Gloucester Seeks Growth
by Kellen Owings, recruit757
QB Zach Tarpey (Photo: Larkin Taylor Stone/Dukes Dispatch)
0-10 last season. 1-9 or worse the past four seasons. No winning record since 1987. The Peninsula District hasn’t exactly been kind or forgiving toward the Gloucester Dukes, who despite having the largest student body in the district, continuously fail to compete against their competition.
Head coach Sonny Merchant hopes that this is the year that all that starts to change.
“Last year was really disappointing, but I think this year is going to be better. One of the things we have going for us is having a lot of guys back who have been here since I took over two years ago,” Merchant said.
Merchant is 1-19 in his two years at Gloucester, and 10-40 in his career. Building an experienced program has been his top goal. Although the school has a large student population and is the only high school in the county, the Dukes struggle to get players to come out for the team.
“Those guys, the senior group, and a lot of the juniors actually; when I came in we didn’t have a lot of kids so a lot of younger guys got a lot of playing time. They’re getting it as sophomores and freshmen. That’s the good thing. That will help us execute, being more experienced we know what we’re doing. Things won’t get in our heads as much because of the experience factor,” Merchant said.
Merchant has also made more of an emphasis on offseason weight training and conditioning, hoping that his team will be in better shape to match up and be able to go the distance against district opponents. “We’re still at a disadvantage; we’re not bigger, we don’t have the team speed, but we’re probably always going to be that way,” Merchant said.
“But again, the experience of running what we run, and our guys having time together helps. Execution wise, we have to be really good with the execution of our offense because it can help us slow down some of the faster defenses we face and help put us on a more level playing field. It will help us control the ball and keep games under control,” said Merchant. “We need to be in a position at the end of the game to be close.”
Merchant and the Dukes plan to run the triple option again this year, so the scheme is not changing, but the talent running it has. Some personnel shifts have been made and there are some new faces, but there is still a lot of experience.
The offense is lead by senior quarterback Zach Tarpey (6-0 200) who is entering his second year as the starter, and after receiving varsity playing time as a sophomore, he enters the season as one of the more veteran quarterbacks in the district. Seniors Shamar Marsh (5-7 190) and J.B. Bennett (5-9 180) will carry the bulk of the load at running back. Brandon Petty (SR 5-8 190) and Deon Harris (SR 5-10 225) will also see some carries. Senior wide receiver A.J. Hamilton (6-1 175) will be the top target when the Dukes go to the air. Seniors Carlos Pollard (6-1 270) and Brandon Minter (6-0 235) will anchor the offensive line and pave the way for the running game.
“We don’t have the one real stand out star like other teams do, it’s a team effort for us,” Merchant said. “It’s going to take them all working together. We don’t have that one guy who can run around and make things happen for us, and they know it. It’s a mature group.”
On defense, senior defensive end Robert Ellison (6-3 180) was a great player for the Dukes last year and will provide a strong pass rush. Marsh, Bennett, and Harris will start at linebacker and play both ways. Ryan Thompson will start at middle linebacker in the team’s 3-5-3 scheme. Malcolm Breckinridge (6-1 180) will be the teams top corner. Says Coach Merchant, “we have some big returning guys who should garner votes for us in all district.”
The defensive experience will help Gloucester stay away from giving up the big plays that they have in years past. “That’s been the killer for us in closer games,” Coach Merchant said. “One or two big plays; those mistakes come from younger players being in the wrong alignment or assignment. I think we’ll take those away with our discipline.”
As for his goal this season, Merchant hope that his team’s experience and off-season workouts will enable the Dukes to stay competitive in Peninsula District games. “I think we’ll be a more disciplined and better conditioned team that can put up a better longer fight”
He also hopes to avoid injuries because the team has very little depth, which goes with experience, size, and ability at the skill positions. “I think this team will have a better offense year, put more points up, and control ball better,” Merchant said. The key is to not give up big plays and on offense control the ball better.”
While Gloucester has a more disciplined and more mature group, they still lack the skill to compete with the Peninsula District’s top teams. Gloucester can hopefully win a few games, and continue to develop young players in hopes of soon securing that elusive winning season.
- Kellen Owings
Phoebus Ready, One Game At A Time
by Kellen Owings, recruit757
Coach Stan Sexton (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757)
They may have two straight undefeated seasons and two straight Group AAA Division 5 championships, but Phoebus Phantoms’ coach Stan Sexton is focused on only one thing: the next game. Sexton, who is undefeated as a head coach at Phoebus, has his group focusing on one game at a time, with little worry about a third straight state championship.
“First thing is, we’re not thinking about that (an undefeated championship season) right now at all. We’re thinking about playing Gloucester this week,” Coach Sexton said.
“The big thing is with teenage kids, you can’t look ahead. We have to look at what were faced with now, and right now our focus is playing the best we can against them and coming home with a victory.”
