Pigskin Preview 2018

FOOTBALL FACTORY THE GREENEVILLE SUN’S 2018 PIGSKIN PREVIEW

GREENEVILLE GROOMING PLAYERS FOR NEXT LEVEL

Page 2 • Thursday, August 16, 2018

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D-I PLAYERS EARN IT COUNTLESS HOURS OF HARD WORK TAKING DEVILS TO NEXT LEVEL

BY SAM BUNDY SUN SPORTS EDITOR

C

ollege football isn’t for the good or even the very good high school football player.

In order to play on Saturdays in the fall, one must be exceptional.

Consider these numbers: Of the more than one million high school football players in America, just 6.9 percent will go on to play NCAA college football, and just 2.7 percent of those will play Division I. The defending Class 4A state champion Greeneville Greene Devils, though. are beating the odds. Four players – senior quarterback Cade Ballard (Army), junior receiver/ safety/long snapper Will Albright (Tennessee), and senior receivers Dorien Goddard (Virginia) and Cameron Hite (Wake Forest) – have already committed to D-I schools.

That’s more than 7 percent of Greeneville’s 56-man roster with perhaps more commitments coming down the pipe.

“I don’t know of any other year, as far as I can remember, that we’ve had as many as four committed kids already and a couple more coming,” said coach Caine Ballard, who is in his 12th season at Greeneville.

So, how does a school of 900 students like Greeneville turn out so much next-level talent? While the formula is complex, the crucible is a dirty little four-letter word: W-O-R-K. Blood, sweat, tears, puke. Sacrifice. Day-in, day-out.

If you want to be a champion, if you want to be a college football player, the only way is to grind.

“Obviously, there’s some God-given ability there. But in our guys, it’s been a lot of hard work and a lot of support by great parents,

SUN PHOTO BY DARREN REESE

Greeneville High School quarterback Cade Ballard (2) talks to coach/father Caine Ballard during a game last season. Ballard has committed to play Division I football at Army.

Without that, I think it’s very, very difficult.

But even with that, you gotta work hard.”

For the Devils, Goddard says, that means “We’re in the weight room at least two hours a day, five days a week. Most of our time before practice is spent in here doing strength and conditioning. We just get after it and compete with everybody.”

Hite agrees that a player must be extremely dedicated to the weight room, which he says has been a huge part of the Devils’ success.

IT’S GOD-GIVEN … KIND OF “This is where we live,” he said. “We get To play any sport beyond high school, an bigger, stronger, faster in here and that just athlete must have natural ability and they translates out on the field.” must work hard to hone that ability. You Ballard says he knew the Devils had a specan’t have one without the other. And when it comes to building football bodies, it certainly cial group coming through when this year’s helps to have a good canvas to start with. senior and junior class was still in middle “You can’t outrun your roots and genetics. school. They’ve never been afraid of hard That’s No. 1,” Ballard said. “You gotta have work. a foundation there from family members.

“Weight lifting is just an everyday thing a great community and great teammates,” Ballard said. “The guys we have committed right now have been self made and have done it through hard work.

“Kids have to love football – really, really love football – to want to go on and play it at any level. Some of that is left up to their desire. A lot of kids don’t even understand what it takes to be a college football player.”

here. This senior class has been over here in our weight room since January of their eighth-grade year without much interruption,” he said. “You can kind of look at those groups as they’re coming through middle school and see what’s coming, and we’ve been excited about this group for a long time.

All of these guys were successful guys in middle school, they’ve just continued to develop and things have worked out for them.”

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Nutrition, Ballard says, plays a far greater role in the development of a college football player than most people realize.

“We talk nutrition probably daily with them,” he said. “Some of them have totally bought into that, some of them have more SEE D-I ON PAGE 3

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D-I

program have helped build the culture that’s here today.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 Greeneville’s players seem to recognize they’re blessed to be part of such a strong program. It’s something they don’t take for access and ability to buy into that. It’s been a granted. huge part of it for these guys. They’ve commit“This program has helped me tremendously ted to the diet in itself. What their intake is, in becoming a better young man,” Goddard what type of intake. They’re burning a ton of said. “I’ve learned the value of working hard calories each day and they have to be putting every day and earning everything that I have. good stuff back into their bodies.

They know the potential I have and they’ve “We’re pushing a ton of protein. They gotta have carbs, too, with what they’re burning. But pushed me hard. They just want the best for me and the best for the team.” it is a high-protein focus.”

Said Hite, “First off, the coaches here have Cade Ballard, who is the son of the coach, is entering his senior season with 200 pounds on done a great job. They keep us working every day. We’re never really satisfied with what a muscular frame. we’ve done.”

“I would imagine,” the coach says, “Cade is When college coaches and recruiters go taking in 4,000 calories a day.” looking for talent, Caine Ballard says, they tend Cade isn’t the only player fueling his body to start with winning programs. with food.

“I’ve had coaches come in and say, ‘The only “To be honest, I eat everything that comes my way, and I try to drink as much water as I can,” place we stop is at state championship high schools because we know things are being done said the 6-foot-4, 215-pound Goddard. “After right at those schools,’” he said. “I think they practice, we can go back to the coaches’ office know players in those type of programs are beand get a protein shake and a protein bar.”

How many calories is Goddard consuming on ing worked, being pushed to be the best players the daily? they can be, they’re being coached. And those “Too many to count,” he says with a hard are the type of kids they’re looking for.” laugh. “I have no idea. But it’s a lot.”

For Hite, also a 6-4, 215-pounder, eating ACADEMICS, LUCK right is most crucial in the offseason.

Academics play a large role in getting a high “I try to eat as much as I can, try to keep school player to the D-I level. For example, some weight on,” he said. “That’s a big part of if a coach is looking at two players of equal the offseason, trying to put some weight on athletic ability, they tend to offer the player while trying to get faster at the same time. I with better grades because they feel more just try to put good stuff in my body. A lot of confident a player in solid academic standing protein.” in high school will have a better chance of remaining eligible once they get to college.

“Our kids are really strong academically, IT TAKES A PROGRAM so that certainly helps,” Ballard said. “At the If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a Division I level, it’s so competitive. They look program – a true football program in which at it all. They look at them as a player, they everyone works together toward a common look at their academics, and I think college goal of being the best possible – to raise a coaches are doing a better job today of looking D-I college football player. And Ballard feels Greeneville is as bona fide as it gets in this part at character, checking with unbiased teachers and guidance counselors. I know our teachers of the state.

“I don’t know what else you could ask for fa- and counselors have been quizzed on some cility-wise, coaching-wise than what we have in of these guys. It’s a big business and college place right now,” he said. “We’ve been blessed coaches treat it that way.”

While a prospective D-I player must be a with a coaching staff that has been together, for the most part, 10 years. To keep a staff together beast on the field and diligent in the classlike that at a high school in rural East Tennesroom, there is also some luck involved. With so many good athletes playing at the high see for that amount of time is tremendous.

“Winning, having opportunities to win, hav- school level these days, a player being in the ing great support from our community and our right place to be seen at the right time helps.

Albright, who was offered by the Vols to be school helps that. It’s just been a ton of work by a lot of different people. You can go back 10 a long snapper while attending a camp at UT, is an example. years – all the coaches, all the players in the

SUN PHOTO BY TATE RUSSELL

Greeneville’s Cameron Hite (21) and Dorien Goddard (11) celebrate a touchdown against Morristown West last season. Hite has committed to play Division I football at Wake Forest, while Goddard has committed to playing at D-I Virginia.

“Will and his parents saw an opportunity with him being a specialist,” Ballard said.

“They’ve spent a lot of time, energy and effort

getting Will to places to get some training that he needed and the exposure that he needed, and it’s paid off.”

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NORTH GREENE HUSKIES

SUN PHOTO BY TATE RUSSELL

The North Greene Huskies football team and cheerleading squad are pictured.

NEW COACH TRYING TO BUILD FOUNDATION

BY TATE RUSSELL SUN SPORTS WRITER

W

ith a coaching change in the middle of the summer, this offseason has not exactly been smooth for the North Greene football team.

But since Andrew Murray took over for Scotty Verran, who is now at South Greene, in late June, the Huskies have been going at top gear to get ready for the upcoming season.

“We have had to hit the ground running after taking over with a short amount of time before the season,” Murray said. “We have not had a lot of time to get the offense and defense in. We’ve been spending a lot of time beating the halls and trying to get kids out here.”

Depth has seemingly always been an issue

for the Huskies, but this year Murray and staff have been active in bringing kids in.

Going into week one against Unaka, North Greene will dress out 39 players.

