2015 South Meck Football Preview

Football night

in Southern Mecklenburg

Fall 2015

| Fall 2015 Football Night in Southern Mecklenburg www.carolinaweeklynewspapers.com

Fall 2015 Football Night in Southern Mecklenburg | www.carolinaweeklynewspapers.com

What's inside20 to treaSureA staple of Carolina Weekly Newspapers, 20 to Treasure is the first of our two annual player rankings for the 2015 season. We’ve picked the best individual players in south Mecklenburg as we see it – but with the season just starting, there is more than enough time for other players to fight for a spot on our postseason list. PAGE 4

ciSaa PreviewBen Doster discusses what to expect from the state’s top private school league. He joins Hannah Chronis to predict an order of finish for the always-competitive CISAA conference before jumping into in-depth pre-views on each team. We’ve got everything you need to know about Charlotte Christian, Charlotte Country Day, Charlotte Latin, Providence Day and the Carolina Pride on the pages that follow. PAGES 5-10

big Man on caMPuS: elijah DeveauxAll eyes are on Deveaux this season, as the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Duke commit returns for his senior season. The standout running back racked up 1,381 yards on 185 carries last season and 1,824 yards on 217 car-

ries the year before, so it’s no wonder the Knights are looking to compete for another state title. PAGE 11

So. Meck 8 PreviewThe third-year conference wasted no time becoming one of the area’s elite. Evan Chronis lets readers know what to expect from Ardrey Kell, Charlotte Catholic, Providence and South Meck this season, adding in his predicted order of finish for the season, before taking a deeper look at the key players and expectations for those teams. PAGES 13-15

big Man on caMPuS: benny leMayHe’s more than just the little brother of All-American football players and former Bulldogs Uriah and Chris-tian LeMay – Benny LeMay has made a name for himself in his own right. His 1,565 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns last season could only be the start of what’s in store for the future Charlotte 49er. PAGE 16

SouthweStern 4a PreviewHannah Chronis breaks down the Southwestern 4A – a conference whose name in itself beckons winning traditions. We’ll have our predicted orders of finish

and overall records, as well as our take on what’s in store for the conference claiming 10 of the past 15 state titles. After, dive into team previews for Butler, East Meck, Independence, Myers Park, Porter Ridge and Rocky River. PAGES 17-20

big Man on caMPuS: julian okwaraThe four-star recruit had his choice of schools with elite programs going into his senior season. Picking Notre Dame over Michigan, Georgia and Clemson, among others, Okwara isn’t looking to college just yet. The 6-foot-4 defensive end is ready to lead Ardrey Kell to its best season yet. PAGE 21

2-Minute DrillThese guys are some of the top recruits in the state and we’re giving readers an inside look into their lives on and off the field. Go behind the scenes with Ardrey Kell tackle Taleni Suhren, Charlotte Catholic linebacker Xander Gagnon, Providence defensive end Dru Seabrook and Independence tackle Chris-tian Colon. PAGES 22

teaM PreviewSArdrey Kell..............…..……12Butler………...................….20Carolina Pride……..............10Charlotte Catholic................16Charlotte Christian…...........…6Charlotte Country Day.............7Charlotte Latin….…..…...........8East Meck…....................…20Independence……..........…..21Myers Park………….....……22Providence………….........…17Providence Day…….......…....9Porter Ridge.........................22Rocky River..….....................22South Meck…..............……17

The 2015 Football Night in Southern Mecklenburg was planned and written by the Carolina Weekly Newspapers sports staff, including Managing Editor Hannah Chronis and Sports Editor Ben Doster, who also took all of the photographs. Layout Editor Erin Kirby designed the section.

Publisher and owner Jonathan McElvy supported and encouraged the sports staff throughout the production of Football Night, which would not have been possible without his efforts.

Charlotte Conway, Adrian Garson and Brent Epling were respon-sible for selling advertising to make Football Night possible and Maria Hernandez helped with advertisement design for the sec-

tion. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the entire Carolina Weekly team for making Football Night another success.

On the COverThe 2015 Cover Boys are: Charlotte Christian’s Elijah Deveaux, Butler’s Benny LeMay, Ardrey Kell’s Taleni Suhren and Julian Okwara, Providence’s Dru Seabrook, Charlotte Catholic’s Xander Gagnon and Independence’s Christian Colon.

SpeCial thankSIn addition to all of the countless hours our staff put in to making this section, we would also like to extend a special thank you to Ardrey Kell athletics director Brian Knab and Ardrey Kell football

coach Joe Evans, who braved the heat to ensure our 2015 photo shoot was a success. We are extremely grateful for their time, flex-ibility and professionalism. Located in the heart of south Charlotte, Ardrey Kell provided the perfect location to hold our photo shoot.

We also would like to thank Sports Intern Evan Chronis for spend-ing countless summer hours dedicated to enhancing our annual football preview. His knowledge of journalism gained at the University of North Carolina was evident in his work and we were fortunate to have him as a part of our team this summer.

about the 2015 Football PrevieW


20 to treasure1

JuliaN Okwara ardrey kellIf there’s a guy

to watch out for, it’s 6-foot-4, 220-pound defensive

end Okwara. He recorded 90 tackles and 10

sacks as a junior and is slated for an even bigger

season.

2

ChriStiaN COlON independenceIt’s impossible not to notice

6-foot-3, 300-pound tackle

Christian Colon. The Penn State

commit is a mas-sive run stopper

and has no prob-lem clogging up

the middle.

3

EliJah DEvEaux Charlotte ChristianDo-it-all Deveaux

is back for his senior season

after leading the Knights to an-

other state title. Expect another standout perfor-mance from the

future Blue Devil.

4Jones had a

breakout season last year and has

offers lining up from Tennessee, N.C. State and

Clemson. The junior safety/

receiver hybrid is a tremendous

route runner.

5Pitt, Duke, Florida,

N.C. State– the 6-foot-3, 250-

pound defensive end has his choice

of programs. But during his senior season, Gilbert

will be focused on manhandling his

opponents.

6At 5-foot-10

and 200-pound LeMay is as fast as he is strong.

LeMay will improve on his

1,565 yards and 24 touchdowns

from last season. A huge season is

in store for him.

7The 6-foot-4, 220-

pound Gagnon is a tackling

machine and an offensive coordi-

nator’s nightmare. His 132 tackles

from last year will seem like nothing

compared to what’s in store.

8The 6-foot-3, 220-

pound Seabrook will have offensive

coordinators up at night. One of

the best defensive ends in the area,

he is smart, strong and ready to im-

prove upon his 11 sacks last year.

9This 6-foot-3,

230-pound junior defensive end will be one

of the biggest names in the county. He’s

drawing attention from Division I

schools.

10The 6-foot-5, 290-pound lineman will be the biggest guy

on the field. The Wake Forest com-mit was recruited by a host of D1

schools and is in line for a season

opening holes for AK running backs.

11Anderson will be the fastest

on the field. He excelled last year

as a running back, amassing 2,067

yards and 27 TDs. He’ll be key as the

Cougars look to repeat as confer-

ence champs.

12The 5-foot-8 se-

nior is a two-way player, but is in

his element as a slot receiver. He is a dangerous play-maker at wideout and will have no problem lighting

up the Sabre scoreboard.

13Duck is one of

the few Bulldogs to star on the

varsity team for four years. The

cornerback knows what it’s like to win a state title (2012) and will be ready

to lead the Dog defense to another.

14Rouse is one of

the most complete players in Char-lotte and still has

two seasons to go. At 5-foot-9,

170 pounds, he’s deadly with the

ball in open space and a sure tackler

on defense.

15Expect an up in production from

the quarterback’s 1,534 passing yards and 12

TDs last season. Bloomer will lead the Bucs with var-

sity experience, and is stronger,

smarter and faster.

