Jamestown boys continue to roll
Coach Alonzo Ricks may get the Truckers clicking. The youth are future and the present at Churchland.
by Brandon Mitchell, recruit757
Team: Churchland (Portsmouth, VA)
Classification/Conference – 4A/17
– 4-7 (first round playoff loss to Lafayette, 46-12)
Head Coach – Alonzo Ricks
Mascot – Truckers (Orange, Black)
Churchland started last season off in fine fashion. Minus the mosquitoes outside of Churchland High School, the Truckers invited Collin Bright and the Warhill Lions to town week one. The Truckers marched of the field with a 24-20 win over the Lions.
All appeared to be well for the Churchland Truckers. An injury to Nasir Porter and a 1-5 stretch later found the Truckers at 2-5 and on the outside looking into the playoffs. Beating Norcom and Wilson High School is exactly what the Truckers needed, and at season’s end they inched into the playoffs. Churchland lost their first round matchup to Lafayette 46- the Truckers.
The Truckers come into this season loaded with less than they had coming into the season last year. Senior presence will be at a minimum on the field and in the locker room. Churchland will also head into the season with a little less game experience than they had last year. Every so often in life, we are required to reinvent ourselves. We do this because in order to evolve as it is necessary for some things to change.
Churchland will have to rely on newcomers when it comes to most of their skill positions across the offense and the defense. For the first time in a few years starting quarterback Corey Gause, Jr. won’t be taking snaps from behind center. Jamil Edwards won’t be the primary tailback. Michael Huff, Gary Williams, and Terrance Harris won’t be the ones stretching the field for the offense. Churchland understands you can’t grow and not change.
On offense last season, the Truckers only averaged 13 points per game. Is that bad? The Truckers only accumulated 145 points on the season. Lake Taylor accumulated season. Lake Taylor is used as the measuring stick because no other Eastern District Team scored more points on the season than Lake Taylor. The Titans are the standard because in order to claim the Eastern District, the title will have to be taken away from Lake Taylor. On a brighter note, the Truckers averaged close to 20 points per game in their four wins on the season. The offense must be better.
Jamel Carter-Love (FR QB 5-11 165) will be taking over quarterback duties from Gause, Jr. come August. Love just finished up his freshman season and will be thrust into a leadership role almost immediately. His all-around athleticism is what has set him apart for Coach Alonzo Ricks. Khalik Williams (SO WR 6-0 165) will take over as lead receiver for Love. Williams will take over a spot Michael Huff occupied over the last few season. Williams is a receiver that isn’t afraid to go up and catch the 50-50 jump balls. Maleek Webb (SO/OL 6-1 230) will be the feature signal caller of the offensive line. The rest of the offensive line is still yet to be determined.
On defense last season the Truckers looked to have it down, but at times they looked like a work in progress. The Truckers gave up at least season. In contrast, when the Truckers were locked in they were a real force on the defensive side of the ball. Churchland only allowed nine points per game in their four wins last season. There is definitely a bright spot that can be worked with.
This season the defense will only go as far as Micah Brown will take them. Last year Brown Micah Brown (JR DL 6-4 285) admits to being a leader last season but not being the vocal leader his team needed him to step up and be. Brown just received his first offer which came by way of Virginia Union University. This should be the first of many. The hole left by Nasir Porter in the linebacker core can’t be filled with just one man.
That is where Dario Waters (JR LB 5-11 190) and Charles Jackson-Hicks (SO LB 5-9 170) are being asked to step up. Both have great instincts and speed for the second line of the defense. The departure of Troy Mitchell and Tyheem Sweat could expose the secondary for Churchland if Devonte Mitchell (SO DB 5-9 155) Tyron Everett (JR DB 5-9 160) don’t assert their new roles. Both Mitchell and Everett are ball hawks who could serve the secondary well.
All-in-all, the Truckers have a lot of potential that rest within both the offense and defense. Many players making the transition from part-time roles last season to full-time roles this season will need time to get acclimated. A realistic goal for the Truckers would be to “win fifty percent of our game,” stated Coach Ricks. Churchland made it to the playoffs last year riding a 4-7. If the Truckers don’t want to face another Lafayette type team in the first round they’ll need to squeeze the orange just a little bit harder.
– Brandon Mitchell
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