While that might not sound like a loaded roster, there were times last year the Huskies would have struggled to fill out a two-deep chart.

In the long term, Murray feels that getting kids out and them having fun being part of the program is a big part of having success in the future.

“Our numbers have improved since day one,” Murray said. “It seems like we have been getting two or three kids coming out every couple of days. We’re at 39 right now, and if we can sustain that, I feel really good about the future.

“That is really what we want to do this year, we want to lay a foundation. The kids seem to be buying in to what we are trying to sell.”

From a competitive standpoint, more depth will be big for the Huskies as they play up a classification in Region 1-3A instead of 2A where their attendance numbers would have them slated.

That means North Greene will play region opponents with close to twice as many students as they have. To handle that conference slate, the Huskies will have to be in tip-top shape and stay injury free.

“It is a challenge and it’s not even about the size of the schools, but the quality of the schools. Our region is tough top to bottom,” Murray said. “Johnson County, Unicoi County, West Greene and Chuckey-Doak are tough every year.

“Even though our numbers are up, we’re still going to be at a numbers disadvantage against everybody in this region. We work on conditioning every day because that is something that we can control. We have to make

sure we are in the most competitive spot possible, regardless of what is happening on the other side of the field.”

OFFENSE One thing Murray hopes will help his team get to the fourth quarter with a chance to win more often than was the case for last season’s 1-9 team is slowing the game down with a run-heavy attack.

The Huskies are going old school with their offensive scheme this season, going with double-tight and double-wing looks.

Murray likes what he has on the offensive line and the depth he has at running back, and his squad will buck the trend of peppering the perimeter with receivers and slinging the ball around the field. Instead, North Greene will play down hill and try to power its SEE NORTH ON PAGE 5

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way through opponents.

“We have size on the line and we want to be physical,” Murray said. “We want to play down hill. Hopefully that physicality on offense carries over to special teams and defense. We want that to be our identity. I think it can be an advantage for us.

“For us, it’s mostly a personnel thing. If we had four or five big guys that could run and go catch it we would probably spread it out, too. We can’t control the kids we have, but we can put them in the best position. We think this style of offense gives them the best chance to be successful.”

Leading the way for the Huskies’ ground attack along the offensive line will be 6-foot5, 320-pound senior Cole Starnes at center.

He will be flanked by James Dykes, Joseph Antonelli and Ethan Harmon while Noah Norton, James Bombailey, Austin McLain and Gavin Belcher will compete for playing time.

The quarterback position is not set in stone going into week one, but junior Sky Arwood is leading the group. He has never played the position but Murray really likes his athleticism. Freshman Ethan Jones and senior Briggs Kiker are also working toward earning that starting spot.

At the B-back, or fullback, spot, Murray has two powerful runners that he really likes in Carter Church and Colton Story. Both weigh in at over 240 pounds and will be counted on to be hard to take down while moving the pile.

In the A-back, or wing, position, the Huskies have a handful of athletes that Murray is optimistic about.

Deacon Jones is a speedy sophomore that was thrust into playing last year, but the hope is that has prepared him to do big things this season.

Jesse Bombailey is one of the most versatile athletes North Greene has, and is a guy that will do whatever the coaches ask of him. Then Ethan Atnip is playing for the first time, but, athletically, Murray feels he stacks up with anybody on the field. At 6-1, Atnip is the tallest of the Huskies’ backs and the coaches also like him as a target in the passing game.

Caleb Morgan is a 6-3, 230-pound tight end with a mean streak that will add to the Huskies’ ability to pave the way for their backs. Sophomore Damitrius Kea and Kiker

2018 North Greene Roster 1 ETHAN ATNIP JR. 2 JESSE BOMBAILEY JR. 4 DAMITRIUS KEA SO. 5 ETHAN JONES FR. 6 ZACH JOHNSON FR. 9 CASEY COX FR. 10 LEWIS MURRAY FR. 11 SKY ARWOOD JR. 12 ZAMEOL SMITH FR. 13 BRIGGS KIKER SR. 14 HUNTER HILL JR. 15 DEACON JONES SO. 16 COLTON STORY SR. 20 CALEB MORGAN SR. 21 IAN SAUCEMAN FR. 22 JOSH HUERTO SO. 28 AUSTIN JOHNSON JR. 30 CADE SMITH SO.

33 CIRILL KREIER SR. 35 JOSIAH CHURCH SO. 40 ISAIAH NORTON FR. 43 TYLER SANCHES FR. 50 DAYLAN CARNEY FR. 52 CARTER CHURCH SR. 53 EVAN BROWN FR. 54 GAVIN BELCHER SR. 55 JONATHON HARRISON SO. 60 OLIVER MEJIA SO. 64 BRENT LANE FR. 66 JOSEPH ANTONELLI SO. 67 ETHAN HARMON SR. 68 BRANDON MERCER SO. 69 BRENDON RAMSEY JR. 70 ELI REAVES FR. 73 NOAH NORTON SR. 74 JAMES BOMBAILEY JR. 76 AUSTIN MCLAIN JR. 77 COLE STARNES SR. 79 JAMES DYKES SR.

are also working at tight end in fall camp.

DEFENSE Since taking over as coach in June, Murray and his team have developed a set of maxims to play by and one of those that the coach is especially adamant about is stopping the run.

The Huskies struggled to stop anything last season, giving up over 43 points per game, and that has led to a scheme change in the offseason to a five-man defensive front.

“It’s a little different and if makes other teams prepare for something they haven’t seen that is great,” Murray said. “It’s really not too different from a 3-4 or 3-5 that a lot of teams run. What may be different is our emphasis on stopping the run and bringing pressure. Hopefully, it is something that is difficult to game plan for.

“We have game maxims that we believe in and one of those is stopping the run and one is running the football. If somebody comes out and throws for 500 yards, so be it. We want them to have to do that to beat us. We are going to come after people. It’s really an old school mentality, but that is how we like it around here.”

Holding down that five-man front will largely be a lot of the same faces that are paving the way on the offensive line. At defensive tackle, Starnes, Dykes, Harmon and Antonelli will rotate.

Morgan will lead the way at defensive end while Murray is excited about what exchange student Cirill Kreier can do coming off of the edge. At 6-2, 220 pounds, Kreier looks the part, but he is still learning the game. The Huskies hope that will come along as the

Thursday, August 16, 2018 • Page 5

N. Greene Football 2018 Schedule Aug. 17 UNAKA Aug. 24 CLOUDLAND Aug. 31 at Unicoi County Sept. 7 COSBY Sept. 14 at Chuckey-Doak Sept. 28 WEST GREENE Oct. 5 SOUTH GREENE Oct. 12 at Johnson County Oct. 19 at Twin Springs (Va.) Oct. 26 CLAIBORNE

N. Greene Football 2017 Results UNAKA W 26-14 at Cloudland L 59-6 UNICOI COUNTY L 43-0 at Cosby L 42-0 CHUCKEY-DOAK L 48-0 at West Greene L 47-0 at South Greene L 42-12 JOHNSON County L 54-8 TWIN SPRINGS (Va.) L 28-12 at Claiborne L 55-14 vs. Scott County L 47-6

start at nose guard for the Huskies with sophomore Jonathon Harrison playing behind him.

Story and Church will hold down the middle linebacker spots for the Huskies. Both have stepped up as leaders in the offseason and Murray likes how they both attack the football.

James Bombailey will add depth at middle linebacker along with converted defensive lineman Brandon Mercer.

Jesse Bombailey will move between outside linebacker and strong safety, and the Huskies coaches like the multiple skills he can bring to their defense.

In the secondary, Ethan Atnip will start at free safety with Arwood backing him up.

At the corners, Jones and Cade Smith will start, but Murray likes some younger players behind them and feels really good about the overall depth in his secondary.

SPECIAL TEAMS

* BOLD - HOME GAMES season goes on. Kea and Josh Huerto will add depth at end.

Right now, freshman Daylan Carney will

Austin Johnson will handle North Greene’s kickoff responsibilities, but the Huskies don’t plan on attempting extra points or field goals.

North Greene does not have a designated punter either and will have the quarterback in the game handle those responsibilities.

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SOUTH GREENE REBELS

SUN PHOTO BY TATE RUSSELL

The South Greene football team is pictured.

NEW COACH, VETERAN QUARTERBACK TO LEAD REBELS

BY WAYNE PHILLIPS SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS

S

cotty Verran is not a South Greene High School alumnus, but it does feel to him that becoming the new football coach of the Rebels is sort of like a homecoming.

