BLOG: Biggest voids to fill, 1A
The final blog post in this three-day series on local teams and the all-district players they have to replace starting in tomorrow night. Check out links for the other posts in this series as you so please.
Tomorrow, I'll get you ready for game day with some game capsules, which will be a weekly staple.
OAK GROVE TIGERS
(Players listed are all district players from last season when Oak Grove was 2A)
1st Team Losses: RB Jaylan Holt, OL Mickey Broadway, ATH Chris Mitchell
While the offense does have a few holes to fill, the Tigers return 17 starters from last season, which a huge number for all high school programs but especially at 1A. In the veer offense, returning a quarterback (Jackson Wiley), running back (Jaylan Holt), fullback (Sam Philey) and the entire offensive line should pair some grey hairs on the heads of opposing defensive coordinators.
ST. FREDERICK WARRIORS
1st Team Losses: OL Michael Long, DL Michael Reeva, DB Mitchell Webb
2nd Team Losses: WR Brock Bryant, DB Jay Ricks
The two losses in the defensive secondary aren’t ideal, but with some of the returning players in the front seven – Campbell Creed, Blake Gladfelter, Waddih Fahkerie, Alex Brodtman and Hayes Barr, to name a few – make that transition easier.
Offensively, quarterback Barrett Coon looks more than ready to shoulder the load in the absence of Michael Long and Brock Bryant.
DELHI CHARTER GATORS
1st Team Loss: RB Christian Colvin
2nd Team Loss: DE Mike Bell
Christian Colvin is the biggest loss by far, and that’s a subject I delved into this summer as to how the Gators are going to replace his production.
DELHI BEARS
1st Team Loss: QB Asante Griffin
2nd Team Loss: DB Demarvius May
Judging off of what I saw in the jamboree against Richwood, Delhi is more than capable of executing its power running scheme effectively and taking pressure off of the new quarterback. The Bears did give up a few passing touchdowns in that appearance, but those could easily be attributed to minor mental errors that will be ironed out as the season goes on.
CEDAR CREEK COUGARS
Losses: Wes Graham, Michael Gallager
As tough as last season’s 3-7 finish was, it was all for this season: a year where the Cougars return a ton of talent and are much more likely to win those close games they lost last season (six of the seven losses came when the Cougars were within a touchdown after three quarters).