CITY-NORTH
Columbus East
First-year coach brings fresh outlook to Tigers By JARROD ULREY ThisWeek Community Newspapers
At a practice early into twoa-days, the new coaching staff for the Columbus East High School football team decided to get away from the regular routine and had the players alternate between practicing a twominute drill and running sprints. The idea, according to firstyear coach Lewis Carter, was to keep his players off balance. The Tigers wouldn’t mind catching opponents off guard this season as well as they aim for their first winning record since 1999. That season, they went 8-3 and made the playoffs for the only time in program history. “I like the enthusiasm from these guys,” Carter said. “The guys are starting to understand the system. Even though we’ve got some seniors, I felt, and the coaching staff felt, as though their football IQs were more like freshmen. I’m feeling comfortable with where they’re at now. There’s been a lot of chalk talk.” Carter was nicknamed “Bam” during a playing career that included a stint at linebacker and as captain in 2001 for the University of Cincinnati. His coaching staff includes former assistants from City programs such as Eastmoor Academy, Independence and Mifflin. Carter took over in January for Mike White, who resigned at the end of a 13-year tenure that included a 1-9 finish last season. East likely will feature a mix of running plays that includes the I-formation behind sophomore quarterback James Curry
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Schedule 2011 SCHEDULE Aug. 26.......West.................Away Sept. 2 .......South..............Home Sept. 9 .......Africentric........Home *Sept. 16 ...Brookhaven.......Away *Sept. 23 ...Mifflin .............Home *Sept. 30 ...Northland .........Away *Oct. 7 .......Whetstone ........Away *Oct. 14 .....Beechcroft.......Home *Oct. 21 .....Centennial ........Away *Oct. 28 .....Linden.............Home 2010 RESULTS (1-9 overall, 1-6 City-North) Columbus West ..............L, 54-24 Walnut Ridge ....................L, 51-0 Briggs ............................L, 41-28 *Mifflin ............................L, 53-8 *Northland .......................L, 35-0 *Whetstone......................L, 36-6 *Beechcroft......................L, 53-6 *Centennial......................L, 27-8 *Brookhaven ....................L, 56-0 *Linden-McKinley...........W, 18-14 *City-North game
(5-foot-10, 180 pounds). Senior Elijah Earnest (5-7, 165), junior Nyquan Bell (5-8, 160) and sophomore Corbin Bannister (5-7, 150) all are candidates at running back. One of the Tigers’ top athletes is senior John Williams (6-1, 205), who will play tight end and serve as the backup quarterback on offense and play linebacker on defense. Junior Enous McGee (5-10, 165) also is expected to be an impact athlete at wide receiver and free safety and also could
By Eric George/ThisWeek
First-year East coach Lewis Carter, a former linebacker for the University of Cincinnati, talks to his players during a scrimmage.
see time at quarterback. After averaging just 6.5 points in City League-North Division play a year ago, the Tigers hope a young but bulky offensive line featuring seniors Jovante Moore (5-10, 210) and Richard Peterson (5-7, 205) and sophomores Frank Gavin (6-2, 265), Evan Junel (6-2, 245) and Paul Taylor (6-2, 250) can pave the way to more success. “(Curry) can throw the ball, but I don’t want to throw the ball unless we have to,” said Carter, who formerly assisted at Mifflin and last year was the linebackers coach for Northland as the Vikings made the postseason for the first time. “The last thing we need is turnovers and mistakes, especially with having only about 36 to 40 kids. We want to keep the kids as rested as possible.” Williams should be joined at linebacker by seniors Joe Ross (5-9, 200) and LaFred Gibbons (5-8, 175). Expected to see action with McGee in the secondary are Bannister and sophomore Zyon Mock (5-7, 145) at cornerback
and junior Lauray Kinlock (510, 170) at strong safety. The defensive line should be comprised of juniors Andre Gibbons (5-9, 180) and Shafiq McDowell (5-10, 230) and sophomores Nate Burke (6-0, 245) and Trante King (6-2, 210) in a 4-3 formation. Burke also is expected to punt and kick, with Bannister and McGee returning kicks. Last season, the Tigers opened with non-league setbacks to Columbus West (54-24), Walnut Ridge (51-0) and Briggs (4128), then lost each of their first six City-North games by 19 points or more. During its finale at LindenMcKinley, East won 18-14 to salvage a 1-9 season that included a seventh-place finish in the City-North at 1-6, ahead of only Linden (0-7). Beechcroft and Northland shared the league title at 6-1. The Tigers went 5-5 in both 2006 and 2008 but were just 3595 overall under White. East again is playing its entire non-league schedule against teams from the City-South, in-
cluding its opener Friday, Aug. 26, at Columbus West. Walnut Ridge and Briggs have been replaced by home games against Columbus South (Sept. 2) and Africentric (Sept. 9), however. The Bulldogs went 1-9 and the Nubians were 3-7 a year ago. “I like the new coaches, and everybody is getting along better than last year,” Williams said.
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“We started conditioning early, back in the winter. Last year, we probably wouldn’t have even started conditioning until about two weeks (before the beginning of two-a-days). We’re bigger and stronger this year, and I think if we can win our first game, it would build confidence.” julrey@thisweeknews.com www.ThisWeekSPORTS.com
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