Verran was named this summer to take over the reins of the Rebels after Jordy Harrison departed to head back to his hometown school, Elizabethton. After a five-year stint at North Greene, Verran feels more than comfortable in his new surroundings at South Greene.

“It’s really where I started coaching,” Verran said as he looked around Rebel Hill while his team was preparing for media day. “I wasn’t teaching here, but I helped

Coach (Shawn) Jones a few years ago. I left to take a job at David Crockett as defensive coordinator, then moved to North Greene, where I spent five years. But really this field was where I began a coaching career.”

A former standout player at Happy Valley High School where he played for his dad, long-time Coach Don Verran, Scotty and his family now live on the south end of the county and his wife is also involved in teaching and coaching with the county school system.

He is excited about his new coaching gig, especially since the assistant coaches for the program (Shawn Jones, Joel Burns and the Wright brothers, Marc and Bryan) are Rebel alumni who have been around the school for years.

“I came in late, so I’m really still trying to

get to know the kids,” Coach Verran said.

“It is invaluable to have those coaches here who know the kids. We are trying to implement a new system and terminology, so we are behind a little bit, but having the help I do makes a lot of difference.”

But it has become quite clear during summer 7-on-7 games and in early fall practice that there are some athletes on the roster, and despite a demanding schedule which has the Rebels taking on much larger schools (Unicoi County, Elizabethton and Cocke County) in the first three weeks, Verran feels good about where the program is at.

South Greene will compete in Region 1-2A, where they made the post-season playoffs a year ago despite a 3-7 season worksheet.

OFFENSE There’s nothing that helps a new coach any more than having an experienced quarterback on the roster, and South Greene certainly has that with the return of Levi Myers.

He has started as the signal caller since he entered the halls of SGHS as a freshman and now despite being only a junior, has plenty of game experience.

“He’s talented,” Verran said. “He reads defenses well and throws the ball well. We have worked a lot on having him roll out and getting him some space so he can use his feet more. But we will throw the ball a lot because he does that extremely well.”

Last year Myers threw for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in 11 games.

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It also helps to have one of the area’s best receivers returning in senior Tristan Biddy, who established himself as a threat at any point on the field last year. At 6-4 with great hands, Verran knows the opposition will focus a lot of defensive attention to their big wideout. He played in only five games last year due to some injuries but caught 25 balls for 422 yards and five touchdowns, the team’s leading receiver even with only five games played.

“We need more consistency on offense,” the coach said. “We have had a lot of dropped passes in practice and we’ve talked to the kids about stepping up. In 7-on-7, we found some other players who can catch it, so we’re working hard to develop some consistency, move the ball and take some pressure off the defense.”

The coach knows that the Myers to Biddy combo can be lethal.

“Hopefully those two can be like Ethan Fleenor and Jake Hodge were at Happy Valley,” he smiled. “They were hard to defend. But we’ve got to do some other things to be able to use them like we want to.”

Last year’s top running back, Derrick Howlett, graduated, so that will leave much of the tailback duties to Nick Hopson and Damien Starnes, both seniors.

“Nick is really coming on at tailback,” Verran noted. “He’s more of a power back and he’s doing well in practice.

Damien is going to be a key player for us, whether it’s running the ball or catching it. Plus those two are seniors so they have to be leaders for us.”

2018 South Greene Roster 1 LUKE MYERS FR. 2 DANIEL BLEVINS JR. 3 NEAL PARKINS JR. 5 CALEB ROBINSON FR. 8 JALEN INGRAM FR. 9 RONAN BUSS FR. 10 LEVI MYERS JR. 11 CALEB PARKINS SR. 12 SPANKY GILLIAM SO. 14 LAWSON BURNS FR. 20 MARK CRUM SO. 21 AUSTIN MEE FR. 22 NICK HOPSON SR. 24 COREY HOUSER SO. 29 KIERAN HICKS JR. 31 SAMUEL IRVING JR. 33 DOLAN ARBERGAST SO. 34 JAKE LAWING SR. 39 JUSTIN SUTHERLAND JR. 40 BRIAN SMITH FR. 41 GRANT FREEARK FR. 42 PAYTON TWEED SR. 43 DAKOTA SEATON SO. 44 BILLY BROBECK JR. 47 HUNTER MALLOW JR. 50 CHASE CARTER JR. 51 TREVOR HEATER FR. 52 COLTON ERKMAN JR. 53 TRENT SALSBURY FR. 54 CHRISTIAN CRADDOCK JR. 55 TANNER DYER JR. 56 HUNTER BUSS JR. 57 ALEX MAY FR. 59 DEVIN SALSBURY JR. 60 JOHN SUMMERS JR. 63 DEREK ERKMAN SO. 65 AUSTIN BOLYAND JR. 67 LOGAN WAGNER FR. 70 LOGAN MALLOW FR. 71 CALEB FRANKLIN FR. 72 KADEN KENDRICK JR. 73 ETHAN HEATER JR. 74 AUSTIN BEARD SO. 76 JUSTICE METCALF JR. 77 ISSAC COLLINS FR. 80 DAMIEN STARNES SR. 81 TRISIAN BIDDY SR. 82 TYLER SMITH SR. 86 KYLE OFELDT SR.

with it.”

The coach said about half the linemen do have some game experience, but they are young as several key linemen left by way of graduation.

“Hunter Buss (a junior) has really come on in camp along the line,” Verran said. “He was a good find for us. We expect him to start up there.”

Two other juniors, Chase Carter and John Summers, have some game experience and will also be counted on heavily along the offensive front.

“Size wise, we aren’t bad,” the coach said. “We’re not huge, but decent size for a high school team. But we’ve got to be able to move for the wing-T to be successful.

Those linemen will have to move off the line and protect our quarterback, because he will move around a lot back there.”

Coach Verran and Coach Burns will handle offensive coordinator duties.

DEFENSE

As a former player at Happy Valley, and as a coach now for several years, Verran said one thing that has always been evident about South Greene football is that on defense, “they will hit you.”

“South Greene has prided itself on defense over the years, and no matter who you play or when over the The basic offense for the years, you could always find Rebels under Verran will be a some Rebels that would hit wing-T “with some wrinkles hard,” he said. “We want to to utilize our passing game.” continue that tradition.”

“We experimented at The strength of this team North Greene with it in some on defense will probably be phases, but we can make at linebacker, where Starnes more adjustments here beand Hopson will be expectcause we have more players ed to be key stoppers. Levi to use,” he said. “We want to Myers will also be an asset as try to get the athletes in space a leader in the secondary. and see what they can do “You would like to see

your quarterback just play on offense, but we don’t have that luxury,” the coach said. “Levi can be a physical football player. He’s very ‘headsy’ and can lead us on defense.”

Many players will be forced to play on both sides of the ball, which is a part of playing for a smaller school.

But Verran said the Rebels are working to build some depth, especially among the linemen.

“For sure Chase Carter will start both ways,” the coach said. “He has good size and quickness. Ethan Heater is another lineman who will be counted on.

We’ll start Summers on offense and use him a lot on defense, too. Senior Payton Tweed, too.”

Kyle Ofeldt, a senior

S. Greene Football 2018 Schedule Aug. 17 at Unicoi County Aug. 24 at Elizabethton Aug. 30 COCKE COUNTY Sept. 7 at West Greene Sept. 14 SULLIVAN NORTH Sept. 21 CHUCKEY-DOAK Sept. 28 at Cosby Oct. 5 at North Greene Oct. 12 HAMPTON Oct. 26 at Happy Valley

S. Greene Football 2017 Results UNICOI COUNTY W 34-13 at Elizabethton L 49-7 at Cocke County L 35-21 WEST GREENE L 35-21 at Sullivan North L 58-20 at Chuckey-Doak L 14-0 COSBY W 47-7 NORTH GREENE W 42-12 at Hampton L 46-13 HAPPY VALLEY L 28-7 at Meigs County L 46-7 * BOLD - Home Games

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WEST GREENE BUFFALOES

SUN PHOTO BY TATE RUSSELL

The West Greene football and cheerleading squads are pictured.

BUFFS OUT OF ‘JUICE,’ BUT LIKE THEIR CHANCES

BY WAYNE PHILLIPS SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS

T

he main reason many early season prognosticators aren’t selecting West Greene to be a Region 1-3A championship contender this year is the loss of one of the premier athletes in school history with the graduation of Juliun Lane.

One publication had the Buffs picked to finish as low as fifth in the region race, but veteran coach Joe Case feels his 2018 squad can be better than that.