Coach Sexton says that the Phantoms aim to open it up more on offense this season. While the team doesn’t intend to go away from the power running game they are known for, they want to counter defenses from stacking the box by airing it out more.
QB Eric Enderson (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757)
Charged with that task on offense is junior quarterback Eric Enderson (6-1 190). Enderson beat out Jordan Roby, a transfer from Hampton, for the starting nod. Enderson is used to high pressure situations, being an All-State kicker last year, who won three games for the team with kicks. That grace under pressure should lend itself well to being the starting quarterback for a State Championship team.
Joining Enderson on offense is senior tight end Dequan Romero (6-1 215), a dangerous tight end and two way player. Junior wide receiver Romond Deloatch (6-5 205) provides a big target in the passing game, and proved throughout the preseason that he can be a big weapon. Running back Tyree Lee (SR 5-9 180) will replace Colby Goodwyn at running back, but he won’t miss a beat as the Phantoms continue to reload at the position year after year. Receiver and returner Breon Key (SR 6-2 175) is an explosive playmaker and center Justin Williamson (SR 6-3 215) will anchor the offensive line.
The Phantom’s defense will continue to be a staple of the team and is coming off a season in which they allowed 6.1 points per game and forced six shutouts. Romero will continue to wreck havoc on opposing quarterbacks, which is what he does best, posting 30 sacks last year. Linebacker Caleb Taylor (SR 6-0 230) is back healthy after missing most of last season with a knee injury. Says Coach Sexton, “So far in preseason he’s shown he hasn’t missed a beat. He’s as good as he was before, which is a big time player on defense.”
LB Justin "Boombox" Lyles (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757)
Breon Key will start at linebacker and Tyree Lee will play corner. Anthony Haste (SR 6-3 190) and Justin “Boombox” Lyles (JR 5-11 225) will also provide some big hits at linebacker. Senior Deshawn Arnold (6-1 185) will also start at corner. All in all, the defense brings back eight starters and once again has the chance to be an outstanding unit.
There isn’t much on the recruiting front now that the season has started. Romero has already committed to UNC and Taylor to UVA. Tyree Lee is drawing interest from East Carolina and Marshall. Williamson, as well as lineman Jonathan McLean (6-3 235) and Corey McKoy (5-10 275) are also getting looks from some 1-AA and D2 and D3 schools. More interest will come as game film from this season becomes available.
While Coach Stan Sexton and his players may be taking it one game at a time, most of their opponents have the Phantoms circled on their schedules. The coach knows it too, saying, “The only prediction I have is that we’re going to get the best from everyone we’re going to play. So we got to be ready to play.”
Phoebus will be ready to play. And if they play up to their potential, and listen to the old adage of “one game at a time,” their last game could once again be with a State Championship on the line.
- Kellen Owings
Hampton Is All Business
by Andy Hilton, recruit757
QB David Watford (Photo: Dan Trevino)
Hampton Head Coach Mike Smith is old school. That’s one way to put it when a man is entering his 40th season as a head coach and has a 408-64-2 record. All of Smith’s coaching has been done at Hampton High School. Mike Smith IS Hampton Football.
The Hampton football program is in good hands. Smith knows how to teach the Xs and Os. His quarterback, David Watford, is a good student of the game. Watford (SR 6-2 180) has matured into quite a quarterback. He’s already gotten the vote of approval from University of Virginia Head Coach Mike London. Watford will be on his way to Charlottesville after giving a verbal commitment to the Cavaliers. There’s other talent on this Crabber team too.
Offensively, Hampton will get the job done on the ground. Supporting Watford’s passing game is Daquan Charity (SR RB 5-10 175), Kavon Bellamy (JR RB 6-0 200) and workhorse Dallas Cogdale (JR FB 6-2 220). Cogdale is a beast of a runner. There’s not much east-west to his game, but with his size and strength, Cogdale can run over smaller defenders. Get him to the second level of the defense and look out! In fact, last year Cogdale was moved from linebacker to defensive tackle because of his size and strength. Cogdale will go both ways again this year.
The O-Line is led by Trei Banks (SR 6-2 315). The rest of the line lacks some of the size of Banks, but makes up for it in quickness and precision. That line will its work protecting Watford and opening holes for bruising backs like Cogdale and the swift of foot like Bellamy and Charity.
Hampton moves the ball downfield via the pass as well. Wide Receivers Jamall Brown (JR 6-1 180) and Daquin Moore (SO 6-3 180) will be primary targets this year. The strength of Hampton’s running game will open up the pass and that will only make things easier for David Watford.
Defensively, Hampton benefits from a bevy of skilled players. The linebacking corps is headed by Charity, Bellamy, and Lydell Washington (SR 5-10 205). The D-Line is keyed by Cogdale and Terrence Mack (SR 6-0 205). The line is small at Hampton but don’t feel sorry for them… see their speed on the field first.
