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2020 Pigskin Preview Flipbook PDF
2020 Pigskin Preview
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Football Season Moved. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Clinton High School. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Harrells Christian Academy. . . . . . . . . . . 6
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Hobbton High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Lakewood High School. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Midway High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Union High School. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
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Hopes high for a football season – when now looks like February By Daron Barefoot [email protected] (Editor’s note: The North Carolina High School Athletic Association announced August 12 that fall sports would be suspended until early 2021. According to the NCHSAA, football practice will begin on Feb. 8, with the first playing date being Feb. 26. Teams will play a condensed schedule of seven conference games. Stories for this magazine were written in advance of that decision and comments reflect, both in this story and others within the magazine, the uncertainty of when a season might begin.) When COVID-19 put a stronghold on the world back in the spring, no one was prepared for the impacts it would have both locally and abroad. Here at home, what started as a two-week suspension of spring sports has morphed into a calamity of ongoing suspensions and cancellations. The most recent setback came on Aug. 6 when the North Carolina High School Athletic Association announced, in response to Governor Roy Cooper’s continuation of Phase 2, a new extension to the delay of kicking off fall sports. Then this week, just as this magazine was about to go to press, came news that the season would begin in February, with the first games played on Feb. 26. That, too, is still somewhat fluid. The NCHSAA has also made it clear in every statement regarding the COVID-19 pandemic that it is its desire to offer the opportunity for a resumption of athletics. “Each NCHSAA board member believes in the value of education-based athletics and is committed to safely offering a fall, winter, and spring sports program during this school year,” Tucker continued. “However, there is also a commitment to the health and safety of students and coaches. Towards this end, we all will continue to follow the guidance of the Department of Health and Human Services relative to the data and how we all safely move forward. We want to play sports during the upcoming school year and are making plans to do so.” Among local reaction, football coaches across the county are hopeful that the Aug. 17 decision deadline sticks and will hopefully put to bed some rumors that are swirling. Solutions such as a shortened fall sports schedule between October and December are options on the table and are, honestly, the most popular option. However, the idea of shoving all fall sports to a shortened season sometime in early 2021 has also not been ruled out. To say the least, frustration seems to be the
magic word to express the vibe that everyone is feeling. Hobbton head football coach Joe Salas used the term to sum up his thoughts poignantly, which has support from the other coaches. “Right now, it is frustrating for everybody because we don’t have a definite date,” he attested. Doug Burley, head football coach of the Union Spartans, was perhaps one of the most vocal in affirming that he hopes someone will step up and just make a decision. “I wish, for the kids sake, especially the seniors, they’d just quit putting it off and make a decision,” he stressed. “The players want to play.” “We’re looking forward to some kind of season,” Burley continued. “It’s a tough situation but it’s something we have to deal with, and I always tell the boys the sun will come up in the morning.” Over at Midway, head coach Cory Barnes provided his insight on the situation, admitting that he and his Raiders just simply want to play. “I try to stay optimistic,” Barnes noted. “I have this belief we’ll play at some point, but it probably won’t be when we want it to be.” Barnes elaborated that he believes sports won’t be given the green light until schools are back to some sort of in-contact, face-to-face format. In fact, he shared there’s widespread belief that an abbreviated fall sports season could be pushed back as far as the spring. “I think there’s a huge chance we play in the spring. I don’t think the NCHSAA wants the players to miss any more experiences and I certainly don’t want to see the seniors continue to lose these memories, these opportunities, and overall just getting to play. We’d love to go in October or November but we’ll take whatever we can. If we don’t play then, then I think we’ll play in the spring. So, I’m staying optimistic. It’s gonna happen,” Barnes added. Down at Clinton, Cory Johnson and the Dark Horses are also remaining positive, if not expectant, that they will dress out for the 2020 football season. “Who said we’re not going to play?,” Johnson chuckled. “We don’t even talk about that.” Instead, Johnson relies on the same motto he expresses game in and game out, saying he’s focused on his team continually getting one percent better. “We attack the day wherever our feet are. I’m not God, I can’t predict whether we’re going to play football in the spring or in October. The