“You don’t replace ‘Juice,’” Case smiled of the do-everything player who signed to play at East Tennessee State University after his graduation from West Greene. “He played everywhere and was one of the best we’ve ever had at this school. But we’ve got some kids coming back who we are really tickled with, and they’ve showed some spark in scrimmages and in fall practice.”

It’s a young team, with several players lining up that have limited experience, but there is talent at many positions, including two players who were selected preseason All-State by Murphy Fair Magazine.

things, too. Both are great kids and they are working hard. They complement each Coaches like to have competition for open jobs on a team, and Case certainly has other and it’s healthy competition. I’m that this year as two players are battling for excited for both of them because I think we the starting quarterback position. Nothing have two great candidates.”

Both players have strong arms. Case said had been settled as of this writing.

Daugherty has shown accuracy with his “It’s still up in the air,” Coach Case said when speaking of the quarterback slot that passes. Vaughn can make plays with his feet. is being vied for by junior Alick Daugherty “They both have good qualities,” he said. and sophomore Allen Vaughn. “I’m waiting “We’ll see what happens.” for one to elevate. But we could possibly During the past couple of campaigns, the use both of them. At times in scrimmages Vaughn has scrambled well and did some SEE WEST ON PAGE 9 good things. Alick has done some good

OFFENSE

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Buffs have relied on Lane to get things done for them on both sides of the ball.

He could line up at quarterback, receiver, tailback or anywhere else on offense, and on defense, he excelled in the secondary.

The loss of Lane did not force Case into very much change in the team’s offense.

“We’re still running the same stuff we’ve run since I’ve been at West Greene,” he said. “We tweak it a little from year to year, but the kids have done a good job with it.”

A key returnee is senior receiver Kyler Clowers, who Case feels can be used a lot like Lane was used last year.

“We’ll move him around to different spots,” the coach said. “He can do some special things. He has as much experience as anybody on this team.”

While opponents will expect the Buffs to throw the football more this year, especially with the return of Clowers, Case said he has been pleased with his backs in practice.

“We found some other kids that can catch the ball during our 7-on-7 games this summer,” he said. “Our skill position players are really pretty good. That’s a strength of the offense.”

The coach admits that the Buffs are a little thin on help in the backfield, but that’s something that the squad has been working on in practice.

Kaleb Sciarra, a junior, will start at fullback and Jamie Kerney, a senior, will get the nod at tailback.

West Greene Football Roster 1 DAMIEN BUDRISS FR. 2 KYLER CLOWERS SR. 3 BLAIR SHELTON FR. 4 MASON TURNER JR. 5 NATHAN SMITH FR. 6 ALLEN VAUGHN SO. 8 ANTHONY STORY FR. 9 CHRISTIAN PIERCE SO. 10 TRISTAN KELLY FR. 11 IKER CASANOVA MARCO JR. 12 HOLDEN HUFF JR. 13 DACOTA WOOD SO. 14 ALICK DAUGHERTY JR. 15 COLTON FULK JR. 16 KEITH VALENTINE FR. 17 DAMON GLADSON SO. 18 NICK BROWN FR. 20 JAYDON TAYLOR FR. 21 TYLER SAUCEMAN JR. 22 ADRIAN ESPINOSA SR. 23 CHASE JENNINGS JR. 25 KENTON COBBLE SO. 26 JAMIE KERNEY SR. 28 JANSON KESTERSON FR. 29 MICAH BIRMINGHAM SO. 31 MATTHEW WATTS FR. 34 JOSEPH BOBADILLO SO. 35 KADEN DIXON FR. 36 DARRIEN RASNICK SO. 40 ISSAC HICKS SO. 42 BRAEDEN WILLIAMS SO. 44 KALEB SCIARRA JR. 45 TYLER SANTOS MCCORMICK SR. 50 DOMYNIQ FORBUS FR. 51 RJ FERGUSON FR. 52 AUSTION DAUGHERTY JR. 53 ETHAN DALL SO. 55 DALTON ARWOOD SO. 56 MATTHEW CHAMBERLAIN JR. 57 JACOB RAMSEY JR. 60 SETH WHITEHEAD FR. 61 TRISTAN FOWLER FR. 63 HUNTER COMBS JR. 65 ZACK HENDERSON SR. 67 ELI LAWSON SO. 68 ELI RAMSEY FR. 70 JONATHAN RAMSEY FR. 72 LEE KIBORT SR. 73 BRADLEY SHIRLEY JR. 75 ROY ARNOLD FR. 76 TARRON STILLS FR. 77 CASEY PITTS FR. 78 TODD MORRIS 79 JACOB BARNES JR. 80 JACOB FRY JR. 82 BRYSON CHURCH FR. 86 ISAAC MICHALENKO JR. 98 CALEB NORRIS SO. 99 AARON WADDELL FR.

Thursday, August 16, 2018 • Page 9 newcomer junior Jacob Ramsey and junior Matthew Chamberlain will also be offensive line candidates.

Chamberlain played as a freshman and returns after missing his sophomore season.

Size-wise, the Buffs are bigger along the line than they have been the past couple of years. For instance, Eli Ramsey is 280, Jacob Ramsey is 270, and freshman RJ (Tree) Ferguson is 6-3, 220.

W. Greene Football 2018 Schedule Aug. 16 at Northview Academy Aug. 24 at Thomas Walker (Va.) Aug. 30 CLAIBORNE Sept. 7 SOUTH GREENE Sept. 14 at Johnson County Sept. 28 at North Greene Oct. 5 KNOXVILLE CATHOLIC Oct. 12 UNICOI COUNTY Oct. 19 at Happy Valley Oct. 26 at Chuckey-Doak

W. Greene Football 2017 Results at Pigeon Forge L 33-12 THOMAS WALKER (Va.) W 44-14 at Claiborne W 21-6 at South Greene W 35-21 JOHNSON COUNTY L 28-21 NORTH GREENE W 47-0 at Knoxville Catholic L 58-7 at Unicoi County W 23-15 HAPPY VALLEY L 33-7 CHUCKEY-DOAK W 21-17 KINGSTON L 49-7

DEFENSE

* BOLD - HOME GAMES

junior Jacob Fry.” The receivers who will help make plays include junior Chase Jennings, sophomore Damon Gladson, junior Colton Foulk and junior Tyler Sauceman.

Junior Mason Turner will likely open at tight end.

“We’re going to throw it, because we have the skill players to do that this year,” the coach said. “But you have to run the football to win football games. We know that.”

The offensive line will be anchored by returnees Hunter Combs, a junior, and senior Lee Kibort. Both were starters last year. The team suffered a blow with “Holden Huff will be used the loss of Adrian Espinosa, some at tailback,”Case said. who suffered a serious knee “Nathan Smith will rotate injury in the ninth game some in there, and so will last year, required surgery, Damien Budriss. Both those and will miss his senior guys are freshmen and are season. good prospects. Sophomore “It’s very unfortunate for Kenton Cobble will play him and for us as a team,” some fullback and so will the coach said. “But he’s

going to help us by being on the roster and around the players.”

Sophomore Eli Lawson, freshman Casey Pitts, junior Bradley Shirley,

The defense of the Buffs looks very strong, with the linebacker jobs shored up with experience and a preseason All-Stater in Kyler Clowers roaming the secondary.

“I think we’ve got two very good inside linebackers in Kaleb Sciarra and Jamie Kerney,” Case said.

“Sciarra is a junior but started at linebacker as a freshman and has played a lot of football for West

Greene. He’s a key for us, but we have to rein him in sometimes so he doesn’t get too emotional. Kerney has really looked good in scrimmages.”

Clowers also will make opposing offenses think twice before they test the West Greene secondary.

He will play “wherever he’s needed” and Case knows he will be a team leader.

Junior Mason Turner will be at outside linebacker and will be a leader. Damon Gladson, Tyler Sauceman, Bradley Shirley, Kenton Cobble, Nathan Smith and Jacob Fry will also be used at linebacker.

The Buffs have done a good job in developing depth among their linemen and Case has several players to pick from when selecting a defensive line.

Look for junior Hunter Combs, Jacob Ramsey, Matthew Chamberlain, Eli Lawson, Casey Pitts, Lee SEE WEST ON PAGE 19

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Page 10 • Thursday, August 16, 2018

www.greenevillesun.com

2017 SEASON REWIND

JUST PERFECT

Devils Run Table En Route To State Championship

SUN FILE PHOTO

Greeneville linebackers Ty Youngblood and Kenny Kershaw celebrate following the Greene Devils’ win over Springfield in the TSSAA Class 4A state championship game in Cookeville, completing a 15-0 season. It’s the third state title in school history.

SUN FILE PHOTO

Greeneville High School’s football state champions celebrate with the crowd during the Christmas parade.