The secondary is capped by Brown and Moore, who both double as wide receivers and safeties. Depth could be an issue for Hampton this year, but Coach Smith claims to have his Crabbers in the best condition ever, which he’ll need for a winning season and a playoff run.
Outside of the recruitment of David Watford who’s already committed to Virginia, the recruitment of players has been a little quiet overall. A few schools have shown interest in Cogsdale already, even though he’s just entering his junior year. The seniors, Washington, Mack, Charity and Bellamy should garner lots of interest by the end of the sesason.
This Hampton team is not one that’s going to intimidate their opponents the moment they step off the bus. For the most part, they lack prototypical size as far as college prospects are concerned. Still, this team wins. What makes the difference? 40 years of coaching from Mike Smith.
- Andy Hilton
Denbigh Upends Heritage
by Andy Hilton, recruit757
Heritage Assistant Coach w/ QB Andrew Warren (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757)
Both teams found the end zone Wednesday night. For most of the game, it looked like the only points on the board were going to be from a meeting of Heritage’s offense and Denbigh’s defense in the Heritage end zone.
After a scoreless first half, Heritage was the first team to surrender points. They fell behind 2-0 after a sack in the end zone. The two offenses did a decent job of moving the ball downfield tonight, but miscues and missed opportunities were the order of the day.
Heritage moved the ball with a steady diet of Quarterback Andrew Warren handing off to running back Ronald Peden with a little bit of Khalid Abdullah thrown in. Denbigh mixed it up with freelance runs by Quarterback Allen Simon and pass plays to Tight End Paul Gostomski and Devione Green. Both teams struggled to punch the ball into the end zone.
Denbigh TE Paul Gostomski (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757)
In the first half, big defensive plays stunted offensive drives. A Patrick Brown interception stopped a Denbigh drive late in the second quarter. Denbigh’s O’Shea Bryant returned the favor with :53 left in the first half with an athletic pass deflection that essentially killed a Heritage drive. The second half was more interesting.
With the first possession of the second half, Heritage tried and failed with a fake punt on fourth down. That gave Denbigh the ball on the Hurricane 37. On the ensuing play, Andre Watson ripped off a 31 yard run, putting the Patriots on the six. From there, Watson was called on three more times but couldn’t run it in. A failed pass to Gostomski on fourth and goal gave the ball back to Heritage on the two yard line. Two plays later, Heritage QB Andrew Warren was sacked in the end zone by Stetson Williams.
Heritage later missed a short field goal. Heritage had more opportunities when Denbigh botched a flea flicker and turned the ball over. Later in the fourth quarter, Denbigh was stripped of the ball at their own 30 yard line. Heritage still failed to score. Devione Greene hauled in a pass on 7 yard slant for a touchdown late in the game and Heritage’s fate was sealed. Final score: Denbigh 9, Heritage 0.
- Andy Hilton
Peninsula District Preview
by Andy Hilton, recruit757
Phoebus Coach Stan Sexton (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757)
The Peninsula District kicks off play tomorrow night as Denbigh faces Heritage. Thursday and Friday bring more games from a district that plays the majority of its games in only two stadiums: Todd Stadium in Newport News and Darling Stadium in Hampton. That gives PD football fans more opportunity to check out the opposition since it’s routing for Varsity games to be played on Thursday night, Friday night and even Saturday afternoon on the Peninsula.
Maybe that’s why PD Football is so tradition rich. Maybe that’s why the competition is so intense. For whatever reason, Peninsula District football is certainly a crowd pleaser.
Playoff Bound: These days, any PD Football conversation has to start with Phoebus. They’re the team of the decade for Virginia Football. In the last ten years, Phoebus has a record of 120-12 and has won the State Championship with an undefeated season three times in the decade. Phoebus hasn’t been stockpiled with stars over the years, but the coaching staff there knows how to produce winners. It’s only been more recently that colleges have caught on to the talent that’s there. Sure, we’ve seen Tajh Boyd go to Clemson and Dominick Davenport go to West Virginia, but we’ve also seen Phoebus’ talent stay local and contribute at schools like Hampton and Old Dominion.
Be sure of this… as sure as the sun rises in the east, Phoebus will be the team to beat in the PD this year. Add quarterbacking to Eric Enderson’s duties of kicking and punting. Watch UVA commit Caleb Taylor and UNC commit Daquan Romero command the defense. Watch up and comers like Romond Deloatch and Justin Lyles make their contributions. Phoebus always plays like a team and this year will be no different.
Hampton is led by their own BCS-level commit. Quarterback David Watford will be a Virginia Cavalier next year. This year he has some unfinished business to take care of. Not only did Watford watch his Crabber team fall to Lake Taylor in the second round of the playoffs on a questionable call last year, but Hampton has not beaten Phoebus in his time there. Since Watford’s freshman year, the Crabbers have only managed six regular season points against the Phantoms. Hampton will play well throughout the season because Coach Mike Smith has a talented young team that’s almost complete from last year’s squad. Phoebus could be the only stumbling block for Hampton this year.