16Small is back

from an injury, but once he’s

healthy, expect the 5-foot-8

cornerback to lead a strong

secondary unit. Small will be key to repeating last

year’s success.

17Cedric Stone will be a playmaker from his corner-back spot. He has vision and covers space quickly with

size and length (5-foot-11, 160

pounds).

18Johnson rarely comes off the

field; the Sabres will lean on John-son this season.

The 5-foot-10, 170-pound all-around athlete

will be a force to reckon with.

19Six-foot-one,

200-pound Smith excelled as out-side linebacker

last season. He’ll carry the weight of a young Mus-

tang defense and has the talent to

do so.

20Junior Christian Dixon could be the next big star

on the Butler team. The 6-foot, 200-

pound linebacker has athleticism,

tenacity, and will be a leader this

season.

ryaN JONES ardrey kell

ZaCk GilbErt South Meck bENNy lEMay butler xaNDEr GaGNON Charlotte Catholic Dru SEabrOOk Providence

JakE lawlEr South Meck talENi SuhrEN ardrey kell JarEt aNDErSON Charlotte Catholic ChaNCE kENNEDy South Meck

CliFtON DuCk butler MElviN rOuSE Charlotte latin COlE blOOMEr Charlotte Country Day EliJah SMall independence

CEDriC StONE independence MOryah JOhNSON South Meck NOah SMith Myers Park ChriStiaN DixON butler


harlotte Christian’s senior class isn’t used to losing football games.

In fact, those who have earned three varsity letters with the Knights have enjoyed the fruits and spoils of a 31-4 record, three Charlotte Independent Schools Ath-letic Association championships and three N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Asso-ciation Division I state championships.

Coach Jason Estep has guided Char-lotte Christian to the top of the CISAA, where the Knights have remained and don’t appear to be ready to yield their perch atop the league.

While the Knights have emerged as one of the upper tier programs in the Queen City, and arguably the state, graduation riddled their roster, especially on the offensive side of the ball, which may bring them closer to earth this fall.

Estep went out of his way to make sure his young team is challenged early, schedul-ing dates with Charlotte Catholic (Aug. 21), Myrtle Beach (Aug. 29), Weddington (Sept. 5) and Hoggard (Sept. 11).

Those obstacles should more than ade-quately prepare the Knights for their con-ference slate and postseason, which is a scheduling strategy Estep picked up from former Charlotte Country Day coach Bob Witman.

All eyes will be on running back and Duke commit Elijah Deveaux who is back for a better-than-ever senior season but, with a young team and a lot of inexperience

at skill positions, this may be the year the rest of the conference gains some ground on the Knights.

Charlotte Country Day and Providence Day have been injected with youth.

Drew Witman left his duties as Myers Park’s defensive coordinator and lineback-ers coach to succeed his father as the Bucs next head coach, while Adam Hastings replaced Bruce Hardin to guide the charge at Providence Day after building Ardrey Kell’s program into a competitor and rising power.

Senior quarterback Cole Bloomer, who enters his third year as the starter at Country Day, and senior linebacker John Donohue, gives Witman some quality leaders to build around in his first season at the helm.

Strong senior leadership and an eager-ness to learn has made Hastings’s transition at Providence Day smooth thus far.

Larry McNulty, the CISAA’s elder states-man, is approaching the season with

cautious optimism, and for good reason. His roster at Charlotte Latin was emaciated by graduation, leaving him with 27 players.

The Hawks will be the “Iron 27” because so many will go both ways. That’s reason for McNulty and his staff to be concerned over the lack of depth. However, Latin still has talent, and if it can stay healthy and get solid quarterback play with a few favor-able bounces it will be right in the thick of things.

Charlotte Christian remains the frontrun-ner of the CISAA, but this influx of young coaches (Witman 28 years old and Hast-ings 32 years old) along with their coach-ing, experience, knowledge of the game and ability to connect with players makes for what appears to be a promising future for the Bucs and Chargers and a more com-petitive conference.

Witman, a former quarterback, sat under his father, and watched him build a pro-gram. He already has a blueprint for success

– it’s just a matter of finding his own niche and style of operating, but he doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel.

Hastings, on the other hand, picked up football late when he was in high school, but the former East Burke Cavalier quickly garnered attention and took advantage of an opportunity to pursue a future in the game when the Citadel offered him a scholarship.

Both have their work cut out for them, but have the talent, resources and people around them to shake up the establishment of perennial powers.

This isn’t a relay though, where Charlotte Christian is looking to pass the baton to the next runner. The Knights want to keep run-ning with the torch, and will be fanning the flame of their own competitive fire.

Estep’s system is in place. The kids know what’s expected of them – winning champi-onships, so the Bucs, Chargers and Hawks better be ready for a fight if they want to dethrone Charlotte Christian.

breaking Down the ciSaa

cPredicted order oF Finish

hannah chroniS1234

Charlotte Christian (7-3, 3-0)

Charlotte Country Day (6-5, 2-1)

Charlotte Latin (6-4, 1-2)

Providence Day (5-6, 1-2)

Charlotte Christian (6-4, 3-0)

Charlotte Country Day (6-5, 2-1)

Providence Day (6-5, 1-2)

Charlotte Latin (6-4, 0-3)

ben DoSter1234ben DoSter

sPorts editor


the breakdoWn oFFenSe

Elijah Deveaux. The Duke commit has rushed for 3,545 yards and 46 touchdowns in his first three seasons com-bined. Like last year, the Knights need to get the ball in the hands of their senior running back. Getting Deveaux the ball won’t be a problem, but opening holes for him might be. Charlotte Christian’s entire offensive line graduated and the largest voids were left by all-American center Brian Chaffin (Stanford) and offensive tackle Philip Walton (N.C. State).

While he’s not always up front blocking, senior tight end Alex Parker (Elon commit) gives much needed expe-rience and toughness to the offense and an extra blocker on the strong side to lead for Deveaux. Parker also is a sure-handed receiver, who can keep drives alive and has proven he also can find his way to the end zone.

Sophomore running back Justus Woods, an

accomplished track athlete, and senior fullback Con-nor Maitland bring some added dimensions and change of pace to Charlotte Christian’s ground game.

Senior John Turley appears to be the frontrunner for the starting job at quarterback, but nothing is set in stone yet. Turley also will see action at wide receiver and defensive back. Jack Cherry and Garrett Shrader will compete for reps under center.

DeFenSeThe Knights return eight starters to its 3-4 scheme.Senior nose guard Kennedy Manyika gives Charlotte

Christian some beef up front in the interior to jam the middle, while Maitland and Kyle McCormick bring ath-leticism and quickness to the defensive end positions.

Senior linebackers Ryan Gilmartin, Deveaux and senior Grant Armistead give the Knights an experienced, athletic and talented linebacking corps. Jeremiah White (cornerback) and Davis Waldrop (free safety) headline a solid secondary, which returns intact.

The Knights will have to hang their hat on their defen-sive unit early on in the season. This veteran defense allowed only 15.4 points per game last season, and appears to have what it takes for Charlotte Christian to have a shot at defending its crown.

SPecial teaMSJunior Christian Vansickle replaces his brother, Jack-

son Vansickle (Virginia Tech) as the Knights kicker and punter, and is expected to maintain the team’s prowess in those areas.

Deveaux and Woods are logical options to fit the mold for the kickoff and punt return positions, but the Knights have multiple athletes to plug into those roles.

Charlotte Christian

(From left) Jeremiah White, Aidan Piatek, Davis Waldrop and Connor Maitland.

coach Jason Estep,

seventh season

conFerence CISAA

2014 recorD 10-1, 3-0

oF note:the Knights enter 2015 with high expectations as they claim the last three NCISAA state titles. Charlotte Christian is full of fresh faces this year so Knights’ fans should get used to seeing some new guys on the field. But they’re ready to defend their state championships and 31-4 record the last three seasons.