SUN FILE PHOTO

Greeneville coach Caine Ballard celebrates with the Greene Devils after beating Science Hill in Johnson City.

SUN FILE PHOTO

Greeneville quarterback Cade Ballard (2) evades a Morristown West defender.

After leading the Greene Devils to the state championship, Ballard was named Class 4A’s Mr. Football and committed to play for Army.

SUN FILE PHOTO

The Greeneville High School cheerleaders in front of a capacity crowd at Burley Stadium.

www.greenevillesun.com

PIGSKIN PREVIEW

Thursday, August 16, 2018 • Page 11

GREENEVILLE GREENE DEVILS

SUN PHOTO BY TATE RUSSELL

The Greeneville football team is pictured.

THE ENEMY WITHIN

Complacency Might Very Well Be Toughest Opponent For State Champions

BY SAM BUNDY SUN SPORTS EDITOR The Greeneville Greene Devils rolled to the Class 4A football state championship last season in eye-popping fashion. They went 15-0 and outscored teams by an average of 47-12, including a 54-13 win over Springfield in the title game at Tennessee Tech.

With nine starters returning on offense and nine on defense, expectations are naturally high that the Devils can do the same this season.

But the Devils’ have a tougher opponent on the schedule than they did a year ago, one that can’t be beaten with a 4.4 40, hulkish size or the best Xs and Os on a chalkboard.

Complacency – self-satisfaction accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies – can be a slobberknocker of the minds. And if the Devils are to two-peat, they must tackle it quickly.

“That’s what we’ve got to answer. Are we going to continue to be hungry? That’s me, that’s our staff, that’s our players, that’s our community, everybody,” said Greeneville

coach Caine Ballard. “Are we just going to feel like teams are going to roll over and just let us have it? We know that’s not going to be the case.”

All summer long, complacency has been preparing for the Devils, breaking down film of all those lopsided wins and euphoric celebrations from a year ago, looking for a crack here or there where it might can creep in.

“It’s my job to rally the guys in hopes that we have the leadership that will continue to stay hungry and want to go do it again,” Ballard added. “We know the bullseye is really big on us. We’re going to take everybody’s

best shot.”

The Devils will get a dose of that reality in their opener Friday night at Dobyns-Bennett’s J. Fred Johnson Stadium, a facility that holds in the neighborhood of 10,000 fans and is one of the toughest places to play in the state.

The Devils defeated Dobyns-Bennett 35-21 at Burley Stadium in Greeneville last season. But just one Greeneville team – the 1961 Devils – has ever won at Dobyns-Bennett.

SEE DEVILS ON PAGE 12

Page 12 • Thursday, August 16, 2018

2018 Greeneville High School Roster 1 NICK IEZZI WR/DB SO. 2 CADE BALLARD QB/DB SR. 3. JORDAN GILLESPIE DB/WR SR. 4 BLAYNE FERGUSON QB/DB JR. 5 GARRIN SHUFFLER RB/DB SR. 6 JACQUES GILLESPIE-TAYLOR DE/H BACK SR. 7 BRANSEN O’DELL WR/DB SR. 8 KEYONTAE HARRISON DB/WR JR. 10 LOGAN SHIPLEY TE/DE SR. 11 DORIEN GODDAR WR/DB SR. 12 JOSH WALLIN WR/DB SR. 13 RAYMOND KNUCKLE QB/DB JR. 14 DALTON MCLAIN WR/DB SR. 15 MATTHEW WAGNER WR/OLB SR. 16 LEYTON MITCHEL DE/TE JR. 17 STEVEN MYERS WR/DB SO. 19 GARRISON BROOKS DB/WR SR. 20 JAEVON GILLESPIE RB/DB SR. 21 CAMERON HITE WR/OLB SR. 22 MORGAN MONTGOMERY RB/ DB SR. 24 JADEN PRUITT WR/DB JR. 26 WILL ALBRIGHT WR/S JR. 27 MICHAEL MOORE LB/RB JR. 28 TRISTAN CASEBIER WR/DB SR. 29 TYLER MARSH DE/OL SR. 33 KENNY KERSHAW RB/MLB SR.

41 PARKER BURNS TE/DL JR. 42 ROBERT FREEMAN LB SR. 44 ISAIAH SMITH LB JR. 45 LANE DOANE OL/DL SR. 46 JORDAN BATSON LB/WR JR. 47 TY YOUNGBLOOD LB/RB JR. 48 TREY MAYES LB/RB SO. 50 SAM ALLEN OL/DL SO. 52 TRENT KNIGHT OL/DL SR. 53 ALEC CRUM OL/DL SR. 54 CHRIS EVERHART OL/DL JR. 57 CLAY ODOM OL/DL SO. 59 DEVIN DYE OL/DL JR. 60 TOMMY TAYLOR OL/DL SR. 61 JACKSON METCALFE OL/DL SR. 62 AJ GREENWAY OL/DL JR. 64 MISAEL ARELLANES OL/DL SO. 66 TREVER BELCHER OL/DL SR. 69 TRISTAN MCDONALD OL/DL SO. 70 FLINT CARTER OL/DL JR. 71 AUSTIN MARTIN OL/DL SR. 73 THOMAS CARTER OL/DL SR. 75 GRANT BUSLER OL/DL JR. 76 GABE SEATON OL/DL SR. 78 JAKE HARTMAN OL/DL SO. 79 BRYON DABBS OL/DL SR. 80 CEJ JONES K/P JR 83 MATT WALLIN WR/MLB JR. 87 TODD WALLIN WR/DB SO. 88 REID CANNON WR/DB SO.

Greeneville Football 2018 Schedule Aug. 17 at Dobyns-Bennett Aug. 24 MORRISTOWN WEST Aug. 31 at Union County Sept. 7 SCIENCE HILL Sept. 14 at Pisgah (N.C.) Sept. 28 SULLIVAN CENTRAL Oct. 5 at Sullivan South Oct. 12 ELIZABETHTON Oct. 19 at Grainger Oct. 26 SULLIVAN EAST

Greeneville Football 2017 Results DOBYNS-BENNETT W 35-21 at Morristown West W 38-14 UNION COUNTY W 62-7 at Science Hill W 42-26 PISGAH (NC) W 38-8 at Sullivan Central W 69-0 SULLIVAN SOUTH W 56-7 at Elizabethton W 24-10 GRAINGER W 42-0 at Sullivan East W 62-7 EAST RIDGE W 56-7 CHATTANOOGA CENTRAL W 49-12 ANDERSON COUNTY W 35-31 MARSHALL COUNTY W 49-24 vs. Springfield W 54-13 * BOLD - HOME GAMES

PIGSKIN PREVIEW (6-0, 200) ran for 749 yards and 15 TDs on 111 carries, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 while senior Jaevon Gillespie (5-10, 205) ran for 700 yards and 12 scores on 85 “That first game is huge. attempts.

You can’t win them all if “Youngblood and Jaevon you don’t win the first one,” have been looking really Ballard said. “What a great good,” Caine Ballard said. challenge. I hope that’s “I think Jaevon is going to helped motivate us knowing what’s coming right off the be able to step up and take bat. some of the load off Ty so “Going to a great place like Ty can be fresher on defense Dobyns-Bennett with a great this year. We’re hoping that atmosphere, it will be an happens.” awesome place to play that While Greeneville only opener.” lost two offensive starters from a year ago, the Devils will have to pick up the proOFFENSE Quarterback Cade Ballard, duction left behind by Seth Crawford, the team’s biggest son of Caine, returns to operate the Devils’ high-oc- playmaking receiver.

Crawford caught 47 passes tane offense that churned for 957 yards and 14 TDs. out a staggering 427 yards His 20.4 yards per catch per game last season, 224 was tops on the team. through the air, 203 on the “Seth was our go-to guy, ground. really. He had huge num“We’re going to be very similar to what people saw bers for us last year, so we’re last year, but there will going to have to have people always be wrinkles here and step up there. But I think the there,” Caine Ballard said. guys are in place there to do “We were probably 60-40 that,” Caine Ballard said. run last year. I don’t really Division I commits Dorien look for that to change a Goddard (Virginia) and whole lot. But we might Cameron Hite (Wake Foreven that out at 50-50. Who est) return for their senior knows? Game situations will seasons at receiver. dictate that.

Goddard made a team“Overall, though, we’ve high 64 catches for a teambeen pleased with our high 1,012 yards and scored scrimmages and our offen12 TDs last season, while Hite caught 32 passes for sive production so far.”

541 yards and nine scores.