Warwick QB Donnell Staton (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757)
Warwick moves up the ladder this year as a few other teams might have problems maintaining their position from last year. Coach Juan Jackson has a solid offense returning, led by Quarterback Donnell Staton. Staton has looked impressive in practice and in 7×7 work this summer, plus his receiving corps has gelled around him. Line play is going to be key for the Raiders because the team has solid talent at the skill positions. Warwick draws Menchville in the first week, then gets thrown into the fire with consecutive games against Booker T. Washington (who defeated the Raiders soundly in the ODU 7×7 semi-final), Phoebus, Woodside and Hampton. From there the rest of the schedule is a downhill sprint by comparison. They can’t get off to a 1-4 start and be pressured to make the playoffs.
Bethel graduated 27 seniors from last year’s team and 18 of them went on to college scholarships. That’s quite a feat for any high school program. While the scholarship offers are a source of pride, the gaping hole it leaves in this year’s team is tough to ignore. Bethel breeds excellence however. Their JV team went undefeated last year and a portion of that talent is coming up to the varsity level this year. Bethel will pull it together again. Their first five games are against teams that had a combined 13-37 record last year. As long as they work out the kinks in the first half of the schedule, they should be well prepared for the second half when they face Woodside, Hampton, Menchville, Warwick and Phoebus. Bethel could be 5-0 coming into the Woodside game and a victory over the Wolverines would give them a 6-0 record and the confidence they need to take on the Crabbers.
In The Hunt: Woodside deserves to be considered as a playoff team. Their solid showing last year landed them in the Division 6 Regional Final against Oscar Smith and almost got them to the State Semifinals. Woodside was small and quick last year. They’re going to be young, small and quick this year. Woodside graduated their top skill position players in Aaron Evans, Jarrell Cooper and Marquis Frazier. Fortunately, they have a wealth of skill position guys. The line will make or break the Wolverines this year. Expect more inconsistency than last year, but this year’s squad is a playoff team.
Kecoughtan Coach Scott Woodlief (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757)
On The Rise:
Kecoughtan is on the verge of turning the corner. They were 5-5 last year and start this year with a new head coach. Scott Woodlief has come back to the area in order to guide the Chiefs. They have a wealth of talent, including two able quarterbacks in Bruce Bailey and Marcus Hofler. Kecoughtan also boasts one of the regions best skill athletes in Aaron Mathews. Coach Woodlief brings a new system in with him. Will the Chiefs adapt? If it doesn’t happen this year, Kecoughtan certainly has the talent to back in the mix again next year.
Room To Grow: Denbigh went 5-5 last year after two consecutive seasons at 3-7. Coach Marcellus Harris has the program headed in the right direction. Now it’s up to the players to execute and the development will continue. Denbigh started off the season 3-0 last year and have a legitimate shot at doing it again with opening games against Heritage, Granby and Kecoughtan. Kecoughtan will be no pushover, but the Chiefs face Bethel and Lake Taylor in their opening pair. Coach Harris acknowleges that his team won the games they should have and lost to better teams last year. Their five losses were to playoff teams from the PD. In order to break through this year, Denbigh has to beat some tougher opponents while continuing to win the ‘winnable’ games.
Menchville has been the Clifton Richardson show for some time now. Opposing defenses can key on that, and Coach John Byron is doing his best to get the ball in Richardson’s hands while still keeping defenses guessing. The talent on this Menchville team is developing, but it’s still young. There’s plenty of speed on this team, but everyone else in the district has speed too. What’s going to set the Monarchs apart? They’re going to need consistent execution from players who aren’t proven yet. Menchville won’t be able to coast through the season, but three of their final four are against Bethel, Hampton and Phoebus. If the wins don’t come early, the sledding is only going to get tougher for the Monarchs.
Heritage has a State Championship to hang its hat on. The only problem is that they’re ten years removed from that season and have only seen the playoffs once since that year. New Head Coach Dan Tomblin comes in with high hopes, but realistic expectations. It’s going to take some rebuilding, so the wins aren’t going to come right away. Senior quarterback Andrew Warren will lead the offense, but he only has four varsity games under his belt. Senior wideout Andre Cooper will be the top option for the passing game, but the majority of the offense should come on the ground as the Hurricanes run the triple option this year. Tomblin will accentuate the positive, but this year is a development year for Heritage.
Gloucester has languished in the PD’s cellar for a few years now. They’ve been consistent, with a 1-9 record each year from 2006 to 2008 before finishing 0-10 last year. Coach Sonny Merchant inherited an undermanned team, which is odd considering that Gloucester is the only high school in the county. The school has an enrollment of almost 2,000 but the wins haven’t come easily. Gloucester hasn’t had a winning season since 1987 and this year will be no different. From here, there’s no where to go but up.