Pre snaP read

Senior tight end Alex Parker may be the x-factor in Charlotte Christian’s offense this fall. the 6-foot-2, 235-pound Elon commit gives the Knights physicality and a quality blocker up front, but may be targeted more in the passing game since his size makes him a mismatch for smaller defensive backs.

alex Parkerin the sPotlight



Country Day returns seven starters to it spread offense. Junior left guard Shaffer Day returns to lead the offen-sive line, while senior Amos Sepkowitz has moved from fullback to the offensive line. Sepkowitz was challenged to do so in the offseason, and has added muscle.

Witman won’t have to reinvent the wheel; he’s seen a winning formula at Country Day for years. He’ll just have to figure out how to make it work for him and this offense. Senior quarterback Cole Bloomer is a good starting point. Bloomer returns under center to steer the Bucs’ ship. He is the first three-year starter in more than 25 seasons and should up his production, with veteran experience under his belt.

Bloomer, who missed three games last season, is a proven passer, and gives the Bucs a dependable leader in the pocket. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder has com-pleted 174 of his 296 attempts for 2,459 yards and 16 touchdowns, and will throw it around some more this fall.

Bloomer will have multiple targets returning in seniors Coleman Mitchell, Peter Pitroff and others vying for a spot at receiver.

Senior running back Warren Holland led the team in rushing last season (86 carries for 497 yards and three touchdowns) despite missing three games. He returns to the lineup, and will again be a focal point in the offense.

DeFenSe

The Bucs return seven starters to their 4-3 scheme, which is led by senior linebacker/defensive back John Donohue. He made 50 tackles, 3.5 sacks, three pass deflections, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries last season.

Sophomores Connor Fewin (outside linebacker) and Broadus Roberson (safety) worked hard in the offsea-son, and are expected to be significant contributors.

Holland and Pitroff will go both ways, anchoring the cornerback positions, while Mitchell also will see action at safety.

SPecial teaMS

Senior placekicker Jonathan Dellinger returns to handle all kicking and punting duties. Dellinger made 13-18 field goal attempts last season, including a 57-yarder against Charlotte Latin. He made 32-33 PAT, and averaged 36.8 yards per punt. Holland will likely return kicks and punts.

Charlotte Country Day

(From left) Coleman Mitchell, Peter Pittroff, Shaffer Day, Cole Bloomer and Warren Holland.

coach Drew Witman,

first season

conFerence CISAA

2014 recorD 5-6, 1-2

oF note:A new, but familiar face will roam the Buccaneers sidelines. Drew Witman, who turned 28 years old last month, left his duties as Myers Park’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach to replace his father, Bob Witman, as Country Day’s new head coach. Familiarity with the program and the type of kids it draws won’t be a problem for Witman – he grew up in it, played in it and coached in it.

Pre snaP read

Senior John Donohue is a game changer for Country Day. Donohue might be the most versatile player on the Bucs roster. He can impact a game from his primary spot at outside linebacker, in pass coverage as a strong safety or as a lead blocker and runner at fullback. Either way, the 6-foot-4, 190-pound athlete has the size, mobility and instincts to make things difficult for opponents.

john Donohue

in the sPotlight



Charlotte Latin returns four starters to its spread shot-gun look. The Hawks don’t run a ton of stuff, but they mix it up and disguise it in different formations, motions and personnel.

Latin returns junior right guard Ed Crutchfield and senior left guard Addison DeBord, who’s started since he was a freshman. Their presence will give this young offense strength in the interior and leadership up front.

McNulty has yet to choose a quarterback, and probably won’t settle on one until right before the first game. How-ever, juniors Bates Jones and Chris Elliott will both see reps this season. Jones is a drop back, pocket passer, while Elliott

is mobile, and a dual threat who can throw well on the run.Latin will have a package for Elliott to utilize those abili-

ties. He also will play backup to sophomore running back DeMarkes Stradford, and will provide a change of pace with his physical style of running when Stradford needs a breather.

The Hawks took a pass-oriented approach last season, but will be more run heavy this fall to feature Stradford, a true homerun hitter.

Senior H-backs Brady Whitmore and Hunter Sheridan bring a pounding element to Latin’s ground game, which will soften opposing defenses.

Junior slot receiver Melvin Rouse will be the primary tar-get in Latin’s passing game, while senior wide receiver Ben Scott had a strong offseason and will get some looks.

DeFenSeCharlotte Latin, which returns three starters to this

unit, is very multiple in its defensive schemes, and will show 3-4 and 4-3 fronts.

The Hawks are green up front, but hope to soar on the wings of defensive ends Crutchfield and freshman Ryan Brouse.

Whitmore, DeBord, Sheridan and junior Robert Fuller give Latin one of the elite linebacking corps in the Queen City, while Rouse brings strong cover skills to Latin’s secondary.

SPecial teaMSSenior Tommy Halkyard brings strength and sta-

bility to the kicking and punting departments, while Rouse, who may be the most dangerous return man in Charlotte, will field kicks and punts for the Hawks.

Charlotte latin

(From left) Will Borion, Addison DeBord, Hunter Sheridan and Brady Whitmore

coach Larry McNulty, 31st season

conFerence CISAA

2014 recorD 9-2, 2-1

oF note:Graduation put a dent in Charlotte Latin’s roster, which lists only 27 players. McNulty and his staff call their iron 27, ’48-minute men,’ because they’re trying to instill the mindset of not even thinking about coming out of the game. If everything can fall into place, and everyone stays healthy, McNulty believes his team can be better than how most think the Hawks will fare.

Pre snaP read

Junior Melvin Rouse is one of the most dynamic players in the city. What makes him special is his ability to break the game open from his slot receiver position on offense, lock down receivers when he plays cornerback, and the threat he poses as a returner. the success of Latin’s offense will largely hinge on how well it can provide opportunities to get him the ball in open space, where he is most dangerous.

Melvin rouSein the sPotlight



Six-foot-one senior quarterback John Schweitzer returns for his final cam-paign with the Chargers after passing for 1,144 yards and five TDs last sea-son. He completed just 45 percent of his passes though, so he’ll need an up in production if he wants to lead the Char-gers to the top of the CISAA. He’ll have reliable targets in receivers Cameron Goldean and Tommy Downing. Elijah Brown will lineup at tight end.

When the Chargers want to run the ball, they’ll have a solid option in junior Gabe Montgomery. The 5-foot-8, 180-pound junior was the leading rusher last year, amassing 692 yards for six TDs. Schweitzer can run the ball when he needs to, too, and is quick on his feet.

The Chargers boast some pretty good size up front. Six-foot-three, 288-pound Eric Cal mans the spot at left tackle and Jonathan Hoppe (6-foot-1, 264-pounds) will occupy the other tackle spot. Greg Truong will lineup at center and Ross Berry and Hudson Reynolds will lineup at the guard spots.

DeFenSeAfter giving up an average of 30

points per game last season, the Char-ger defense is expected to step up this season. They’ll lean on the linebacking

corps of Solomon Key, Montgomery and Cole Brown to do so. Key, a 6-foot, 190-pound senior, made 47 tackles in just seven games last season and is ready for an up in production this year.

The Chargers’ secondary is young but talented. Goldean returns to his safety spot with experience under his belt and will have help in junior Nick Highum. Sophomore Kyle Wood and junior Mad-ison Young will takeover at cornerback.

The defensive line will have some new talent joining more experienced seniors but should be a strongpoint on the Charger team. Arman Azad and Brian Appleyard will lineup at defensive end. Cal and Elijah Brown will lineup at the tackle positions.

SPecial teaMSScott Peterson will handle punting

duties while Thomas Gelorme will han-dle kicking duties. The Chargers have plenty of speedy guys who will be dan-gerous in the return game.