Cade Ballard, a 5-foot- 9, Junior Will Albright (two 200-pound senior who catches for 29 yards) and committed to play at Army senior Jordan Gillespie, in the offseason, completwho didn’t catch a pass ed 188 of 229 passes (82 percent) for 3,148 yards and last season, are expected to see significant time in 38 touchdowns while being the Devils’ four-receiver intercepted five times last set. Sophomore Nick Iezzi season. (seven catches for 68 yards), Ballard was also Greensenior Garrin Shuffler and eville’s leading rusher with 985 yards and 21 TDs on 173 junior Jaden Pruitt are also in the mix. attempts.

No matter what a team Junior Ty Youngblood

DEVILS

www.greenevillesun.com has at the skill spots, it all starts up front on the offensive line. Returning starters from last season include senior left tackle Tommy Taylor (6-foot-3, 280 pounds), senior left guard Trent Knight (5-10, 190), junior center Devin Dye (5-11, 300) and junior right guard Chris Everhart (6-3, 310). Senior Logan Shipley (6-3, 240) and sophomore Sam Allen (6-0, 215) will fill the void

at right tackle left by the graduation of Nick Rideout, the Region 1-4A Offensive Lineman of the Year.

Senior Gabe Seaton (6-1, 320), junior Michael Moore (5-10, 205), senior Trever Belcher (5-10, 220) and junior Flint Carter (5-10, 265) are also vying for time up front.

“We’re deeper on the offensive line. We’ve got all SEE DEVILS ON PAGE 13

PIGSKIN PREVIEW

www.greenevillesun.com

DEVILS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

of the offensive line back except one,” Caine Ballard said. “Usually, that’s we’re really hurting for depth, so we’re excited about the depth there.

“The biggest spot we’re working on is the right tackle spot where Nick Rideout left us. Logan Shipley is filling in nicely there and Sam Allen is going to play there a lot as well.”

SOUTH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

transfer student from New York, has been a welcome addition.

“He transferred in last year but wasn’t eligible,” Verran said. “He’s been a lock-down corner for us, and he’ll play as a receiver and a tailback on offense.

Another senior, Jake Lawing, will be a factor along the defensive line.

Senior Caleb Parkins will start in the secondary, but also has some offensive duties as a back-up quarterback who will play in some packages.

Coach Shawn Jones will serve as defensive coordinator.

DEFENSE The Devils were a bruising and opportunistic bunch on defense last season, forcing 12 fumbles and recovering nine, intercepting 24 passes and limiting opponents to 238 yards per game.

Expect more of the same schematically this season.

“We’ll be very similar on defense,” Caine Ballard said.

“Good teams will have some new wrinkles, some things maybe opponents haven’t seen. But for the most part, you’re going to see us line

brother and it’s a name you’ll hear a lot over the next four years at South Greene. He’s a fine athlete and he might be our punter and kicker. Don’t count him out either as a back-up quarterback.”

The return game is in solid hands with Biddy, who was a threat in returning kickoffs

and punts last year, an athlete who can be a weapon as a returner.

“Biddy has a lot of qualities that make him effective,” Verran said. “He’s 6-4 and can move. He was timed at 4.5 in the 40 in summer camp, which gives him the size and speed to play at the

Ballard said. “They’ve done a great job so far.”

Up front, senior Jacques Gillespie-Taylor (6-0, 245) and Shipley are the ends, while Knight and Everhart are the tackles. Senior Tyler Marsh (6-2, 190), Seaton, Allen and junior AJ Greenway (6-0, 300) will also see time on the line, while Shuffler, Jaevon Gillespie and Moore will get time at linebacker.

The defensive backs are Albright and Hite at the safety spots, and senior Dalton McLain (5-9, 175) and Jor-

next level. He ran track co-op for West Greene in the spring and went to state in the high jump. Just a great athlete.”

The Rebels will open the season on the road at Unicoi County, then travel to Elizabethton to take on one of East Tennessee’s best programs the following week.

Good Luck Greeneville & Greene County HS Football

dan Gillespie at the corner spots. Pruitt, Iezzi and junior Raymond Knuckles (5-11, 165) will also see time.

“We lost some key guys in our secondary. I guess if there’s a question mark right now, that’s where it is the most,” Caine Ballard said.

“Linebackers and secondary is where we need to see some guys step up and be able to play some meaningful minutes in games early on.”

SPECIAL TEAMS With the graduation of Eli Shepherd, junior CeJ Jones will handle the kicking and punting duties.

“CeJ has come in and had an awesome scrimmage (August 3),” Caine Ballard said. “We put him in some pressure situations and he looked really, really good.”

Iezzi, Shuffler, Goddard and McLain will return kicks.

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SPECIAL TEAMS The Rebels used an exchange student last year to handle kicking duties, but the door is wide open this year, the coach said.

“We’re still looking,” Verran said. “We’ve got a couple of possibilities for punters, but it very well might be a freshman in Luke Myers. He’s Levi’s younger

up the way we lined up last year.

“We’re not a big blitz team.

We believe in just playing sound football, being in the right place at the right time all the time.”

Of the nine returning starters on defense, perhaps none are bigger than senior Kenny Kershaw (5-9, 200) and Youngblood at the inside linebacker spots.

“We love our leadership on defense with our inside linebackers, Ty Youngblood and Kenny Kershaw,” Caine

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Page 14 • Thursday, August 16, 2018

PIGSKIN PREVIEW

www.greenevillesun.com

2017 SEASON REWIND

SMASH-MOUTH FOOTBALL

County Teams Give It All They’ve Got

SUN PHOTO BY DARREN REESE

Chuckey-Doak’s Elijah Long rushed for 176 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Black Knights to a 21-7 win over Sullivan Central.

SUN PHOTO BY TATE RUSSELL

North Greene’s Austin Kovacs runs through a pair of Unaka tacklers on his way to the end zone at North Greene.

SUN PHOTO BY DARREN REESE

South Greene’s Damien Starnes celebrates his touchdown with Chase Carter during the Greene County Football Classic Jamboree at Chuckey-Doak High School.

SUN PHOTO BY DARREN REESE

West Greene’s Juliun Lane (1) was named to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Class 3A All-State Football Team and also signed to play at East

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Thursday, August 16, 2018 • Page 15

CHUCKEY-DOAK BLACK KNIGHTS

SUN PHOTO BY TATE RUSSELL

The Chuckey-Doak football team is pictured.

ROOKIE QUARTERBACK TO RUN NEW SHOTGUN SET “We all remember how last year went.

We started pretty strong, we play Johnson County to a one-point game and we get a The Chuckey-Doak football team remem- big win over Sullivan North, but the wheels kind of fell off at the end and we couldn’t bers how 2017 finished and has spent the offseason focused on making sure that does get any momentum going,” Chuckey-Doak coach Ben Murphy said. “It seemed like not happen again.

The Black Knights started the season 4-2 bad things just kept happening and it just spiraled out of control. and looked poised to make a playoff run.

“Football is like life and you just have to But down the stretch, things unraveled and the team ended the year with four consecu- keep bouncing back. Our kids are resilient. They have taken it to heart over the tive losses.

BY TATE RUSSELL

SUN SPORTS WRITER

offseason to not hang their heads and to keep fighting.”

The disappointing finish to last season led the Black Knights to change things up in the offseason, starting with their conditioning and workouts. Murphy feels the team has had a really good offseason and, despite low numbers, is in position to do good things.

“Early in this preseason, I have felt really good about this team and the cohesiveness that we have,” Murphy said. “Starting in

January, we have done a lot of different things this offseason as far as working out and conditioning. I feel like we have had a pretty darn good summer, but we have been dinged up a little bit in preseason camp.”

Depth is a concern for Murphy going into the season. In terms of numbers, this is one of the smallest teams he has had at Chuckey-Doak. The coach feels good SEE C-D ON PAGE 16

Page 16 • Thursday, August 16, 2018

C-D CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

about his starting unit, but injuries in the wrong areas could thrust freshmen into the rotation quickly.

“We don’t have great numbers so we are going to have to be in great shape in order to compete,” Murphy said. “Staying healthy is paramount. I’m not going to say it’s the most important thing for us, but it ranks right up there with oxygen.”

OFFENSE Chuckey-Doak will go into this season with a new look on offense. After running a traditional Wing-T for the past several seasons, the Black Knights will almost exclusively operate out of the shotgun this year.

They will still use the run-heavy and misdirection principles of the Wing-T, but out of more spread looks that are becoming more prevalent throughout football.