Expect the Peninsula District to put at least five teams in the playoffs. The bottom of the district will have its struggles, but the top of the district will more than make up for it in their successes.
- - Andy Hilton
Tomblin Looks To Revive Winning Tradition At Heritage
by Kellen Owings, recruit757
Ten years ago, the Heritage Hurricanes were state champions. To say they’ve fallen on hard times is an understatement, and their quick fall to the bottom of the Peninsula District is perplexing. The Hurricanes went 39-7 from 1999-2001, but have only one winning season and playoff berth since, and are coming off of back-to-back 1-9 seasons.
The Hurricanes however, believe they have the coach capable of righting the ship. Dan Tomblin comes from Houston’s Dobie High where he was an assistant the last three years. He replaces Jason Robinson, who was 18-33 in five years at Heritage.
Tomblin also brought in former Phoebus assistant Ron Johnson to be the offensive coordinator and help revamp what was an ineffective offense last year.
“We changed up both the offense and the defense this year,” Coach Tomblin said. “But a lot of stuff we started in the offseason, as far as weight lifting to get the kids stronger.”
Of his offense, Tomblin says, “We’re going to give the district a little bit of a different look this year. The pace and the tempo that we run things is going to be a lot faster than how they’ve run things in the past here.”
Gone is the spread offense that only produced 97 points last year, 59 of which came against Denbigh, Gloucester, and Menchville. In its place is a multiple formation option offense that will use Zone, Wing-T, and I-Option sets.
The defense will now be running a 4-3, which will give a little more structure to the defense, and will allow the Hurricanes to protect the gaps better. The team switches from a 3-5-3, of which Tomblin says, “A lot of people run the 3-5-3, and that’s what they ran here before, but they weren’t real successful with it.” In defense of the… defense, the Hurricanes’ offensive ineptitude put it in tough situations with three-and-outs and turnovers, forcing the defense to often play with a short field. Tomblin hopes that a change in scheme and an improved offense will enable the defense to play better this season.
The offense is lead by senior quarterback Andrew Warren (6-1 190), who is full of talent, yet inexperienced under center, playing only four games for Heritage in two years. However his talent is without question, he possesses a strong arm and has the speed and athleticism to excel in an option offense. Senior Andre Cooper (6-0 190) will be Warren’s top target when the Hurricanes go to the air. Junior Jordan Council (6-1 210) is the only returning starter on the offensive line, and while still an underclassman, he will be expected to provide leadership to a young, inexperienced group.
The option offense will feature a whole slew of backs, and Coach Tomblin plans to employ a running back by committee approach. Seniors Ahmad Granby (5-5 145) and Trey Pearson, both of whom didn’t have a carry last season, will split carries at running back. Ronald Peden (JR 5-9 220) and Patrick Brown (JR 5-11 210) will play fullback and handle some of the tough inside runs and first phase of the triple option. Senior Jorien Russell (5-10 176) and Khalid Abdullah will also get carries as coach Tomblin says that all of his backs are going to get time this season.
The defense is lead by junior safety Mario Cofield (5-10 170), who will be the main presence in the secondary. Sophomore Charlie Harrison (6-1 175) will start at corner. Andre Cooper and Patrick Brown will play linebacker, along with strong side linebacker Jamal Jones. The defensive line will be anchored by Council, and surrounded by younger, unproven players. Says Tomblin, “We have a lot of younger guys, so we’re just seeing what they can do, we’re doing a lot of rotating on the defensive line.”
Recruiting hasn’t picked up yet for the Hurricanes, as the team has a lot of underclassmen combined with the teams poor on field performance in recent years. Andrew Warren will likely garner interest if he can play a full season, as talent wise he is probably one of the better quarterbacks in the Peninsula District. Says Coach Tomblin of recruiting, “There really isn’t a lot of interest right now, but hopefully with the coaching changes and everything we’ve done here and with the new style of football that we’re playing, that will change.”
As for his goals, coach Tomblin is keeping them small in his first year. “Our goal is to be 1-0 after Wednesday (against Denbigh), that’s it. We’re taking things one game at a time.”
A modest prediction is good for the Hurricanes, who still have a long way to go before they return to the top of the ultra-competitive Peninsula District. There is much room for optimism however, with a new coach, new schemes in place, and a renewed optimism around campus. Coach Tomblin says that enthusiasm for the team has been great with more players joining the team than Heritage has jerseys for. He says he will make do, and won’t be cutting anyone.
With a solid young core, a good JV program that beat the varsity’s third string, and highly motivated players, the future looks bright for the Hurricanes. Says Coach Tomblin, “There’s definitely a future at Heritage; if not now, then definitely down the road.”