ProviDenCe Day

coach Adam Hastings,

first season

conFerence CISAA

2014

recorD 3-9, 0-3

oF note:the Chargers struggled

last season but this year, with new coach Adam Hastings, they return 18 guys who started a few games. With experience and talent at most of the

skill positions, Hastings expects his team to fight

for a league title.

Pre snaP read

(front row, from left) Grant Henderson, Scott Peterson, Jona-than Schweitzer, Cameron Goldean (back row, from left) Eric Cal, Elliot Beiser, Zach Adams, Brian Appleyard, Solomon Key, Jonathan Hoppe

All eyes will be on quarterback John Schweitzer this season as he attempts to put the Chargers back on the competitive front of the CISAA. He’s stronger than last year and will use that strength to up his production. If he can get comfortable with his offense – and new coach – he should be able to connect with some speedy receivers to get the Chargers back to their winning ways.

john Schweitzerin the sPotlight



Carolina Pride returns nine starters to this unit.Its biggest obstacle aside from its schedule will be adjust-

ing to life without Bruce Dixon. Junior quarterback James Thierfelder is expected to be a solid replacement to engi-neer Carolina Pride’s spread offense.

Jackson takes a pass heavy approach with his offense, so Thierfelder’s arm will stay busy. He has an arsenal of targets to spread the ball, led by Jeremiah McGowan and Matt Broussard. Broussard caught 21 passes for 227 yards and eight touchdowns (second on the team) last season.

They’ll pass to open up the run. The ground game fea-tures a duo of homerun hitters, senior Hassan Samake and sophomore Brandon Padgett, both of whom transferred from Rocky River.

Junior offensive tackle Cameron Sanders, a 6-foot-5, 320-pound mammoth, can open lanes for runners and pass protect.

DeFenSeCarolina Pride, who returns eight to this unit, runs

a 3-4 scheme, which is a downhill attack with no safe-ties. It plays man coverage exclusively, so everyone is matched up on the receivers. The front seven pin their ears back, and go after the quarterback.

Sanders plays nose guard, where he eats up space, clogs the middle and gets push in the interior. Senior Charlie Gantt brings strength and athleticism to the defensive front.

Seniors Carter McLellan and Michael Huntley, a transfer from Butler, lead a solid linebacking corps.

Defensive backs Matthew Gray and Greylon Anthony anchor a speedy and talented secondary.

SPecial teaMSFreshman Jason Stricker will juggle the kicking

and punting duties. Stricker’s leg is consistently good from 40 yards, which is a major weapon at the high school level.

Anthony will feature his 4.4 seconds 40-yard dash time in the return game. Carolina Pride also has a sta-ble of others with playmaking abilities to shag kicks and punts.

Carolina PriDe

(From left) Matt Broussard, James Thierfelder, Carter McLel-lan, Jeremiah McGowan, Greylon Anthony

coach Paul Jackson, second season

conFerence Conference 5

2014 recorD 10-2, 3-0

oF note:Carolina Pride isn’t short on athletes, but the biggest challenge will be replacing do-it-all quarterback Bruce Dixon, who passed for 1,330 yards and 23 tDs last year. Jackson set a strong foundation in his first season, and believes his team is ready to take the next step. they have challenging schedule that includes dates with Charlotte Latin (Sept. 18), Charlotte Christian (Sept. 25) and Providence Day (oct. 16).

Pre snaP read

Senior inside linebacker Carter McLellan, who played for team USA, gives Carolina Pride a sure tackler on defense. the 6-foot, 212-pounder also might see action at running back when the offense needs a bruising change of pace. He provides integral leadership to an emerging program, and will be called upon to make plays this season.

carter Mclellanin the sPotlight


Big Man on CaMPus: elijah Deveaux

t’s no secret Charlotte Christian senior running back Elijah Deveaux is one of the most talented players in the state. Everyone knows his name.

What’s a little less known – Deveaux doesn’t just destroy defenses, but he dominates sales for Cutco kitchen knives.

“I’m competing against college students, adults, people who do that for a living,” Deveaux said. “It’s truly a blessing for sure. If you need some kitchen knives, wedding pres-ents, Christmas gifts – I’m your guy.”

Deveaux, who eventually plans on going to medical school, began selling Cutco prod-ucts because the company offers scholarship money. Plus, it kept him busy during football’s offseason.

“I’m good with connecting with custom-ers, real good at building rapport with them,” Deveaux said. “It’s all about the customer, so I start making it happen.”

Deveaux had the most sales in the south-east region of the country for Cutco.

“I was the push winner,” Deveaux said. “I got the trophy at home.”

But he isn’t as charming on the football field.

The 6-foot-1, 208-pound Duke commit, who is rated as a three-star recruit and the No. 34 overall prospect in North Carolina, has decimated defenses the last three seasons,

rushing for 3,545 yards and 46 touchdowns to help lead Charlotte Christian to three con-secutive N.C. Independent Athletic Associa-tion Division I state championships.

While Deveaux, an all-state player, is poised for a crescendo campaign in his final year with the Knights, it hasn't been all fun and games getting to this point. It’s been nothing but hard work since he first picked up a foot-ball as a 4 year old (even if it was on a local flag football team at the YMCA).

Deveaux has played multiple positions dur-ing his career, including defensive end, line-backer, wide receiver and running back. He’ll see action at outside linebacker this fall.

“My dad always stressed to me, be a foot-ball player – don’t play a position, know the positions, all of them, not just one, because you limit yourself when you do that,” Deveaux said.

Deveaux added that approach has helped him appreciate the game more, and has made him a better player, because he has a better understanding of what’s going on all around the field.

North Carolina defensive back Des Law-rence was the starting running back when Deveaux joined the Knights as a freshman.

Charlotte Christian had its annual “Blue White Night,” where it held an intrasquad scrimmage. Head coach Jason Estep yelled, “Hey, we need a running back.” The ever-eager Deveaux, who was a wide receiver at the time, jumped right in. Estep told him he

looked like a natural.So – naturally – Deveaux found himself at

running back at the next practice.Deveaux was plugged into the starting role

during his freshman season when Lawrence sustained an injury.

His breakout game that season came against Charlotte Latin when he rushed for 177 yards, and recorded a pick six.

“Just hearing Des in my ear cheering me on, getting fired up, because we were up by a significant amount of points, so I got to get a lot of burn – that’s when I really soaked in what they had to say, and was looking forward to applying it,” he said.

By the end of the year, Deveaux’s recruit-ment had begun to take off, resulting with a scholarship offer from Mississippi State.

“That was a big-time, SEC offer,” Deveaux said. “That’s when I really realized I could go somewhere with this.”

Deveaux continued on that trek to success, cementing his legacy in Charlotte Christian football lore when he scored the game-win-ning touchdown against Charlotte Latin in the state championship last season.

“We’re driving, it’s a tied ballgame, 21-21, we get in field goal range,” Deveaux said. “We got a Division I kicker, the kick is blocked, so we’re going into overtime. I’m a little banged up, been a long game.

“Coach is like, ‘You got to go. We got the ball first, you got to go.’ First play, 35 power, boom, I score us a touchdown. We go up.

Before you know it, two plays later, we get an interception. That’s the end of the game, so that moment was relief. It’s amazing.”

Despite his already lengthy list of creden-tials, Deveaux is ready to win a fourth state championship.

The Knights, at the very least, will have a chance at doing that with him in the backfield, and he’ll likely make an immediate impact for the Blue Devils when he arrives at Duke.

“There’s a lot of guys from this area up there who are giving me honest feedback. That’s what it really came down to,” Deveaux said. “I fit in that system offensively. I can run in between the tackles, outside. I’m a balanced running back, give them a little mix.”

And Deveaux doesn't even have to change colors, as he’ll continue to rep the blue and black at the next level. Eventually, he hopes to major in sports medicine, and minor in busi-ness.