good Lord knows that, but I need football in my life and so do those youngins.” At Harrells, head coach Jason Arnette and his Crusaders are facing a slightly different animal in the NCISAA. Arnette put to rest some speculation that NCISAA football is operating differently, saying that just like their counterparts in the NCHSAA, Harrells football is in a holding pattern until told otherwise. Exceptions to that rule, though, are that Harrells Christian Academy did return to normal operational school sessions on Aug. 12 and are able to participate in other fall sports such as volleyball and soccer, under certain conditions. “We had somewhat of a normal summer,” Arnette added. “We kept the guys in small groups of less than 10, which was what was recommended, obviously. We rotated stations between indoor and outdoor weights and conditioning. We did that for a while then we were finally allowed to touch a ball and we were able to get in about 22 days worth of workouts. We had a great turnout and, honestly, the kids want to go back to school and they want to play.” On Aug. 6, the NCISAA posted an updated guideline for the return of fall sports after Cooper extended Phase 2 until Sept. 11. Implementing the return-to-play plan, the current itinerary is that all Fall sports will begin full practice on Aug. 10, however, doing so under the fall acclimatization policy. The release then goes on to say that the plan will begin with low and moderate risk sports. Low risk sports are considered cross country, girls golf, and tennis. Moderate risk sports are considered to be field hockey, soccer, and volleyball. Beginning the week of Sept. 8, the low risk sports will be released for scrimmages and games. The next week, Sept. 14, will see the permission of moderate risk sports being allowed to play scrimmages and games. Meanwhile, football, considered a high risk sport, is postponed at least until Sept. 11, which is when the current deadline for Phase 2 ends. Therefor, it goes without saying that the hopes of football being played this fall is highly contingent on the responses of COVID-19 and Cooper. As always the NCISAA reminds everyone that the current pandemic is a fluid situation and all dates listed under their current plan are subject to change. Reach Sports Editor Daron Barefoot at 919-8200836 or by email at [email protected].
Clinton High School The Clinton Dark Horses had a terrific season in 2019. The team secured double-digit wins as they seized the East Central 2A Conference Championship at a perfect 5-0 and advanced deep into the NCHSAA 2A State Football Playoffs. Earning the No.1 overall seed in the playoffs, the road to the State Championship went through Cory Johnson, Head Coach Clinton, however, it was the of the Clinton Dark Horses Northeastern Eagles that ended the Dark Horses’ run in the Eastern Regional Final. Now, as the Horses turn their attention to what will hopefully be a 2020 season, Clinton head coach Cory Johnson says he thinks that his Dark Horses return enough pieces to maintain form and be competitive once again. Naming players such as Davion Smith, Keasean Williams, and Spencer Westerbeek, along with assistant coach Dennis McFatten, Johnson says he thinks the 2020 version of Clinton football will be strong.
“I expect Davion Smith to be big time,” Johnson said. “He rushed for over 900 yards last year and has been a three-year starter. I also expect Keasean Williams and Blake Smith to be strong on offense. Blake is a solid threat at quarterback and Keasean is a wide out that I truly think is one of the best in North Carolina. He caught nine touchdowns last year and we only threw the ball three times per game.” Johnson also suggested that the Clinton offense could look different overall. “We’ll have a different team so we’re going to have a different offense. We’re probably going to throw it more so I expect Keasean to be a big target.” On defense, Johnson named Spencer Westerbeek as being one of his key returning players for the Dark Horses. “He’s been making the checks since his sophomore year. He’s our go-getter and I’ve got the best defensive coordinator in Coach McFatten returning; anytime he’s making calls we’ve got a chance.” Of course, Johnson has come to be famous for his “one percent better” slogan that he so often says following games. He continued to echo that frequently in the preseason, saying that the team has still managed to put in hard work to make sure they’re in form when the time does come to play.