“We have gone strictly to the shotgun this year,” Murphy said. “We’re still going to run the Wing-T and still stick to our principles. We’ve talked and studied for the past two years, and we feel like this is the time to give it a go.

“The way the rules have changed, and I guess everybody else has seen this and I’m a slow learner, the field is 53 1/3 yards wide and you have to use it. We have a lot of good athletes this year and we want to get them in space to create some mismatches.”

Receiving those shotgun snaps will be sophomore quarterback Matthew Palazzo, who will be starting at the high school level for the

CHUCKEY-DOAK HIGH SCHOOL ROSTER 3 CAYDEN PHILLIPS DB/WR JR. 4 RYAN FILLERS DB/WR SR. 6 BRANDON FRANK DB/RB SO. 7 TREVOR GRUBBS DB/WR SR. 8 MATTHEW PALAZZO DB/QB SO. 10 BEN MATHIS DB/WR JR. 11 NOLAN LITTLE DB/WR SO. 13 EVAN MURVIN OLB/RB SO. 14 MATT BUCH DB/WR SO. 15 HAYDEN RUSH DB/RB JR. 17 CHRIS BRADLEY DB/WR JR. 18 KRISTIAN BARRUS DB/WR SR. 19 COLIN WEST DB/RB SO. 20 JUSTIN GREGG LB/RB SR. 23 MATT FOSHIE DB/WR FR. 24 JAYMEN PRICE DB/WR JR. 26 JAYLEN WILLETT DB/QB FR. 27 WADE FLETCHER DB/WR FR. 31 CHRIS CUTSHAW LB/RB JR. 32 LOGAN CAMPBELL DB/RB SO. 34 GAVIN HAIRE DB/RB SO. 35 NICK JENNINGS DB/RB SR. 38 NATHANIEL LOVE LB/TE SO. 40 DATYN BOWMAN SE/TE FR. 50 CHRISTIAN FREEMAN LB/OL SR. 51 COUPER DUNBAR DL/OL SO. 52 HUNTER GREGG DL/OL SR. 53 ZACHAREY LANDERS DL/OL SR. 54 JOSH NORTON DL/OL SR. 55 KELLEN CAPPS DL/OL FR. 56 SETH SHELTON LB/RB JR. 60 ELIJAH CUTSHAW DL/OL FR. 63 KYLE GOINS DL/OL FR. 65 CARLOS DIMAS DL/OL FR. 68 JOSEPH MURR DL/OL SR. 70 AUSTIN MORGAN DL/OL FR. 72 DAKOTA GOINS DL/OL FR. 76 JACOB JONES DL/OL SO. 77 KAMERON HENSLEY DL/OL JR. 78 COLTON GASKIN DL/OL FR. 79 NOAH TAYLOR DL/OL SR. 82 HAYDEN ANDERSON WR/DB FR. 85 CORWIN RAMSEY DL/TE JR. 86 ATHAN MEADE DB/WR JR. 88 ELI BEDDINGFIELD DE/TE SO.

first time. Murphy feels like Palazzo has the talent to handle the position, but he will have to overcome the learning curve that is to be expected with a first-time starter.

“He has all of the tools, but we are hoping he can grow up quickly,” Murphy said. “He was one of the reasons we changed to this offense. But we are not going to count on him to win games. Still, in this offense, we want the quarterback to be the point guard. He’s got to be a distributor, and

PIGSKIN PREVIEW he’s got to be able to handle the calls we give to him. He has to make sure we are in the right position to have success.”

Senior Nick Jennings will take some of the burden off of Palazzo as the most veteran skill player the Black Knights return. The past two seasons, he has started at one of the wing spots, but this year Jennings will move all over the field. Murphy plans on him taking snaps at quarterback as well as at wingback and fullback.

Jennings is the only player in the Knights backfield that has seen extensive time on the field, but Murphy feels like he does have more talent at his disposal.

At wing, Murphy is high on sophomores in Evan Murvin and Colin West.

The coach feels they both have the athleticism to be dangerous in space, but they will have to adjust to the speed of the varsity game.

Chris Cutshaw, a junior, has had a good fall camp and will have a chance to hold down the fullback role for the Knights. In past years, that has been a position that drives the team’s offense.

Out wide, speedster Trevor Grubbs is back for his senior year and Chuckey-Doak will count on him to stretch the defense vertically. Senior Kristian Barrus is back and has a lot of experience at the position as well. Hayden Rush will be among the pass catchers Palazzo will be looking for. Murphy likes his sure hands and his ability to make people miss.

Cayden Phillips and Matt Buch will also be in the receiver rotation this year.

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Corwin Ramsey will be the Knights’ first option at tight end. He is one of the strongest players on the team and will add a lot to Chuckey-Doak’s run game as a blocker while also being a sure target for Palazzo.

Along the offensive line, Hunter Gregg and Josh Norton are returning starters and seniors whom Murphy will count on to be leaders of his squad this season. They have both stepped up in the offseason and will be key components of the Knights’ transition to their new offense.

Noah Taylor and Zachary Landers are two more seniors who will start on the offensive line along with junior Kameron Hensley.

After those five, things get

Chuckey-Doak Football 2018 Schedule Aug. 17 at Pigeon Forge Aug. 24 at Sullivan Central Aug. 30 at Johnson County Sept. 7 SULLIVAN NORTH Sept. 14 NORTH GREENE Sept. 21 at South Greene Sept. 28 at Unicoi County Oct. 5 at Grainger Oct. 12 CLAIBORNE Oct. 26 WEST GREENE

Chuckey-Doak Football 2017 Results vs. Northview AcademyL 35-0 SULLIVAN CENTRALW 21-7 JOHNSON COUNTYL 14-13 at Sullivan NorthW 42-14 at North GreeneW 48-0 SOUTH GREENEW 14-0 UNICOI COUNTYL 40-27 GRAINGERL 30-14 at ClaiborneL 36-17 at West GreeneL 21-17 * BOLD - HOME GAME

SEE C-D ON PAGE 17

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2018 PREP FOOTBALL WEEK-BY-WEEK SCHEDULE Thursday, August 16 West Greene at Northview Academy

Friday, August 17 Chuckey-Doak at Pigeon Forge Unaka at North Greene South Greene at Unicoi County Greeneville at Dobyns-Bennett

Friday, August 24 Chuckey-Doak at Sullivan Central Cloudland at North Greene South Greene at Elizabethton West Greene at Thomas Walker (Va.) Morristown West at Greeneville

Thursday, August 30 Chuckey-Doak at Johnson County Cocke County at South Greene Claiborne at West Greene

Friday, August 31 North Greene at Unicoi County Greeneville at Union County

Friday, September 7 Sullivan North at Chuckey-Doak Cosby at North Greene South Greene at West Greene Science Hill at Greeneville

Friday, September 14 North Greene at Chuckey-Doak Sullivan North at South Greene West Greene at Johnson County Greeneville at Pisgah (N.C.)

Friday, September 21 Chuckey-Doak at South Greene

Friday, September 28 Chuckey-Doak at Unicoi County West Greene at North Greene South Greene at Cosby Sullivan Central at Greeneville

Friday, October 5 Chuckey-Doak at Grainger South Greene at North Greene Knoxville Catholic at West Greene Greeneville at Sullivan South

Friday, October 12 Claiborne at Chuckey-Doak North Greene at Johnson County Hampton at South Greene Unicoi County at West Greene Elizabethton at Greeneville

Friday, October 19 North Greene at Twin Springs (Va.) West Greene at Happy Valley Greeneville at Grainger

Friday, October 26 West Greene at Chuckey-Doak Claiborne at North Greene South Greene at Happy Valley Sullivan East at Greeneville

C-D CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

a little questionable for the Black Knights, and the wrong injury could mean that freshmen get thrown into the huddle.

DEFENSE Last season, the Black Knights’ defense was led by its defensive line, and that will be the case again this year. The crew got into the backfield often and ruined many plays before they got started.

This season, Ramsey will lead the way at defensive end. The junior who broke out last season can squat over 500 pounds while he also has the quickness to chase down plays from the back side. At the other end will be Gregg a 6-foot-3, 235-pound senior who brings physicality to the group.

Norton will lead the defensive tackle rotation while Hensley, Taylor and freshman Carlos Dimas will also be in the mix.

At linebacker, Seth Shelton and Christian Freeman will lock down the middle spots. Murphy is confident that they both will get the job done, but depth behind them is limited.

At the outside linebacker spots, Barrus will slide down from safety where he has played a lot the past two seasons and bring some needed speed to the spot that will be required to cover the pass a lot against some of the offenses the Knights will face.