“I want to be a team doctor for a college or NFL team,” Deveaux said. “I’m able to relate to players. A lot of the time you have doctors you go to, especially guys who consider them-selves sports doctors, who have never played the game. They can’t really relate to you as far as what you’re feeling. I want to fill that void, take the place, and be able to relate to those guys.”

In the meantime, Deveaux will continue to cut into the record books on and off the field.

iby Ben Doster

[email protected]



The big man on campus for the Knight’s is literally the biggest man on campus. Senior tackle and Wake Forest commit Taleni Suhren stands at a whopping 6-foot-5, weighs in around 290 pounds and will be a key for the Knights run game. Junior Jon Rowe also will be a key part for AK’s offensive line.

The big offensive linemen for the Knights will be protecting senior Tahj Rice, who will be looking to add on to what is already an impressive high school career. Junior Merrick Haston also will see his fair share of carries to add to the dynamic rushing attack.

The offense will run through quarterback Bryce

Maginley. Luckily for the Knights, Maginley’s legs are just as dangerous as his arm, giving them a true dual-threat. Maginley will be the one that eases his team’s offense into Evan’s new system. His main tar-get at wide out will be junior Jaylen Erwin, who has impressed Evans since his arrival at Ardrey Kell.

DeFenSe

There aren’t many ways to define the Knight’s defense other than stacked. The biggest prospect on this side of the ball is defensive end and Notre Dame commit Julian Okwara. Okwara will make every offen-sive coordinator think twice before running the ball his way. The middle of the line is stuffed by 230-pound nose tackle Christian Van Horn.

Adam Lutz and Justin Lawson lead the linebacking corps and both will look to collect 100 total tackles and a double-digit amount of sacks. The front seven Evans inherited is one that no running back will look forward to facing.

The secondary is filled with plenty of ball-hawks. Kirk Augustus, who also plays receiver, is the Knight’s star safety that will look to intercept any ball that enters his way. Senior Omari Wingard is a cornerback whose speed makes it difficult for any receiver to break away from him.

SPecial teaMS

Senior Jonathan McDavid will kick and punt for Ardrey Kell in 2015. Augustus and Wingard are the two likely candidates to be in charge of returns come the start of the season.

arDrey Kell

(From left) Taleni Suhren, Kirk Augustus, Bryce Maginley, Omari Wingard and Julian Okwara

coach Joe Evans, first season

conFerence So. Meck 8

2014 recorD 10-4, 5-2

oF note:It’s a year of transition for the Knights as they welcome new head coach Joe Evans from Independence, where he led the team to a Southwestern 4A title. Evans looks to advance an already successful Ardrey Kell program. the new coach is coming into a situation where he already has many established players and a handful of D1 prospects, which makes a title run likely.

Pre snaP read

Kirk Augustus is the stud of the secondary for the Knights. Augustus combines agility and physicality perfectly and will likely rack up a solid amount of interceptions as well as sacks. Augustus also will see time at receiver, so don’t be surprised to see him record as many receiving tDs as he does interceptions. Augustus is a part of the Knight’s senior-led defense that makes them a big title contender.

kirk auguStuSin the sPotlight


breaking Down the So. Meck 8he So. Meck 8 conference feeds off competition and this season will be no different. Last season saw four of the eight teams in the confer-

ence finish with at least five conference wins, including Charlotte Catholic (7-0), South Meck (5-2), Providence (5-2) and Ardrey Kell (5-2). The So. Meck 8 is no stranger to elite teams that can make runs at a state title.

Catholic certainly set the standard last sea-son, finishing with an unblemished confer-ence record.

This season, the Cougars return senior John Walton, who passed for 1,211 yards and 11 TDs last season. Walton struggled with accuracy, so for the Cougars to defend their title, he will need to improve in that area. Any team that wants a realistic chance to beat Catholic will have to stop stud senior running back Jaret Anderson, who rushed for 2,067 yards and 27 TDs last season. The Cougars also return linebackers Xander Gagnon and Matt White. Last season Gagnon totaled 132 tackles while White had 104.

The team with the most realistic aspiration to dethrone Charlotte Catholic is Ardrey Kell. The Knights are now under the command of former Independence head coach Joe Evans, who immediately raised the stock of the Ardrey Kell football program upon his arrival. The Knights return several stars on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Quar-terback Bryce Maginley will lead the Knights’ offense alongside running back Tahj Rice and 6-foot-5 lineman Taleni Suhren. Julian Okwara, Adam Lutz, Justin Lawson, Kirk Augustus and Omari Wingard are the high-lights of a stacked veteran defensive squad. Look for the Knights to be pushing for that No. 1 spot in the conference come the sea-son’s end.

Providence is a force to be reckoned with in the conference this year as well. The Panthers may experience a bit of a learning curve with new coach Brad Bowles; previous coach Jus-tin Hardin is the new head man at Indepen-dence. Providence is likely a year away from a real title chance as they continue to adjust to

their new coach; they’re also dealing with the loss of star senior quarterback from last year, Caleb York. The Panthers are still very dan-gerous this year, though. Running back Jack King will be the highlight of the Panthers’ offense, while Dru Seabrook will command the defense.

Rounding out the four potential title con-tenders is South Meck. While South Meck was 5-2 last year in the conference, they only finished the season 8-5, losing their last three games. While the Sabres are full of talent, they don’t have any “stat sheet stuffers” along the likes of the other big three in the confer-ence.

The last four teams filling out this confer-ence are a mixed bag. Olympic will look to improve on a disappointing season last year where they went 3-4 in the conference. Olym-pic will be looking for a winning conference record in 2015, which will be very difficult given the stature of the top four teams. Berry could surprise a few teams in the conference with the return of their star receivers Michael Roberts and Thomas Gordon.

West Meck has a lot of room for improve-ment, especially after last year’s dismal 1-6 record. Samuel Greiner takes over as head coach for a Harding University side that had an abysmal 2014 season. Harding went 0-7 in conference last season while only scoring 32 points spanning the seven games.

The So. Meck 8 conference will once again be a fun one in 2015. It’s a conference filled with championship-caliber teams and teams continually looking to improve.

Predicted order oF Finishevan chroniS

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Ardrey Kell (10-1, 7-0)

Charlotte Catholic (9-2, 6-1)

Providence (8-3, 5-2)

South Meck (7-4, 4-3)

Berry (5-6, 3-4)

Ardrey Kell (10-1, 6-1)

Charlotte Catholic (10-1, 6-1)

South Meck (10-1, 6-1)

Providence (6-5, 4-3)

Olympic (4-7, 3-4)

ben DoSter

78

6 Olympic (3-8, 2-5)

West Meck (1-10, 1-6)

Harding (0-11, 0-7)

Berry (2-9, 2-5)

West Meck (2-9, 1-6)

Harding (1-10, 0-7)

11145

78

6

tevan chroniSsPorts intern



The ground game has long defined Cougar football, and this season won’t be much different with Jaret Anderson returning to the backfield after a 2,000-yard season. When they need to throw the ball, six-foot-two quarterback John Walton can get the job done, return-ing to quarterback after passing for more than 1,200 yards last year – only this year he won’t have all-star receiver Ryan Miller as a target.

There are some question marks with the offensive line, but they’ll get worked out within the first few

weeks. Chris Bruno will anchor the line at center and have help in 6-foot-2, 250-pound senior Jack Fishbaugh and 5-foot-10, 250-pound Quintin Hutchins at guard.

Not unlike prior years, the backfield will be the strength of the Cougar offense.

DeFenSeCougar defense this year will begin and end with its

solid linebacking corps. Two players with Division I talent return, beginning with Duke commit Xander Gagnon. Gagnon, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound stalwart, racked up 132 tackles last season and grabbed three interceptions. He’ll team with 6-foot-2 Conner Miller, who’s getting looks from Appalachian, Furman and Cornell, among others. Factor in outside backer Matt White, whose intercep-tion of a two-point conversion sent the Cougars into the state championship last year, and you’ve got a solid group that’ll be difficult to get around.