2019 Schedule + Results DATE OPPONENT Aug. 30 East Bladen Sep. 13 @ J.F. Webb Sep. 20 Pamlico Sep. 27 @ Central Cabarrus Oct. 4 @ Northside-Jacksonville Oct. 11 East Duplin Oct. 18 Goldsboro Oct. 25 @ Wallace-Rose Hill Nov. 1 @ James Kenan Nov. 8 Midway Nov. 14 Fairmont (NCHSAA 2A State Playoffs) Nov. 22 Beddingfield (NCHSAA 2A State Playoffs) Nov. 29 West Craven (NCHSAA 2A State Playoffs) Dec. 6 Northeastern (NCHSAA 2A State Playoffs)
Spencer Westerbeek
4
Davion Smith
RESULT W, 43-16 W, 41-12 W, 70-14 L, 19-8 W, 28-14 W, 34-9 W, 58-24 W, 14-7 W, 35-13 W, 49-3 W, 35-6 W, 38-22 W, 47-14 L, 23-8
Conference: East Central 2A Last Year: 12-2 Overall; Champions of the East Central 2A at 5-0. Eliminated in the Eastern Regional Championship of the NCHSAA 2A State Playoffs against Northeastern. Key Offensive Players Lost: Jaheim Faison, Cameron Armwood, J’daques Wallace, Drew Leggett, Jatiyuhn Wilson, LJ Highsmith Key Defensive Players Lost: Jaheim Faison, Jahisien Cruse, Cameron Armwood, J’daques Wallace, Emoni Monk, Drew Leggett, Mohamed Kaba, LJ Highsmith Key Returning Offensive Players: Blake Smith, Zyon Simpson, Keasean Williams, Davion Smith, Jakwan Wilson, Spencer Westerbeek, Oscar Bennett Key Returning Defensive Players: Spencer Westerbeek, Jatayus Farrior, Taleb Thomas, Carter King, Jermaine Monroe, Zyon Simpson, Asa Evans, Oscar Bennett
Oscar Bennett
August 2020 Pigskin Preview
Keasean Williams
Sampson Independent
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Harrells Christian Academy The Harrells Crusaders football unit has been a consistent force the past several seasons, frequently achieving above .500 finishes and qualifying for post season play. As the fate of the 2020 season dangles in the balance, the Crusaders are one of the few teams that have been able to enjoy at least some form of workouts. This may prove Jason Arnette, Head Coach of the Harrells Crusaders to be beneficial for the private school as Harrells is facing the challenge of replacing some key pieces from a season ago, including workhorse Jack Laslo, who is now at East Carolina University. Head coach Jason Arnette, however, believes that his Crusaders will be just fine. Returning most of their unit as well as adding in some players that have transferred in, Arnette is expecting the ingredients to fall into place. “We’ve got three new kids coming in this season, all from WallaceRose Hill,” Arnette said. “Trent Jackson, Xavier Arrington, and Devin Conference: NCISAA Big East Last Year: 8-3 Overall; Finished 3rd in the NCISAA Big East at 2-2. Eliminated in the NCISAA Div. III Semifinals against SouthLake Christian. Key Offensive Players Lost: Jack Laslo, Aaron Smith Key Defensive Players Lost: Jack Laslo,
Gardner will be joining us this season so I’m expecting big things from them. I’ve got much of my offensive line coming back along with Isaac Underwood, so we’ve got some key pieces coming back. I think we’re going to be fine.” “Grice Bell will be our leader on the O-Line along with CamrynBrown Leak at left guard. Jaheim Murphy and Isaac Jiminez will be big names, and our starting quarterback is going to be Ethan Spell. On the defensive side of the ball, Arnette had similar reactions to that is offense, saying he expects that side of the unit should also fare well. “We should be pretty good,” he asserted. “Jack Laslo was big on both sides of the ball, but, we have some experience on that side of the ball returning. “We will run a 4-3 and guys like Jiminez, Murphy, Bell, Zach Butler, Sam Hope, and the guys coming in from Wallace will be key players. So, losing guys like Caleb Lucas and Jack is big, but we think we have some good fill-ins coming in.” Another area that will need addressing this upcoming season is special teams. The trusty foot of Will DeAndrade was also lost to graduation at the conclusion of last season so Arnette did chime in on that subject saying that the Crusaders will be looking for his replacement.
