The Deep Creek Hornets made strides this year. They only picked up one win, but under new Head Coach Cal Copeland, that win was a step in the right direction. The underclassmen are already working on improvements to next year’s squad. In the meantime, the current seniors have been working out their college committments. In the case of senior lineman Ben Lounsbury, the big man now has it all worked out.
When you have 4.2 Forty speed, it’s easy to predict a breakout. Grassfield running back Vincent Lowe has been able to boast about his track star speed for a couple of years now. His ball carrying skills (along with those of teammate Isaiah Harper) have led the Grizzlies to repeat playoff appearances. He can claim two college scholarship offers already, and there’s no doubt more are on the way.
This weekend is filled with basketball. Last weekend was the end of the regular season, and that brought a huge, season ending matchup to UNC Chapel Hill. The Duke Blue Devils came to visit, and so did three of The 757’s best players in the 2014 class.
Earlier in the week, Bayside wide receiver Devante Batey verbally committed to North Carolina Wesleyan. It didn’t take long for Batey to have a change of heart. Just as Bayside has seen a steady flow of grads headed to play football at the University of Virginia, there’s been a steady flow of Marlins to Virginia State as well. The pull of becoming a Trojan brough Batey to switch his pledge.
Lakeland kicker Austin Brown and new HU Assistant Coach Glenwood Ferebee already have a connection. Ferebee was the head coach at Lakeland before moving on to coach college ball a little more than a month ago. That gives Ferebee a little bit of an advantage when it comes to recognizing talent. He’s well aware of Brown’s skill as a specialist. Earlier this week, Austin took an afternoon visit to see his old coach, and get a glimpse of the football program at HU.
The Booker T. Washington Bookers had an upside down kind of season. They finished 3-7 in 2012. Head Coach Che Jacobs was released from his duties. The team was young and one of their key senior leaders, Rodney Johnson, went down with a knee injury in game four. The Bookers didn’t recover their season, but Johnson recovered his recruitment.
The VHSL’s reclassification process brings changes for practically every school in the region, whether it’s changing opponents or changing divisions. Bruton has long been one of the smaller schools in the Bay Rivers District. In the conference format, Bruton drops down to Division 2, but keeps all of their old Bay Rivers opponents on their schedule.
Division II Alderson-Broaddus in Phillipi, West Virginia is sneaking another talented athlete out of The 757. The Battlers are building their program on area athletes, and it’s working in a big way for them. The Battlers played a road season of JV games last year to launch their football program. In 2013, they’re a full fledged Division II program with a brand new stadium and a Nike contract.
($$) There’s plenty of buzz surrounding our region’s current rising senior class. Some may not realize that there’s lots of talent beyond that. The sophomores and freshmen of The 757 are already being heard from, and they’re getting the attention of college coaches who are in the know.
Another player from Bayside High School has worked out his college commitment. Former Track star Devante Batey managed to get himself noticed after one season of high school football and get recruited for college. Granted having sub-4.5 speed and a height of 6-3 had to help.