- Kellen Owings
Kecoughtan Brings Woodlief Home
by Andy Hilton, recruit757
Coach Scott Woodlief (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757)
Kecoughtan Football seemed destined for another playoff berth last year. They started off the season 4-3 and only needed to navigate their way through their final three games in order to get to the postseason. The schedule was unfavorable and the breaks didn’t fall their way as the Chiefs finished the season by losing to Woodside, Hampton and Warwick on their way to a 4-6 finish. That led to Glenn Tidwell resigning and the beginning of a new era at Kecoughtan.
New Head Coach Scott Woodlief has come home. Woodlief came to Kecoughtan after a four year stint as head coach at Potomac Falls. Coach Woodlief knows Peninsula District football. Woodlief was the head coach of Gloucester from 2000 to 2001. He was also an assistant under current Virginia Tech Assistant Coach Curt Newsome while Newsome was the head coach at Kecoughtan. Woodlief coached under Newsome from 1994 to 1997, some of Kecoughtan’s most recent glory years.
Since that time, Kecoughtan’s last winning season was in 2005 and their last playoff appearance was in 2002. Kecoughtan lost in the State Championship game in 1997 under Newsome and Woodlief. Those days are far away now.
“I think we have a long way to go,” said the new coach. Coach Woodlief is familiar with success at Kecoughtan, but he has some work to do in the turnaround. “We play in a really tough district. We just played our first scrimmage and you can tell it’s taking time for our kids to make adjustments. We’re still evaluating kids to see who can play and who can’t play… and we’ll go from there.”
“I’m looking forward to the season. I think we have a good football team here. We’re asking them to do something totally different on defense and we’re asking them to do something totally different on offense. It’s a change for them, and changes take a while. We need to change the demeanor of our program. These kids are going through some stuff this year that they haven’t been through in the past three years. I think they’re accepting it. I know they’re getting some good coaching. When you put kids in a place that’s positive, you always get positive results,” said the coach of the new direction of his program.
“We spread it out. We’re going to run a pro wide. We’re going to do a lot of different things. We’re going to run and throw the ball. We’re going to open it up and see what happens.”
Aaron Matthews (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757)
Positional situations are still playing themselves out at Kecoughtan. They’re in the middle of a quarterback controversy that’s pitting Bruce Bailey (SR 6-0 180) against Marcus Hofler (SR 6-1 180). At the Kellam scrimmage last Friday, the two players seemed to be equally effective. That makes for a tough decision for Coach Woodlief. “We’ve got a heck of a competition going at quarterback,” said the coach.
Aaron Matthews (SR 5-11 170) will contribute on both sides of the ball, serving as a wide receiver and defensive back. His speed and elusiveness were on display Friday night as he scored two touchdowns on simple short-distance plays. “He’s a guys in space with some speed. He can always make plays,” the coach said of his top offensive target. Matthews is expect to be the spark for the offense.
At running back, Adrian Pope (JR 5-9 160) and Brandon Bacchus (SR 6-0 180) will carry the load in the running game.
Defense is going to be key for Kecoughtan this season. Granted, it was a different team last year, but the Chiefs gave up over 36 points per game in their losses in 2009. In their four wins, they gave up less than twelve points per game including a 16-14 win against Bethel, who made the playoffs last year.
The defensive line will be anchored by Xavier Eley (SR 6-0 220) and Shawn Fauntleroy (SR 5-10 290). Behind that line is many of the players who star in the skill positions on the offensive side of the ball. Devin Claiborne (JR 5-11 210) and Terrance Ricks (JR 6-0 200) will provide reinforcement as linebackers while Marcus Hofler and Aaron Matthews anchor the secondary with help from Adrian Pope and Brandon Bacchus.
Coach Woodlief is torn about throwing his backup quarterback into the defense, who ever that ends up being. “You never know when someone’s going to get hurt. Then if you lose your starting quarterback, you’re down to your third string guy who hasn’t gotten many reps,” said the coach. Expect to see Bruce Bailey and Marcus Hofler split time at quarterback, but that may mean that they both sit when the defense is on the field.
Recruitment for the Chiefs has been thin to this point. Matthews has received interest from I-AA schools, including heavy interest from Old Dominion. It’s still a little early on the remaining seniors, but that interest will come.
As far as the season goes, Coach Woodlief remains confident. A playoff berth is the goal, and that would represent a big leap forward from their 4-6 finish last year.
Menchville: Last Round With Richardson
by Andy Hilton, recruit757
Coach John Byron (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757)
Menchville High School Football has had a tough run. They haven’t had a winning season since 1993. Head Coach John Byron came in five years ago to turn things around. It’s been slow going.
Coach Byron’s keeping things upbeat at Menchville. The Monarchs have one more year with blue chip athlete Clifton Richardson (SR 6-1 195) on the team, and they’re going to make the most of it. Richardson is the story at Menchville. More on Richardson in a minute….
Coach Byron is putting the Monarchs in a position to win games by spreading things out. They’re expecting opponents to key on Richardson in the offense and keep him away from the ball when he’s playing defense. The other 10 players on the field have to step up.