Aaron Smith, Caleb Lucas, Colby Phaneuf, Ashton Smith Key Returning Offensive Players: Isaac Underwood, Devin Gardner, Ethan Spell, Grice Bell, Camryn Leak-Brown, Jaheim Murphy, Isaac Jiminez Key Returning Defensive Players: Grice Bell, Zach Butler, Jaheim Murphy, Isaac Jiminez, Sam Hope
2019 Schedule + Results DATE OPPONENT Aug. 23 Sandhills Titans Aug. 30 @ Rocky Mount Prep Sep. 7 SouthLake Christian Sep. 12 Trinity Christian Sep. 20 @ Ravenscroft Sep. 27 @ North Raleigh Christian
Grice Bell
6
RESULT W, 52-6 W, 46-12 W, 49-12 L, 56-0 L, 35-31 W, 13-7
Sam Hope
DATE OPPONENT Oct. 4 @ Carolina Bearcats Oct. 11 @ North Wake Oct. 18 Victory Christian/Northside Christian Oct. 25 Wake Christian Nov. 1 SouthLake Christian (NCISAA Div. III Playoffs)
Camryn Leak-Bell
August 2020 Pigskin Preview
RESULT W, 38-27 W, 48-14 W, 44-12 W, 54-34 L, 42-34
Devin Gardner
Sampson Independent
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Hobbton High School
Joe Salas, Head Coach of the Hobbton Wildcats
The 2019 football season saw Hobbton continue a resurgence in its storied program, as the Wildcats ripped off an 8-win season and an appearance in the second round of the NCHSAA State 1AA playoffs. With what is hopefully the start of the 2020 campaign approaching, the Wildcats are going to be in search of some key gaps to fill, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
A season ago, Grayson Rogers led a mighty charge that aided Hobbton in putting up some impressive numbers and winning the most games since 2011. Rogers threw for 2,034 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for 1,550 more and another 27 touchdowns — outgaining the Wildcats true ball carrier, Dacorris Morrison, who tallied 1,525 yards of rushing and 13 touchdowns of his own. That duo is gone this upcoming season, leaving Hobbton to search for someone to fill their shoes. Head coach Joe Salas identified the need to replace Rogers last season and began grooming his successor: Loden Bradshaw. Bradshaw spent three games in the quarterback role, completing 10-of-24 passes for 108 yards. Now a junior, Bradshaw will likely be the go-to man once the new season
gets rolling. But, the question everyone wants to have answered is: when will that be? As for Sampson County, rumors swirl that the decision on fall sports could be looming. In the eyes of Governor Roy Cooper and the NCHSAA, for now, that date is no sooner than Sep. 11. Either way, Salas says his team is ready and fully believes that the Wildcats will be just fine when things do get going. “We are ready and sitting on go when they tell us we can,” Salas answered. “I am anticipating we are either going to play this fall or in the spring.” Even though there’s a big gap between the fall and the spring, Salas says the Wildcat faithful can rest assured that his players have found their own ways of staying in shape and maintaining form for when the football season can finally start rolling along. “We are doing everything we can right now. We are sending home workouts five days a week, we are doing our leadership once a month, we are doing everything we can to be ready when they give us the okay. The players actually built their own weight room so they could lift all summer. They are biting at the bit, ready to go.” “We have several returning players that are going to do a lot for us,” he said. “They have been bursting their butts all summer. We expect to be strong on defense this year and we are excited about it. We’re just waiting for the ‘go’.”” Conference: Carolina 1A