Owen Hall will line up at defensive tackle again this sea-son and provide veteran leadership on a solid front seven, including Michael Wilson and Constant Mangongo, who should be able to put serious pressure on the quarterback.

If there’s a weak spot on the Cougar defense, it’s in the secondary. Andrew Brouse returns at safety but the rest of the secondary graduated. Brodowicz said they’ll be young and inexperienced, but have some young guys with talent, especially at the cornerback spot.

SPecial teaMSJack Fonda returns to his position at kicker and is

impressing some college scouts. Anderson will handle return duties alongside Angel Marrerro, who Brodow-icz said can run a 4.35.

Charlotte CatholiC

(From left) Jack Fonda, Matt White and John Walton

coach Michael

Brodowicz, second season

conFerence S0. Meck 8

2014 recorD 14-2, 7-0

oF note:Longtime assistant coach Mike Brodowicz had no problem adjusting into his role as head coach, leading the Cougars to another conference title and deep playoff run.Last year the Cougars were on a mission to prove they were good with or without star running back Elijah Hood (North Carolina). they didn't leave room for doubt as their 2014 season led them to the NCHSAA state championship. Expect another year of hard-nosed Catholic football.

Pre snaP read

Senior defensive lineman owen Hall is a major part of Charlotte Catholic’s scheme to shutdown it’s opposition. the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder made 70 tackles, two sacks, forced a fumble and deflected a pass last season. He will again be a force in the trenches, but what separates him from others is his ability to move around. He switches back and forth from defensive tackle and defensive end, which makes him a nightmare to game plan for.

owen hallin the sPotlight



The Sabres spread offense returns relatively intact with eight of its starters from last year’s unit, which averaged a pedestrian 23.6 points per game.

South Meck has the best offensive line it’s had in White’s tenure. Three-year starters, left tackle Will Jones and offensive guard/tackle Seth Mann, will anchor the line with strong veteran leadership and experience.

Junior quarterback Antonio Wallace returns under center after setting the school record for highest com-pletion percentage (65 percent). The wide receivers are led by senior speedsters Chance Kennedy (Army com-mit) and Moryah Johnson. Junior Travis Prince will get the bulk of the carries at running back.

The Sabres now have the personnel to employ a bat-tering one-back, two-tight end look or wishbone for-mation with Zack Gilbert and Deangelo Blair-Young to provide a change of pace and soften opposing defenses. Senior H-back A.J. Elam gives South Meck’s offense added versatility.

DeFenSeThis group returns six starters that can play both the

4-3 and 3-4 schemes.South Meck has arguably one of the top defensive

lines in Charlotte. Gilbert, a senior defensive end, who is being courted by multiple high level FBS programs, anchors the front along with another highly coveted prospect, junior defensive end Jake Lawler. They give the Sabres speed and strength off the edge, and have the talent and versatility to move around.

Blair-Young and junior Holden Parker, a second-year starter, will lead a young linebacking corps, while Timar-cus Walker, a transfer from Harding, should fit in well at outside linebacker after switching from cornerback.

Cornerbacks Jacobe Clement (6-foot-1) and John Bran-non (6-foot-2) have great size at corner to compete with big receivers. Junior defensive back Josh McNeely also gives South Meck cover skills in its secondary.

SPecial teaMSJunior place kicker Jonathan Doerer made six 40-plus-

yard field goals, and booted 85 percent of his kickoffs for touchbacks last season. Elam, an all-state punter, who punts rugby style, averaged 46 yards per punt. Nigel Brown, Johnson, Kennedy and Prince will all factor in the return game, with Kennedy being most lethal.


Providence, which returns six starters on offense, will run the triple option out of the shotgun-spread look with three to four receivers every play, and will vary between operating with and without a tight end, and will have a back beside or behind the quarter-back.

Senior center Danny Johnson is the lone returning senior to what will be a young offensive line. Junior Drake Deluliis will start at quarterback after serving as backup last season. Sophomore Chase Eighmy and freshman Taylor Teti are some young talented quarter-backs waiting in the wings.

Senior wide receiver Jonathan Davenport and sopho-more wide receiver Blake Proehl, son of Panthers wide receivers and former longtime NFL veteran Ricky Proehl, will give Deluliis some solid targets.

Seniors Conner Johnson and Jack King lead a stable of running backs.

DeFenSeThis unit, which returns eight starters, is one of the

more veteran and talented units in Charlotte.Senior Dru Seabrook, who will anchor the defensive

front, returns for a crescendo after recording 54 tack-les, 15 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and 11 quarterback hurries as a junior last season.

Providence has arguably the best linebacking corp led by seniors inside linebacker Jordan Fehr (Appa-lachian State), outside linebacker King (Army), out-side linebacker Quinn Mahaney and inside linebacker Tyler Pistorio (Navy). Fehr and Pistorio are the leading returning tacklers on the team after making 84 tackles apiece last season.

Junior cornerback Caleb Bellamy headlines Provi-dence’s secondary, and will be key in defending the pass.

SPecial teaMSSenior Austin Kent will kick and punt for the Panthers.

He averaged 34 yards per punt, and pinned opponents inside their own 20-yard-line 60 times last season.

Proehl will return punts and kicks. His ability to catch first is critical.

ProviDenCe

south MeCK

(From left) Quinn Mahaney, Jack King, Tyler Pistorio and Jor-dan Fehr

coach Brad Bowles, first season


2014 recorD 10-4, 5-2

oF note:Providence returns a small, but strong senior class full of veteran leaders. the Panthers are building on last season’s 10 wins and three-round run in the NCHSAA playoffs, despite the transition from Justin Hardin (now at Indy) to Bowles and the voids graduation left. If Providence can stay healthy, and the line can mature quickly, the Panthers may be able to make another strong run in the playoffs.

Pre snaP read

Junior quarterback Drake Deluliis may be the most versatile player on the team. He spent most of last season at wide receiver (36 catches for 660 yards and 10 touchdowns), but did see action under center (completed 28-51 passes for 359 yards and three touchdowns to one interception). Deluliis, who brings mobility to the position, rushed 32 times for 151 yards and three touchdowns. time will tell, but he seems to be the right fit for Bowles’ offense.

Drake DeiuliiSin the sPotlight

(From left) Will Jones, AJ Elam, Chance Kennedy, Jacobe Clem-ent and Antonio Wallace

coach Rocky White, fourth season


2014 recorD 8-5, 5-2

oF note:White guided the Sabres to their first winning record (8-5) since 2010 last season. South Meck looks to build on last season’s first round playoff appearance, and they have the horses to do it. the Sabres’ roster is a stable of talented thoroughbreds with elite playmaking ability on both sides of the ball.

Pre snaP read

Senior Moryah Johnson can be plugged in at nearly every position. Johnson, who is one of the most versatile players in the area, has seen action at wide receiver, safety, cornerback and outside linebacker, and will likely continue to move around to keep opponents off balance. He made 62 tackles, two interceptions, forced a fumble, and amassed 699 all-purpose yards last season. He appears ready to build on those stats in his final campaign with the Sabres.

Moryah johnSonin the sPotlight


Big Man on CaMPus: Benny leMay

ootball is a way of life in the LeMay family, and youngest brother Benny LeMay, Butler’s starting running back, is the last of the trio to star

for the Bulldogs, behind older brothers Uriah and Christian.

“That’s all we ever knew really,” LeMay said. “Basketball was kind of our sport before, but when everyone started getting established in football, that’s when it really started taking off, especially when Chris-tian started.

“That’s our bonding time together – whenever we go to the backyard and throw the football around. Family is everything to me. There’s nothing more important than that.”

