recruit757 FAB 30 coming up!
In his nine seasons, Pereira has guided York High School to 58 career victories and five playoff appearances.
by John Harvey, recruit757
Team: York (York County, VA)
Classification/Conference – 3A/27
– 7-5 (Second round playoff loss, 33-6 to Phoebus)
Head Coach – Doug Pereira
Mascot – Falcons (Royal Blue, White)
YORK — For nearly a decade, Doug Pereira has transformed York’s football program into a perennial playoff contender.
In his nine seasons, Pereira has guided the Falcons to 58 career victories and five playoff appearances. With a nice blend of youth and experience, Pereira believes York is poised for another standout campaign.
“Our team strength is at quarterback and wide receiver,” Pereira said. “We also have great experience at linebacker and our young players coming up our very skilled.”
Pereira and his staff got a glimpse of that last year when Ramsey Hayyat was named starting quarterback as a freshman. The 6-foot, 170-pound product looked unfazed at the position, finishing the season as the third-rated passer in the Bay Rivers District.
Hayyat threw for 1,496 yards and 12 touchdowns as the Falcons advanced to the Group 3A East quarterfinals for the second straight year. He was also a threat with his legs, rushing for more than 300 yards and seven touchdowns.
“Ramsey Hayyat is becoming very comfortable in our system,” Pereira said. “This is the first time in five years we have returned our starting quarterback.”
Traditionally, York is one of the more balanced offensive units in the Bay Rivers, showcasing a good mix of run and pass. In 2015, the Falcons averaged nearly 291 yards a game, including 125 through the air.
While Pereira’s team lost its top four receiving threats to graduation, receiver is still a position of strength for the Falcons.
Juniors Cole Lytle (6-3, 179) and Cole Edwards (5-8, 180) provide experience in the system. A converted quarterback, Lytle has great speed in space and can really make defenders miss in the open field. Edwards is a solid route-runner that has a knack for making plays in crucial situations.
Freshman Tri Cartwright (6-3, 195) has raised some eyebrows in preseason workouts. He can stretch a defense with his speed and knows how to make plays in traffic. J. T. Anderson is also in the mix at the receiver position.
Tight end Mason Torrence (6-3, 215) returns as the team’s leading pass catcher. The senior had two receptions for season, but should see an expanded role this season in the passing game and also as a blocker in the run attack.
The one question mark offensive is in the backfield as the Falcons will spend the dog-days of August trying to find a starting running back. Freshman Jayden Flood-Brown (5-11, 180) has game-changing speed and will be given an opportunity to win the job in camp.
Regardless who lines up in the backfield, they should benefit from a very experienced offensive line that features four seniors.
Center Nick Norman will anchor the group. The 6-foot-2, 278-pound lineman is effective against the run and the pass and is familiar with what to look for from many defensive fronts.
Brandon Ramirez (5-11, 216) and Kevin Harlow (6-2, 285) will assume starting roles at the guard positions. Austin Lackey (6-3, 239) is penciled in at a tackle position. The other spot will be decided during camp.
As good as the offense has been, the defense has been the calling-card for York the last four years behind the play of all-state standout Darius Reynolds.
Last fall, the Falcons allowed just 190 yards and 15 points a game and ranked second in the Bay Rivers District. Pereira believes this year’s unit has the talent to equal that level of dominance.
York returns three experienced performers on the defensive front led by Josh Martinez. The 5-foot-8, 230-pound defensive tackle has a motor that won’t quit, and Pereira believes he “could be the Falcons’ next all-state defensive tackle”.
Junior Kyan Bohac (5-9, 175) and Torrence give York a pair of talented edge rushers that can also be difference-makers in the run game.
Linebacker is another area of strength for the Falcons. Seniors Brandon Ramirez (5-10, 215) and Noah Pascarella (5-11, 200) are consistent run-stoppers up the middle. Edwards and Flood-Brown have the speed to cover sideline-to-sideline and can really wreak havoc in blitz opportunities.
Lytle is a two-year starter at free safety and is a ball-hawk in the secondary for York. He will help ease the transition as Pereira helps usher in two new cornerbacks.
With the pieces in place, Pereira believes his team can be in the mix for several team goals.
The Falcons will know where they stand early as they open the season against perennial 3A state playoff contender James Monroe, Friday, Sept. 2, at Bailey Field. They will close out the first month of the season with showdowns against conference foes New Kent and Poquoson.
“We want to be more potent on offense,” Pereira said. “We want to win York County and the Bay Rivers District title. We also want to advance beyond the second round of the (3A) playoffs.”
– John Harvey
Contact John Harvey at [email protected] or via Twitter at @RevCitySports.
Related posts