2019 Schedule + Results DATE OPPONENT Aug. 22 East Chapel Hill Aug. 29 @ Louisburg Sep. 9 East Columbus Sep. 13 @ Spring Creek Sep. 20 Midway Sep. 27 North Stokes Oct. 11 @ Rosewood Oct. 18 Princeton Oct. 25 Lakewood Nov. 1 @ Union Nov. 8 @ North Duplin Nov. 15 South Stokes (NCHSAA 1AA State Playoffs) Nov. 22 @ Tarboro (NCHSAA 1AA State Playoffs)
Kelvin Stevens
8
Loden Bradshaw
RESULT W, 51-46 W, 45-42 W, 34-6 W, 56-27 L, 53-26 L, 32-28 L, 55-7 L, 63-20 W, 45-13 W, 45-28 W, 36-34 W, 41-20 L, 64-0
Last Year: 8-5 Overall; Finished 3rd in the Carolina 1A at 3-2. Eliminated in the 2nd Round of the NCHSAA State 1AA Playoffs at Tarboro. Key Offensive Players Lost: Grayson Rogers, Dacorris Morrison, Brayden Herring, Preston Daughtry Key Defensive Players Lost: Grayson Rogers, Dacorris Morrison, Josh Royal, Brayden Herring, Preston Daughtry, Junior Esquivel, Perry Daughtry, Key Returning Offensive Players: Loden Bradshaw, Daniel Britt, Colby Weeks, Kelvin Stevens Key Returning Defensive Players: Colby Weeks, Daniel Britt, Dillion Hall, Kelvin Stevens
Colby Weeks
August 2020 Pigskin Preview
Daniel Britt
Sampson Independent
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Lakewood High School
Barrett Sloan, Head Coach of the Lakewood Leopards
The Lakewood Leopards suffered a setback during the 2019 season and are anxious for their shot at a turnaround for the 2020 season.
player. Trey White will be a big impact player and Trent Tanner will also prove to be a key player,” Sloan admitted.
The Leopards are slated to return some pretty key components from last year’s team, including leading rusher Tillyon Williams. Williams compiled 1,371 yards last season so it goes without saying that his contributions this season — whenever that may be — are going to be critical.
Sloan also discussed what’s been tough for he and his squad as the uncertainty of COVID-19 lingers.
He isn’t the only Leopard that head coach Barrett Sloan has high expectations for, however. Sloan indicated that there are a handful of other’s that could prove to be beneficial. “If we have a season, Tillyon Williams will be a key
“Football involves a lot of prep work,” he asserted. “Weight lifting and implementing strategy. However, keeping the kids safe is paramount.” “Maintaining relationships is also key. You can call them on a cell phone or video chat, but that is still not the same as the interactions we would have at practices or scrimmages. That’s probably the biggest challenge of this current time — maintaining the bonds we have.”
2019 Schedule + Results DATE OPPONENT Aug. 23 @ Wake Christian Aug. 30 KIPP Pride Sep. 6 Lejeune Sep. 13 @ Midway Sep. 20 South Brunswick Sep. 27 James Kenan Oct. 11 @ North Duplin Oct. 18 Rosewood Oct. 24 @ Hobbton Nov. 1 Princeton Nov. 7 @ Union Conference: Carolina 1A Last Year: 3-8 Overall, Finished tied 5th in Carolina 1A at 1-4. Failed to make the playoffs. Key Offensive Players Lost: Hayden Carter, Travis Crawford, Collin Turner, Derrick Mitchell Key Defensive Players Lost: Collin Turner, Derrick Mitchell, Allen Faircloth,
RESULT L, 28-12 W, 21-20 W, 51-0 L, 42-22 L, 34-0 L, 32-13 W, 21-13 L, 40-7 L, 45-13 L, 42-0 L, 32-14
Allen Melvin, Caleb Hardison, Julian Sandoval, Johneryn Parker Key Returning Offensive Players: Tillyon Williams, Trey White, Kollin Hunter, Jerquawin Rich Key Returning Defensive Players: Dylan Hawkins, Jerquawin Rich, Tillyon Williams, Zhymir Powell, Trent Tanner, Trey White, Ramon Schorea
Tillyon Williams
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August 2020 Pigskin Preview
Sampson Independent