“For us it starts on defense. We have to be much more aggressive on defense and have 11 guys swarm to the ball on every play. Guys have to play fundamentally sound football. For us, it starts with discipline. We have defensive ends that go 6-3 plus, that’s Jordan Harris (JR 6-5 250) and Tavon Petteway (JR 6-3 205),” said the coach. Harris and Petteway will be great bookends for the defensive line. The Monarchs also have Tequoine Wright (DT 6-4 270) anchoring the line.
There are lots of interesting stories in the linebacking corps including a Crabber transfer, a sophomore starter and a newcomer from Germany. At linebacker the Monarchs will get continuity and leadership from Dylan Goodill (SR MLB 5-8 175). Takari Highsmith (SR 5-10 180), who’s a Hampton High School transfer, takes over at outside linebacker and the other OLB is sophomore Travon Eley (5-8 175). The “new guy” from Germany is Mike Linebacker Tyler Anderson (SR 5-7 230). He’s a fire plug of a player and an Army brat to boot. Tyler played organized football in Germany on a base youth team, but this will be his first year of High School football. “With Tyler we feel like we’ve found a diamond in the rough. He’ll come up and hit you and he’s got the size to back it up,” said Coach Byron.
The secondary for Menchville is full of skill. The key is Clifton Richardson at Safety and he’s surrounded by seniors Jarod Gunther (5-7 150) and Jontaz Atkins (5-7 150) at the corners. That senior leadership in the secondary should help Menchville in pass defense. “We’re going to play a 4-3 and move the strong safety around to different spots, playing some cover-2 and some man coverage out of that set,” Coach Byron explained.
Clifton Richardson (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757)
Of course the engine for the offense is Clifton Richardson. Coach Byron explains: ”We’re going to be a Pistol, Spread Option this year with Clifton at quarterback and at tailback we have Doug Jackson (SR 5-11 170). Doug is real quick. He hits the gaps fast for us on the midline and in the veer option. A lot of the guys in the secondary on the defense are also playing on the offensive side of the ball. Jontaz (Atkins) and Jarod (Gunther) are giving us that pitch look off the option. We picked up Martel Peden (JR WR 6-3 190) from the basketball team, he’ll be a deep threat for us.”
On the offensive line, Menchville only has two linemen returning after graduating three from last year’s team. “The guys coming back are doing a very good job and the guys coming in are picking up on the system quickly. The option also helps (the new guys) because they’re reading somebody. When you read somebody it allows us to get two blockers to the point of attack. We’re hoping that the option will allow us to spread it out and create some mismatches that will take a little heat off of our offensive linemen. That way, they’re not typically going up against defenses with eight or nine guys in the box play in and play out. The option is one of those things where not a lot of teams do it, so it’s tougher to prepare (to play against). One thing that’s tough on us stopping the turnovers. In triple option football, one of three guys can get the ball on any play, but there’s a chance for that ball to end up on the ground. We have to be just as disciplined on offense as we’re trying to be on defense, ” coach Byron explained.
Recruitment at Menchville is driven by Clifton Richardson and the attention he’s getting, but there’s other talent that’s getting noticed. “Tequoine Wright has great footwork playing at left tackle and defensive tackle. He’s getting looks from non-BCS schools like Temple. We feel like once he gets that first offer, his recruitment will take off. Taquon transferred to Virginia Beach after the season last year because his grandmother was sick. He kind of got lost in the shuffle. Now that he’s back with us we’ll see some of the attention pick up. Otherwise, we’ll have some DI-AA and Division II kids. Mitchel Lennartz (SR 6-2 250) plays right guard and defensive tackle for us and he has a 3.0 GPA and we feel like he’ll get some looks. We have two others in Jarod Gunther and Jontaz Atkins who are a little on the smaller side, but they have great speed and a great work ethic. They’ll get looks too,” said the coach confidently.
Schools like JMU, Richmond, William and Mary, Norfolk State, Hampton and Old Dominion come in to Menchville often. Other schools such as UNC and Maryland stop by to see Clifton Richardson, but the other players on the team get a chance to spend time with those coaches occasionally.
Menchville finished 2-8 last season and has had a tough time compiling wins. Coach Byron feels like Menchville has a chance to compete. “Hampton and Phoebus over the years have earned the right to be toward the top. But teams three through seven or eight could be anybody. Woodside lost a lot of players from last year. Bethel lost quite a number of seniors. Warwick lost some guys. Kecoughtan has a new coach, Heritage has a new coach… there are some new systems going in there. We’ll feel like we’re going to be in the mix. We want to get off to a good start. We have Warwick on September 4, from there we have Woodrow Wilson out of district. If we can start the season 2-0, then we’re going to feel like we can go out there and play with anybody. It all starts with Warwick and from there, we’re going to take it one game at a time.”