Older brothers, Christian (Georgia) and Uriah (Charlotte 49ers), took their talents to the next level, and Benny will do the same. He’ll follow Uriah to the gold rush 20 minutes up the road to join the Char-lotte 49ers football program next fall. The decision keeps him close to home and his parents.

“It’s an up-and-coming school, just a lot of opportunity to have and I get to play with my brother and a lot of other team-mates I used to play with,” LeMay said. “There’s too many positives to say no.”

However, the 5-foot-10, 205-pound senior still has

unfinished business after a season-ending, 56-14 blowout losses to Mallard Creek in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A state playoffs the last two years.

“I’m not much of verbal guy,” LeMay said. “I like to lead by example and by actions, but there comes a time where you have to be that guy, especially with the team we have, a lot of young guys on the team, a lot of inexperienced guys that don’t really know the role Butler has in Charlotte. Sometimes you got to take that in stride.

“Christian and Uriah were two great players. I’ll tell you that. They really taught me that role of leadership – being that guy on the field everybody looks to, and don’t ever let your emotions get in the way during the game. They just taught me to watch who you’re hanging around, a lot of life goals, a lot of life lessons on and off the field.”

Though he’s quiet and reserved, a strong-willed and resilient spirit resides inside LeMay, which manifests itself on the football field in a never-go-down style of running.

His approach resembles the children’s book, “The Little Engine That Could.” His “I think I can, I think I can” mental-ity keeps him moving like a train, tram-pling over defenses on the gridiron tracks.

And there have been times he could’ve easily given up.

During his first season as a starter, the Bulldogs trailed Mount Tabor 25-0 at the half. But he didn't want to lose. Instead, he picked the heads up of his teammates and scored two touchdowns to lead a second half rally. Butler lost, 25-19, but LeMay brought that junkyard dog mentality of “fighting to the finish” to his team.

LeMay said that was when he realized he could be the go-to guy for the Bulldogs when they needed a big play, or someone to depend on.

The next week, he rushed for 315 yards, but had two touchdowns called back dur-ing a 49-32 loss at Richmond Senior. He didn’t that let stop him.

But Butler’s wins – many at the hands of LeMay – are many and define his career. The Bulldogs have gone 37-9 (17-3 South-western 4A), made three playoff appear-ances and won a state championship (2012) during his time.

LeMay, who is rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, took off like a jet leaving the tarmac, amassing 1,565 yards and 24 touch-downs on 211 carries for an average of 7.4 yards per carry, and made 19 receptions for 210 yards and three touchdowns to make for an impressive stat-line last season.

“I have shifty hips, and real good feet,” LeMay said. “I’ve

been working on my burst a lot lately, trying to break

away for a long touchdown. I just got a low center of gravity, got a mindset of ‘I don’t want to go down.’ That really helps out in a running back’s mind.”

The person who inspires him the most though, and who has been his greatest cheerleader is his father, Stacy LeMay, who introduced him to football when he was 8 years old.

“He just said, ‘You need to get into some sports,’” LeMay said. “I was more of a bas-ketball guy back in the day, but when I first played football, that’s when it hit.”

His father was the first to tell him he might have a future in football.

“He told me, ‘Don’t let anybody tell you you can’t do anything, always keep your head up no matter what anybody says about you,’” LeMay said. “That’s when I told myself, if I really want to do this, I have to put the work in. It doesn’t come easy. He’s been a real good role model for me.”

Like football, family is important to LeMay. It’s why he’s staying close to home next year. If it weren’t for the LeMay fam-ily, Butler football wouldn’t be the same.

Even with his name recognition, though, LeMay doesn’t want to be the center of attention. He cares more about winning and overall team success.

“It’s not all about me,” LeMay said. “It’s about the team. That’s all that matters to me.”

Fby Ben Doster

[email protected]


fter what most would consider a down year for the prestigious Southwestern 4A in 2013, the conference got back on track last

season. Despite the conference’s success – and it’s definitely seen success – expect a lot of new faces and young teams this year.

The biggest difference this year will be Independence. The reigning conference champs lost coach Joe Evans (20-6), who takes the helm at Ardrey Kell. Former Provi-dence coach Justin Hardin takes over an Indy program with high expectations and big shoes to fill.

Hardin inherits a team that graduated a corps of talented seniors, including quarter-back Kelvin Hopkins (Army) and linebacker Jimmel Twine (North Carolina Wesleyan), but that doesn't mean it’ll be a down year for the Patriots – those are few and far between. Hardin has a stable of runners to count on, beginning with guys like Elijah Beamer and Quantavious McGill, and if the line can open up holes for them, they shouldn't have a prob-lem putting points on the board.

But a good Patriot team is measured by its defense and with a squad that returns five starters from its smothering defense last sea-son, these guys will be key when it comes to winning games. All eyes will be on Penn State commit Christian Colon – not just because of his 6-foot-4, 300-pound frame – but because he’ll be the leader the Patriots need. But as is the case every year, they have a big target on their backs – one Butler will be aiming for.

Speaking of Butler, they have their fair share of youth, too. Coach Brian Hales will have his hands full replacing some big names, and a lot of new guys will lineup on the field. Don’t call it a rebuilding year yet, though.

Enter Benny LeMay, the 5-10, 210-pound senior running back who led the Bulldogs offense last season with more than 1,500 yards and 24 TDs. He knows what it’s like to win a state title (2012) and will be ready to lead the Bulldogs to that same success. He’ll have help in Clifton Duck (Appalachian State), who returns to cornerback. For these two, anything less than a ring is a disappoint-ment so expect them to come out ready for a dogfight.

It could take a game or two for this bunch to get comfortable together, and work in

junior quarterback Davis Cheek, but we have high expectations, as always, for Hales and his team. They’re young, but they’re going to be good.

Rocky River has been the conference’s Cin-derella story, after going 0-10 in its first year as a program (2010) to winning the conference in 2013. They had some solid wins last season but finished 4-2, unable to shake Butler and Independence.

This year could be tough for the Ravens. They lost their star quarterback (Naiil Rama-dan, N.C. Central), leading rusher (Elijah Jett, University of Charleston) and leading receiver/cornerback (Jaire Alexander, Lou-isville) so coach Jason Fowler will have his hands full with fresh faces and guys from JV.

Their biggest strength will be their speed. Junior running back Elijah Henry is a guy to keep an eye on, while receiver Johari Alexan-der is slated for a big year if he can connect with quarterback Phillip Clay.

The biggest question mark for the Ravens is its defense; after losing 29 seniors from last year’s team, not one starter returns on the defensive side of the ball.

If there’s a dark horse this year, it could very well be Myers Park. Coach Scott Chadwick is in his second year with the Mustangs and has high expectations for his team. He’s working on turning the program around and with skill guys like linebacker Noah Smith, cornerback Jamal Watson and receiver Cooper Hearn returning for their senior season. Expect them to want to leave Myers Park with a bang.

Porter Ridge returns for its third season in the league but a lot of question marks loom over this once-dominating program. They’re working in a new quarterback, have a tough nonconference schedule and lost what talent they did have from last year’s 2-9 season.

Like the last several years, East Meck and Garinger will be the bottom-dwellers. Gar-inger hasn't won a game since 2011 and we’re not expecting much difference. East Meck could win a few, especially with coach Barry Shuford back for another season. He’s known to turn around some programs, so the Eagles could surprise some folks.

breaking Down the SouthweStern 4a

a

Predicted order oF Finishhannah chroniS

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Butler (10-1, 5-1)

Independence (9-2, 5-1)

Rocky River (7-4, 4-2)

Myers Park (6-5, 3-3)

Porter Ridge (5-6, 2-4)

Independence (9-2, 6-0)

Butler (8-3, 5-1)

Myers Park (7-4, 4-2)

Porter Ridge (7-4, 3-3)

Rocky River (5-6, 2-4)

ben DoSter

76 East Meck (4-7, 1-5)

Garinger (0-11, 0-6)

East Meck (4-7, 1-5)

Garinger (0-11, 0-6)

12345

76

hannah chroniSeditor



The Bulldogs are multiple in their offensive attack. It’s not uncommon to see Butler employ the Wing-t, five wide receiv-ers or I-formation, which makes it difficult to prepare for.