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Midway High School After an exhilarating turnaround a season ago, third-year head coach Cory Barnes and his Midway Raiders have been riding high, hopeful to continue their newfound surge into the 2020 Football season. Finishing at 8-4 overall and securing a playoff appearance in 2019, Barnes said expectations Cory Barnes, Head Coach were high that Midway could of the Midway Raiders continue to push the envelope and hopefully bring back some legitimacy to the Raiders’ storied football program. COVID-19, however, continues to plague the region and entities such as the North Carolina High School Athletic Association are continually forced to reset dates that would allow sports to begin, at least some form of formal workouts. And while there is great uncertainty surrounding the status of a fall season, Barnes says that he and his team are remaining hopeful. Barnes broke down what he expects his team to look like this season, whenever it begins. The Raiders did lose a few key pieces on both sides of the ball in 2019, but overall, they do return a solid group that Barnes said could be invaluable. “Offensively, Jordan Strickland has been our center for three years now. With Cole Bedard, he’ll be a very common voice and anchor for the offensive line,” Barnes elaborated. “We also have some kids from our JV team that have moved up and gotten used to our scheme. I also think this is going to be a big year for Tyler Godwin and I hope and believe that he’ll generate some college interest. Some other guys that I have high expectations for are Lane Baggett, Dawson Blanchard, Isaiah McLendon, Nah Shon Sanchez at nose guard, Jonathan Cooper, Thornton Baggett, and JP Luna, just to name a few.”
195 attempts for 1,585 yards and 17 touchdowns. In rushing, his scrambling ability proved crucial as he connected on seven more touchdowns in the running game. Holland shared that he’s remained active during the pandemic, frequent working out and doing different drills to stay sharp. “I’ve just tried to use this time to my advantage,” Holland began. “I’ve tried to get stronger and improve my game on the field physically and mentally so when we finally get sports back my team and I will be ready.” Barnes supported those sentiments from his junior quarterback, acknowledging the work that Holland has put in this summer. “I expect him to take over the offense,” Barnes asserted. “We lost Deantae Byrd but Wyatt has been putting in work. He’s benching, he’s working out and getting stronger. Hopefully over the next two years this is his offense to drive.” Barnes also reinforced that with changing the tide at Midway comes a change in the atmosphere, which he says comes with continuing to raise the bar. “Our goal is to mimic last year’s success,” he explained. “We’re not going into any game thinking we’re going to lose — we expect to win. We know that this is the toughest 2A football conference in the state, but we expect to compete every time we step onto the field. Our expectation is to win a bunch of games and get into the playoffs. That’s where we want our program to be from here on out. Looking back at last year, we thought we lost some games we could’ve won and we’re working and building off of that to see how we can win more games this season and get to double-digit wins. How ever this season unfolds, we’re gonna have to compete in the conference because that’s likely to be a majority of our games, which is a buzzsaw of a challenge. But year after year our goal is going to be to be a playoff team.”
