings, right, and C.B. Aycock head coach Steve Brooks chat during the 3-A/4-A Eastern Carolina Conference coaches meeting Aug. 10 at Parker’s Barbecue in Greenville. Curlings’ Bears were picked to repeat as ECC champions. Randy Jones | Times
coaches poll
Results of the 3-A/4-A Eastern Carolina Conference coaches’ preseason poll, conducted Aug. 10, at Parker’s in Greenville. Teams are given 6 points for first place, 5 for second place, etc. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their teams. First-place votes are in parentheses. 1. New Bern (6) 2. J.H. Rose (1) 3. D.H. Conley 4. South Central 5. C.B. Aycock 6. Eastern Wayne 7. Southern Wayne
36 31 24 18 17 15 6
was in Florida the past two years. Rose, like almost every team in the league, must replace their quarterback. Last year, Copeland Spell was the signal caller, with now senior Asa Alexander seeing some time (235 yards, 4 TDs). Alexander (5-11, 185) will battle with junior Ryan Goodwin (5-10, 180). Whoever the starter is, he will have a tremendous target in Mydreon Vines,
who was named the MVP of the NUC Sports Southeast Ultimate 100 camp in Atlanta in the summer. Not to mention senior Cornell Powell, who had 67 catches for 1,248 yards and 19 TDs as a junior.
TURMOIL IN PITT COUNTY Transfers were a big topic in Greenville. Rose now has open enrollment, which was seen as a huge advantage for the Rampants. Rose coach Dave Wojtecki, however, doesn’t see it as that big of a windfall. “We got five players out of the whole thing. It wasn’t really such a big thing for us,” he said. “We got some guys. A lot of people anticipated us getting 20, 30 guys which just didn’t happen. We got five quality football players who we are going to teach our system and get quality reps out of them.” Conley head coach Brian Paschal was suspended one year by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association after he was investigated for recruiting two North Pitt players. That opened the door, at least for
a season, for the 29-year-old Conner — an assistant to Paschal for five years — to lead the Vikings. “We are excited about the season,” he said. “We feel we have a lot of depth, probably the most depth we’ve had.” Conner said the team’s offensive line will be a big strength, led by senior guard Isaiah Artist and tackle Hayden Sparks. At quarterback, sophomore Holton Ahlers returns after starting as a freshman in 2014. South Central head coach Andy Tew enters the season hoping to build upon last year’s 7-5 mark that ended three years in a row with losing records. He would not talk about specific players, instead focusing on the building of a team in Winterville. “We’d like to think so,” Tew said about taking another step forward. “But it depends on if we execute the plan that we have in place. ... We are very athletic, and can get up the field.”
WARRIORS TARGETED The past two years, the 3-A portion of the ECC has been Eastern Wayne and the other two. This year, both Brooks and Southern Wayne coach Bob Ward want to change that. Southern Wayne went winless in 11 games last year, a regression from 2-9 the year before, Ward knows that the ECC is a meatgrinder of a league. “The kids know that when we get to conference you’ve got to play your best just to compete, much less win or lose,” he said. “It’s our third year in the conference, we know that, and we’ve got a lot to prove.” Taking over at EW is a
JC Harris
AUG. 21 Rosewood @ C.B. Aycock; SE Raleigh @ D.H. Conley; Eastern Wayne @ North Lenoir; Durham Hillside @ New Bern; TBA @ J.H. Rose; Greene Central @ South Central; Southern Wayne @ James Kenan AUG. 28 C.B. Aycock @ Greene Central; D.H. Conley @ Ayden-Grifton; Goldsboro @ Eastern Wayne; New Bern @ Havelock; J.H. Rose @ Wilmington Laney; South Central @ West Craven; OPEN — Southern Wayne SEPT. 3 Raleigh Leesville Road @ J.H. Rose; South Central @ SW Edgecombe SEPT. 4 North Lenoir @ C.B. Aycock; Washington @ D.H. Conley; Southern Wayne @ Goldsboro; New Bern @ West Craven; OPEN — Eastern Wayne SEPT. 11 C.B. Aycock @ Goldsboro; D.H. Conley @ West Carteret; Eastern Wayne @ Greene Central; North Lenoir @ Southern Wayne; New Bern @ Jacksonville; J.H. Rose @ Havelock; South Central @ North Pitt; SEPT. 18 Corinth Holders @ C.B. Aycock; West Craven @ D.H. Conley; West Carteret @ Eastern Wayne; Kinston @ Southern Wayne; J.H.
daunting task for Gray? Not so, says the coach, who was an assistant for Williams, as well as an assistant for Williams’ father Chip and Curlings at New Bern. “I’ve been around some great head coaches and I think the three head coaches I have been around and learned from have prepared me for this job,” he said. “I’m excited for the challenge. ... To me it’s no pressure. If you ask every-
eastern carolina weekly schedule
Rose @ Rocky Mount; Hertford County @ South Central; OPEN — New Bern SEPT. 25 J.H. Rose @ D.H. Conley; Eastern Wayne @ South Central; New Bern @ Southern Wayne; OPEN — C.B. Aycock OCT. 2 Southern Wayne @ C.B. Aycock; New Bern @ Eastern Wayne; South Central @ J.H. Rose ; OPEN — D.H. Conley OCT. 9 C.B. Aycock @ D.H. Conley; South Central @ New Bern; Southern Wayne @ J.H. Rose; OPEN — Eastern Wayne OCT. 16 South Central @ C.B. Aycock; D.H. Conley @ Southern Wayne; Eastern Wayne @ J.H. Rose; OPEN — New Bern OCT. 23 C.B. Aycock @ New Bern; D.H. Conley @ Eastern Wayne; Southern Wayne @ South Central ; OPEN — J.H. Rose OCT. 30 J.H. Rose @ C.B. Aycock; New Bern @ D.H. Conley; Eastern Wayne @ Southern Wayne; OPEN — South Central NOV. 6 C.B. Aycock @ Eastern Wayne; D.H. Conley @ South Central; J.H. Rose @ New Bern; OPEN — Southern Wayne
body else in Eastern North Carolina it’s a lot of pressure. But the good thing is my principal and A.D. have let me know they are not putting any pressure on me or comparing me to the last guy or the last two teams.” He’ll have last year’s league player of the year runner up in quarterback Kamone Best back. rjones@wilsontimes.com | 265-8117 | Twitter: @RandyJonesWT
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