- Andy Hilton
Oscar Smith Tops Phoebus In Tight Scrimmage
by Jay Parchman, recruit757
Thursday night, the premiere Division 6 program in The 757 hosted the premiere Division 5 program in The 757. Since Oscar Smith would never play Phoebus in the regular season, it was a treat for those who witnessed it. The two teams played a controlled scrimmage with limited kicking but still officiated with a game clock and all. Oscar Smith edged the Phantoms late for a 27-21 win.
Phoebus began the evening with better line play. That allowed rising junior Quarterback Eric Enderson, to really shine early. The Phantoms marched downfield for a touchdown mid-way in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing possession, Oscar Smith’s new Quarterback, J.J. Williamson, was then blindsided and fumbled. Phoebus returned the fumble for a touchdown and the Phantoms suddenly had a 14-0 start that showed the visitors from the Peninsula meant business.
From that point, the largest matchup problem for the Phantoms, long tall WR Quinta Funderburk began making his impact. As in the 2009 season, Funderburk will cause problems for all opposing defenses. Success in the passing game led the Tigers to tie the game at 14 all before the two teams broke for halftime.
The highlight of the scrimmage was Eric Enderson’s athleticism. Not only does he show poise as the QB, he also handles kicking duties. Two of his five kickoffs went for touchbacks. Enderson served as the backup for starting QB Paul Morant last year, plus Enderson handled the kicking for the Phantoms. With kicking, punting and passing in his repertoire, Enderson is already attracting attention from opponents and college coaches.
In the second half, after trading TDs, Oscar Smith finished the scoring midway through the fourth quarter to take the lead for good at 27-21.
There were plenty of substitutions from both teams, especially in the second half. While it’s fun to postulate on which team is better, neither team was truly playing to win. Scrimmages are exercises in getting playing time for second and third string players, trying new plays and getting ready for the season overall. Both teams made mistakes. Both teams fumbled and dropped passes. Phoebus played more ball control football while Oscar Smith succeeded with quick strikes. In six recent scrimmages between the two programs, they’ve shown that they’re evenly matched.
It was a great evening for those who could attend and a nice appetizer for the upcoming season. Both teams look sound and will enjoy another playoff run.
- Jay Parchman
Menchville’s Richardson To Take Official Visits
by Andy Hilton, recruit757
Clifton Richardson (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757.com)
Clifton Richardson has been touted as one of the jewels in Coach Mike London’s 2011 class at Virginia. When Richardson (QB/FS 6-1 195)committed to Virginia back in March, the buzz was significant. Richardson was one of London’s first blue chip verbals in the 2011 class. At the time, his commitment was a hot topic and has since been clarified as a soft verbal.
In recruiting parlance, a soft verbal is hardly a commitment. In fact, a verbal commitment isn’t truly a commitment but it is a non-binding agreement between the college program and the player. A soft verbal means, “I really like you and I plan on coming there, but I might change my mind.”
In other words, Virginia plans on having Clifton Richardson as part of their 2011 class. Clifton Richardson plans to be there, most likely.
That being said, he’s still going to see what else is out there. We caught up to Richardson last night at the Grassfield scrimmage, and he’s still looking around.
“I’m going to make my final decision soon. I’m going to take some official visits and make my decision after that.” Richardson then went on to list the schools he plans to visit. “Tennessee, West Virginia, Maryland, UVA and probably South Florida. I like Virginia because of the coaching staff. They’re going to turn that program around,” said Richardson. Clearly, he’s impressed with Coach London and his efforts to rebuild the Cavalier Football program.
West Virginia also has his eye. “I like Chris Beatty. He’s a great running back coach.” Richardson would obviously fit the mold as a speedy slot receiver or running back in the Mountaineer program.
”With Tennessee, I just met the new coach a few months ago. Coach Chaney’s a good guy.” Playing in the SEC and joining Ocean Lakes wide receiver Justin Hunter at Tennessee would be appealing to Richardson. Tennessee has a bit of rebuilding to do as well, but unlike Virginia, Tennessee hasn’t suffered losing seasons and may make a quicker recovery in spite of playing tougher competition.
Richardson went on to speak positively about Coach Tom Brattan at Maryland and Coach Skip Holtz at South Florida. “I’m going plan to visit them too. I’m going to try to take all my visits and make my decision in the fall.”
While Virginia is still a strong possibility for Richardson, he’s definitely going to look around and be sure of his decision.
Academically, Richardson still has some work to do. He has to take a few more classes that will help him with his core GPA and he plans to take the SAT in September. From there he’ll know where he stands with the NCAA Clearinghouse. Richardson remains confident about qualifying and is determined to stay focused on the field and off the field. “I had a rough night tonight, but I’m going to work that out and cut out the mistakes.” Richardson fumbled the ball a few times while at quarterback Monday night.
His Menchville team will need the best Clifton Richardson they can get on Friday nights. His college choices are looking forward to a focused and ready Clifton Richardson on Saturday afternoons. That will come soon enough.