Perhaps the Raiders biggest weapon offensively is going to be the man under center, Wyatt Holland. Leading the charge in 2019, Holland presented a dual threat both on the ground and through the air. In the passing game, he amassed 102 completions of
Jordan Strickland
14
Wyatt Holland
Tyler Godwin
August 2020 Pigskin Preview
Sampson Independent
2019 Schedule + Results DATE OPPONENT Aug. 23 Union Aug. 30 South Brunswick Sep. 13 Lakewood Sep. 20 @ Hobbton Sep. 27 @ Spring Creek Oct. 4 Harnett Central Oct. 11 @ James Kenan Oct. 18 Wallace-Rose Hill Oct. 25 East Duplin Nov. 1 Goldsboro Nov. 8 @ Clinton Nov. 14 @ Red Springs (NCHSAA 2A State Playoffs)
RESULT W, 27-0 W, 28-24 W, 42-22 W, 53-26 W, 52-0 W, 31-14 W, 50-20 L, 56-14 W, 28-24 L, 15-0 L, 49-3 L, 27-14
Conference: East Central 2A Last Year: 8-4 Overall; Finished 5th in the East Central 2A at 2-3. Eliminated in the 1st Round of the NCHSAA State 2A Playoffs at Red Springs. Key Offensive Players Lost: Deantae Byrd, Cameron Barefoot, Jaden Covington, Cal Tyndall Key Defensive Players Lost: Cameron Barefoot, Cal Tyndall, Cameron Calcutt, Javen Covington, Ty McLean Key Returning Offensive Players: Wyatt Holland, Lane Baggett, Thornton Baggett, JP Luna, Isaiah McClendon, Cole Bedard, Jordan Strickland Key Returning Defensive Players: Jordan Strickland, Tyler Godwin, Nah Shon Sanchez, Jonathan Cooper
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Union High School In 2019, Doug Burley and his Union Spartans set forth the goal of making an appearance in the football playoffs of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. After a season that was largely up and down — the Carolina 1A is a tough conference, after all — the Spartans were able to accomplish just that.
Doug Burley, Head Coach of the Union Spartans
Though their appearance in postseason play was cut short, Burley and the Spartans could at the very least enjoy the satisfaction of knowing they had accomplished their goal. Now, one year later, the Spartans’ goals have completely shifted to the fact that they, just like everyone else, are hopeful they can even have a season. With COVID-19 still ravaging the region, the start-up date of fall athletics continues to suffer setback after setback. In fact, Sampson County isn’t even fully convinced when they’ll return to the classroom, let alone the ball field. The 2019 Spartans weren’t known for their large roster size. In the beginning of the season, Union
barely scratched 20 players before rounding out the year with 27 on their final roster. Of that total, half were seniors that were lost at the end of the season due to graduation. Entering his 24th season of coaching, Burley has been excited for the return of his senior players, especially his nephew Britt, as well as one player lost to injury in the regular season finale against Lakewood last year, Calvin McNeil. “We lost our fullback, Calvin, in the Lakewood game last year so we were looking forward to him coming back,” Burley added. “Also, this year is my nephew’s senior year, so we’ve been looking forward to that as well. It’s tough.” The Spartans were also looking forward to welcoming in new athletic director and offensive coordinator, Jonathan Taylor. Burley acknowledges that there was excitement for a new Union offense. “(Taylor) has been working real hard, so hopefully we can have a season for him.”
Conference: Carolina 1A Last Year: 4-8 Overall; Finished tied fourth in the Carolina 1A at 1-4. Eliminated in the 1st round of the NCHSAA State 1A Playoffs at Alleghany. Britt Burley
Key Offensive Players Lost: Cole Bass, Travone Robinson, Cameron Moore, Kciredor Joyner Key Defensive Players Lost: Cole Bass, Malcolm Pigford, Jamon Hicks, Cameron Moore, Travone Robinson, Julian Alvarado, Spencer King Key Returning Offensive Players: Calvin McNeil, Josheim Jones, Britt Burley Key Returning Defensive Players: Calvin McNeil, Josheim Jones, Ja’Sean Melvin, Trey Hayes, David Robinson
Derrick Lockamy
JaSean Melvin
16
2019 Schedule + Results DATE OPPONENT Aug. 23 @ Midway Aug. 30 @ Heide Trask Sep. 9 Pender Sep. 13 @ Jones Senior Sep. 20 James Kenan Sep. 27 Swansboro Oct. 11 @ Princeton Oct. 18 North Duplin Oct. 24 @ Rosewood Nov. 1 Hobbton Nov. 7 Lakewood Nov. 15 @ Alleghany (NCHSAA 1A State) August 2020 Pigskin Preview
RESULT L, 27-0 W, 20-0 W, 34-22 W, 58-6 L, 49-12 L, 47-22 L, 57-6 L, 48-20 L, 55-0 L, 45-28 W, 32-14 L, 60-8 Sampson Independent
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