Murvin will hold down the other spot and Justin Gregg will mix into the rotation as he rehabs a preseason injury.

In the secondary, Rush and Phillips will start at the corner spots and will be backed up by Gavin Haire and Ben Mathis. Jennings will start at safety while West and Buch will add depth.

SPECIAL TEAMS After losing Brian Alvarez, a four-year starter, Chuckey-Doak’s kicking game will look different this

Thursday, August 16, 2018 • Page 17 season.

Senior Ryan Fillers is trying to take over those duties, but he is kicking for the first time. How he develops could affect how often Chuckey-Doak chooses to try two-point conversions and even what kickoff strategy it employs.

Fillers or Grubbs will likely handle the punting responsibilities. The Black Knights might also change things up punting, and will

look into trying out a rugby style punt.

Murphy likes the idea of getting an athlete on the edge to punt because it will force defenses to delay dropping back to block, and it could allow for some extra fourth down conversions by putting an athlete on the edge with the ball in his hands.

Grubbs will be looked at to handle the Knights’ return duties again this year.

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Page 18 • Thursday, August 16, 2018

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VOLUNTEERS

New Staff Offers 2nd Chance For Upperclassmen

BY STEVE MEGARGEE ASSOCIATED PRESS KNOXVILLE — Tennessee’s hopes for a quick resurgence rest in part on its upperclassmen finally performing up to their recruiting rankings.

The Volunteers return 18 juniors or seniors who arrived as four-star or five-star prospects, according to composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports .

None have earned all-Southeastern Conference honors.

A new coaching staff gives them the opportunity to reboot their careers.

“It’s a fresh start for everybody, a clean slate, new coaches here who didn’t recruit you and stuff,” senior defensive tackle Shy Tuttle said. “Like they said when they got here, positions are up for grabs.”

Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt says all players will get the same number of reps in camp regardless of what they’ve done in the past. That means a fresh start for everyone.

“We have lot of competition, which is great,” Pruitt said. “We needed competition, and we’re going to have it this fall camp.

It will be exciting for me to see how guys respond and who can be consistent in their performance day in and day out.”

Perhaps that will provide a spark.

Tennessee returns seven juniors or seniors who signed out of high school as top-100 national recruits according to the 247Sports Composite. The Vols also have senior outside linebacker Jonathan Kongbo, rated as the nation’s top junior-college prospect in his class .

Even with all that talent, Tennessee went 4-8 last season and failed to win a Southeastern Conference game for the first time since that league started football competition in 1933.

“I feel like in my Tennessee career, it’s been a hard four years, going on four years, for me,” redshirt junior offensive tackle Drew Richmond said. There has been “a lot of criticism and everything. But I’m blessed I’m still here, you know what I mean? A lot of people aren’t here anymore. I’m still here.”

Richmond, rated by Rivals as a five-star recruit , has started 13 games over the last

AP PHOTO BY MICHAEL PATRICK

Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt speaks during the team’s NCAA college football media day in Knoxville.

two seasons while struggling with consistency. He acknowledged feeling pressure to live up to his impressive recruiting ranking earlier in his career.

“Of course I did,” Richmond said. “Now it’s water under the bridge.”

The former top-100 recruit with the most career starts is senior safety Todd Kelly Jr. He led the Volunteers in tackles in 2016 but appeared in just two games last year due to a knee injury and now must battle for playing time. Injuries have hampered the progress of other former prize recruits such as Tuttle and senior defensive lineman Kyle Phillips.

Others simply haven’t developed.

Senior linebacker Dillon Bates and junior wide receiver Tyler Byrd are former top-100 recruits with no career starts, though Bates did make the SEC Academic Honor Roll last

year.

Former Tennessee coach Butch Jones acquired a reputation as a solid recruiter who wasn’t able to utilize talent well enough. SEC Network analyst and former LSU defensive lineman Marcus Spears said “that criticism is fair based on what we saw during his time there.”

Barton Simmons, the director of scouting for 247Sports, said Jones’ staff may have spent too much time recruiting based on star ratings and praising prospects rather than how players fit. Simmons said Jones got “a lot of guys that enjoyed recruiting more than they enjoyed football.”

While many of these upperclassmen have struggled to live up to their billing, Spears noted the coaching change offers them a second chance.

“It depends on how they look at it,” Spears said. “I think if you’re a player, you look at it as an opportunity to make an impression on a new coaching staff. That’s the positive outlook. If you say, ‘This is too much for me.

I like the old way better,’ then playing for Jeremy Pruitt is probably going to be tough for you, to say the least.”

Pruitt has worked on the staff of five national championship teams at Alabama and Florida State. Simmons said Pruitt’s background suggests he can “squeeze some juice out of guys that have maybe underachieved to date.”

“There are still, to me, players on that roster with the talent to be impact SEC guys if they’re developed the right way and put in position on the field to be successful,” Simmons said.

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2018 LOCAL COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK-BY-WEEK SCHEDULE Thursday, August 30 North Greenville at Tusculum

Saturday, September 1 Mars Hill at ETSU Tennessee vs. West Virginia

Saturday, September 8 Tusculum at Shorter ETSU at Tennessee

Saturday, September 15 Limestone at Tusculum ETSU at VMI UTEP at Tennessee

Saturday, September 22 UNC Pembroke at Tusculum Furman at ETSU Florida at Tennessee

Saturday, September 29 Tusculum at Lenoir-Rhyne Chattanooga at ETSU Tennessee at Georgia

Saturday, October 6 Tusculum at Mars Hill Gardner-Webb at ETSU

Saturday, October 13

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Thursday, August 16, 2018 • Page 19

TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY

Pioneers Promising, If They Can Stay Health The Tusculum University Pioneers are coming off a 5-5 season and have been picked to finish fifth in the South Atlantic Conference this season by the league’s coaches.

But there are positives for the Pioneers. For starters, they closed the 2017 season on a high note with a 25-17 win over then 12th-ranked Wingate. And in the annual polling of coaches for order of finish in the league, Tusculum received one of eight first-place votes, so at least

someone has faith in the Pioneers.

“I do think we will be better as long as we stay healthy,” Tusculum coach Jerry Odom said during the SAC’s digital media day. “We have four guys in the offensive line that started for us back. Two viable QB’s. Three running backs I like. At receiver, we will be young but we have a grad transfer from Jacksonville in Brian Burnett and a JUCO guy, Kefa Cort, that we really like.”

WEST CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Kibort, Tree Ferguson and Jonathan Ramsey to be among the candidates.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The punting job will fall on Alick Daugherty, who was named a preseason All-Stater by Murphy Fair. He showed last year that he could boom

Eight Tusculum players have been named to the Preseason All-SAC team. The Pioneers placed five players on the second team offense, including quarterback Alex Ogle, running back Maxwell Joseph, offensive lineman Keveon Broadwater, tight end Gary Breuklander and return specialist Jay Boyd.

Boyd was also was named a second team defensive back, while linebacker Ivan Hogans and defensive back Dee Alford were also recognized on

some long ones and can be a weapon at that spot. Chase Jennings will likely open as the long snapper.

Blair Shelton, a freshman and the younger brother of former West Greene kicker Brock Shelton, is a candidate for the team’s kicker. An exchange student from Spain, Iker Casanova Marco, can kick but is still learning the game of football. Braden Williams is another candidate for kicking duties.

the All-SAC second team.

“We have a lot of guys back, so this could be a fun year,” Odom said.

Ogle, a 6-4, 230-pound graduate student from Hobe Sound, Florida, started all 10 games under center last season, passing for 2,056 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Ogle completed 56.3 percent of his passes with only seven interceptions. He was named the SAC Offensive Player of the Week on two occasions in 2017.

Look for Kyer Clowers to be a weapon as a punt and kick returner.

“I think Unicoi County is the team to beat for our conference top spot,” Case said. “They got just about everybody back. I’m not sure how strong Johnson County can be. Claiborne either. I know Chuckey-Doak will be tough for us because they always are.

But we’d like to think we can be in there battling for a playoff spot when it’s all said and done.”

Newberry at Tusculum ETSU at Citadel Tennessee at Auburn

Saturday, October 20 Tusculum at Catawba ETSU at Wofford Alabama at Tennessee

Saturday, October 27 Carson-Newman at Tusculum Western Carolina at ETSU Tennessee at South Carolina

Saturday, November 3 Tusculum at VMI ETSU at Mercer Charlotte at Tennessee

Saturday, November 10 Tusculum at Wingate Kentucky at Tennessee

Saturday, November 17 Samford at ETSU Missori at Tennessee

Saturday, November 24 Tennessee at Vanderbilt

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