PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEW: A new era at Albemarle

Wendell Green enters his first season as head coach at Albemarle, as former head man Rick Vrhovac stepped down after his 2008 squad finished 4-6 overall and 2-5 in the Commonwealth District. Gone from last year’s roster are starting quarterback Jeremy Robinson, receivers Zach Vrhovac and Tyler Molinaro and key linemen Jon Pfeifer and Will Gimble.

Despite having so many important sets of shoes to fill, Green’s outlook is upbeat.

“The kids have come in with a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of energy,” Green said. “They worked hard in the weight room over the summer. Our expectations right now are to find our identity of what direction we can go in. We’re not setting any numbers, win totals or anything like that, we’re just going to take it one game at a time, not look past anyone, and just go out there and work hard.”

Green will have, as he calls it, a group of “young players with a desire to win,” including a handful of experienced seniors to lead his first Albemarle team in 2009.

Hunter McCann, Josh Sites and Joey Varaksa are in a competition for starting quarterback. Whoever emerges as starter will have the luxury of having two senior receivers, speedster Jordan Hill and Andrew Frazier, to throw to downfield this season.

Senior right guard Jacob Varley is among four returning linemen and two important rushers — Phalanza “Mayn” Francisco and Jervon Speller — return to lead the Patriots running game.

Among the other key returning seniors on the other side of the ball are Tyler Morris, who joins Varley on the defensive line, along with outside linebackers Eric Sheler and Kendall Ravenell. Sheler will also line up as a defensive end. The Patriots secondary returns senior cornerback Joel Okaah, and could get a boost from junior defensive back Tory Key, who Green calls “fast with great hands.”

Key is one of three promising juniors for coach Green, as he will also be expected to compliment track star Hill at the receiver position. Also expected to contribute on both sides are corner/running back Clyde Long and tight end Matthew Tobin, who will play linebacker as well.

Mountaineers eye Bull Run title

Entering his fifth year at Madison County High School, Stuart Dean is looking to capitalize on a successful 8-2 season in 2008. Dean improved his career record to 21-19 after a 3-1 Bull Run District finish, with the one loss coming to rival Clarke County.

Clarke finished 9-3 overall and 4-0 in the district last year, and was the only team ahead of Madison in the standings. Madison dropped last season’s contest to the Eagles, 32-14, and Clarke went on to the Region B playoffs.

Back to lead the Mountaineers on both sides of the ball is all-everything running back/linebacker Logan Terrell. After nearly coming away with an undefeated season and state championship as part of the basketball team earlier this year, Terrell and his fellow seniors (19 total) would like nothing more than to share similar success on the gridiron.

“Athletically, what we’re expecting out of Logan is kind of the same thing he’s been doing the past two years — doing a good job carrying the ball inside and outside on the field, and defensively to be a good run stopper,” said Dean. “As a leader, that’s a new role he’s taken on as a senior, and so far he’s done a good job of it.

“He wants to continue improving; he’s the first one on the field and the last one off. He’s the type of kid that leads by example.”

Terrell rushed for 980 yards and added 320 yards receiving last season, good enough for All-Bull Run and All-Region B honors. Five-foo-10 senior Dustin Kirby emerged as a late-season starter at quarterback last year, and will lead the team in the huddle to start the 2009 campaign.

Kirby will have a few familiar senior targets in wideout Antonio Childress and four-year starting tight end Dylan Shifflette.

Shifflette returns after an All-Region performance last year, and will be the most experienced cog on the offensive line. The defensive line will also be under-experienced, as those two units lost the majority of its senior starters from last year.

The rest of the front seven and secondary should be the strength of the defense, as Terrell accompanies another All-district and All-region performer, junior Bradley Meadows — who Dean calls “the toughest kid on the field” — at linebacker.

Talented Knights short on numbers

Buckingham County finished strong in 2008, winning three of its last four, and five of its last seven games after an 0-3 start. The Knights return 16 seniors on a team with only 30 members on the roster for the 2009 season, and coach Craig Gill knows that his players will need to avoid injuries and any other setbacks to capitalize on a 5-5 campaign a year ago.

Gill has several talented, experienced lettermen back on offense, defense and special teams to begin the 2009 season. The Knights finished third in a competitive James River District in ’08, and hope to move up the ladder.

Goochland is one team that Buckingham won’t have to battle, as the Bulldogs will join the Group AA Jefferson District this year.

On offense, the Knights return almost everyone that had a hand in the team’s late season success in ’08. Sophomore Tarian Ayers and senior Taylor Boyers are back as the primary signal callers, and are joined in the backfield by seniors Ja’Rodd Wade, Damien Glover and fullback Kevin Jamerson. Promising sophomore Maurice Taylor will also get some touches.

The receiving core is loaded with talent, and will provide experienced targets for the Knights’ quarterbacks. Sophomore Antonn Briley and senior Harry Eldridge lead the way, with William Ross and Doug Green also expected to contribute. Senior tight ends Alvin Davis and Kendrick Baker are also back, along with four returning starters on the offensive line.

On defense, the Knights return nine starters on a team that has most of its players contributing on both sides of the ball. Jamerson and Boyers lead the linebackers, as each earned all-district honors as juniors last year. Curtis Jones, Denzel Eldridge, Michael Layman and Antoine Chambers will anchor a strong defensive line, and Green joins Ayers in the secondary.

Wells takes over Governors

Nelson County enters the season coming off a disappointing 3-7 record (1-5 Dogwood District) in ’08, and new head coach Mark Wells hopes that the Governors will be able to right the ship and begin a fresh winning tradition in ‘09.

Wells, who was an assistant for 19 years before taking over for Tim Crawford prior to this season, is another area coach with a crop of starters and lettermen returning to the practice field in preparation for battle.

Coach Wells says that his transition to the new role has been smooth. However, his squad has already suffered a season-ending injury — senior center/nose tackle Bryant Kidwell tore his anterior cruciate ligament earlier this summer.

The good news is that the Governors only lost eight seniors from last year’s team, and have eight starters coming back on offense, and nine on defense, including a menacing group of linemen on both sides.

“We’ve got one of the biggest offensive lines that we’ve had in Nelson for a while,” said Wells. “That’s probably our biggest strength coming into this year.”

Senior running back Trey Barnett is back to lead a strong running game, which also includes hard-hitting fullback Timmy Williams, as the Governors plan to run the power-I offense. It is not yet apparent who will join Barnett and Williams in the backfield at quarterback, as junior James Saunders, sophomore Treshaun Turner, senior Matt Simpson and freshman Tyler Vest have been competing for the starting job.

All-district receiver Jordan Wooten has also been trying out with the quarterbacks in preseason camp. Trevor Martin has made the switch from receiver to tight end after bulking up to 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds following the summer conditioning and lifting programs. Martin will also use his size at the linebacker spot on a defense, which should keep opposing coaches on their toes.

Wells has a feeling that Williams will have a breakout year at linebacker in addition to fullback. The athletic Barnett will likely return at safety and join cornerback Calvin Baker, who Wells also expects a big year out of, in the secondary. Up front, senior Joe Bishop will join 5-9 classmate Jesse Miller, who will be filling in for the 6-2 Kidwell at nose tackle.

“[Miller is] a little undersized, but he’s real quick, he’s got one of those noses that goes 100 miles an hour all the time,” said Wells.