Hales and his staff will be breaking in some young play-ers to fill some critical voids. Senior guard Devin Smith is the only player returning to the offensive line.

Junior quarterback Davis Cheek has major shoes to fill after the departure of Anthony Ratliff-Williams (North Carolina). Cheek has seen limited action at the varsity level, but was the starter on JV last season.

Running back Benny LeMay, a Charlotte 49ers com-mit, gives the Bulldogs a true go-to-guy. LeMay amassed 1,565 yards and 24 touchdowns on 211 carries for an average of 7.4 yards per carry, and made 19 recep-tions for 210 yards and three touchdowns to earn all-

conference as a junior last season.Butler will depend quite a bit on tight ends, Jacob Deluca

and Jed Higdon, who have shared the starting position.Wide receivers Clifton Duck and C.J. Johnson return

as reliable targets for Cheek, while Stephen Sings might emerge as another solid option in Butler’s aerial arsenal.

DeFenSeButler returns an experienced core of talent; however,

the switch from the 3-4 to the 4-2-5 might come with a bit of learning curve. The Bulldogs will still rely on its defense, at least early in the year.

Senior defensive end Alex Masone, who started every game last season, gives Butler a playmaker coming off the edge. Senior middle linebacker Christian Dixon, a two-year starter, brings stability and leadership to a daunting defense.

The strength of the unit is its secondary, which returns completely intact and is led by Duck from his corner-back position. This group will act as a true no fly zone for opponents passing attacks.

The switch to a 4-2-5 comes with an additional posi-tion to the secondary, which is the rover spot. Senior Noah Huggins has emerged as the frontrunner for that role. Depending on schemes, situations and assignments Huggins can line up as a defensive back, linebacker or as an extra outside rusher.

SPecial teaMSSenior Adrian Salazar returns to handle the kicking

duties. Punter is still up for grabs; however, Cheek has some experience, which makes Butler’s threat for fakes a legiti-mate one. The Bulldogs have multiple options to choose from to plug in as punt and kickoff returners, whether it’s Duck, Johnson, LeMay or another elusive speedster.

Butler


Sophomore Chris Walden, who moved from Geor-gia to Charlotte this offseason, gives East Meck some much needed size at 6 feet, 300 pounds. He will start at left tackle, while sophomore center Cody Allen and junior left guard Matthias Poku-Kankam should give the Eagles added stability up front.

Sophomore quarterback Khalil Gilliam returns to lead East Meck’s offense, which is a variation of the wing-t. He has added 20 pounds to his frame, and stands at a solid 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds. Shuford believes Gilliam has the potential to be the best quarterback he has ever coached.

The bulk of the carries will be split between sopho-more H-back Khamal Howard, senior fullback Juan Powell and junior running back Jacobi Thomas. How-ard will move to tailback when the Eagles go with two-back sets.

Junior Zach Otto and sophomore Chris Horn are the leading candidates for the starting wide receiver position, but East Meck is still looking for someone to cement himself into that role.

DeFenSeThis unit, which operates out of a 4-3 scheme, is

a year older, and should be wiser and stronger after going through last season’s gauntlet of obstacles.

Junior defensive end Chris Allen, an all-conference player, gives East Meck an athletic outside rusher, who should continue to wreak havoc.

East Meck’s linebacking corps is its most veteran position group on defense. It is led by junior out-side linebacker T.J. Elliot, a two-time all-conference player.

Sophomore free safety Trey Hodge and senior cor-nerback Raphael Bikai will lead the secondary, while Gilliam and sophomore Khalil Woods also will con-tribute as defensive backs.

SPecial teaMSBikai will punt for the second year in a row, while

Christian Thomas, a three-year starter, will handle the kicking duties. Howard, Powell and Thomas may fac-tor into the return game.

east MeCK

(From left) Maurice McClain, Dirk Cureton, Jaylen Lesane and Cam Taylor

coach Brian Hales, fifth season

conFerence Southwestern 4A

2014 recorD 11-4, 5-1

oF note:Butler’s last two playoff runs ended in 56-14 losses to Mallard Creek. Graduation left the Bulldogs with some voids to fill, but a strong nucleus of talent returns. A state championship might be shooting too high for this group, but don’t count Butler out. the Bulldogs will be in the mix for a shot at the Southwestern 4A Conference crown.

Pre snaP read

Junior Davis Cheek might be the next in line of great Butler quarterbacks. He thrived at the JV level last season, and should be a stabilizing presence under center for the Bulldogs this fall. the 6-foot-2, 170-pound Cheek brings good arm-strength, mobility and intangibles to the position that will engineer a potent Butler offense.

DaviS cheekin the sPotlight

(From left) Khalil Gilliam and TJ Elliott

coach Barry Shuford, second season


2014 recorD 2-9, 1-5

oF note:the Eagles went through its growing pains last year and might have some more this year, but this group finally knows what is expected of them by Shuford. Shuford has gotten programs off the ground (Butler) and turned struggling ones around (olympic). It helps to have 18 returning starters (nine on offense, nine on defense).

Pre snaP read

Senior fullback Juan Powell, who moved to Charlotte from ohio, joined the East Meck football program too late last season to play, but has worked hard in the offseason and will be a major contributor this fall for the Eagles. He’s a hardnosed player, who will give East Meck toughness and physicality in its ground game as a runner and lead blocker.

juan Powellin the sPotlight



The Patriots are young this year, but that hasn’t stopped them before. Offensive tackle Christian Hill is the lone returning starter but sometimes, a youth movement with an injection of young talent can be the breath of fresh air a team needs. Time will tell with this offense.

Hardin brings a unique style of play to Indy – a balanced attack with the goal of keeping opposing defenses off balance. In Hardin’s run-oriented spread offense, the quarterback is in shotgun about 95 per-cent of the time, and utilizes motion and fakes to incorporate the element of misdirection.

The Patriots will seek to spread defenses out to open

up the ground game, and he’ll have an athletic stable of speedy backs led by sophomore Elijah Beamer and senior Quantavious McGill to engineer a strong rushing attack.

The biggest question lies up front with the offensive line, and if it can open holes for the runners and pass protect.

Independence also will be breaking in a new quarterback. Senior Christian McPhail appears to be at the top of the pack in the race for the starting job and senior Duane Per-kins gives McPhail a play-making target at wide receiver.

DeFenSeThe defense will be the strength of the team, at least

early in the season. Independence, which will be operat-ing primarily out of a 4-3 scheme, returns five starters.

This unit is headlined by 6-foot-4, 309-pound defen-sive tackle, Christian Colon, a Penn State commit. Colon, a true game changer, made 101 tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks last season.

Senior defensive end Kima Bell gives the Patriots a long, lean and athletic rusher coming off the edge and senior middle linebacker Jerome Cochran brings experience and leadership to Independence’s linebacking corps.

Senior cornerbacks Elijah Small and Cedric Stone, who will play both ways, anchor a strong secondary, and will be challenging matchups for opposing receivers.

SPecial teaMSIndependence isn’t short on athletes to employ in its return

game. Beamer, McGill, Perkins, Small and Stone will share return duties. Senior Ryan Brush will be back to handle the kicking duties, while Caleb Ritch will punt.

inDePenDenCe


Myers Park will operate out of a three to four-wide receiver shotgun spread look.

Junior left guard JaMykal Neal enters his third year start-ing on the offensive line, while senior right guard/center Anton O’Brien, who was a part time starter last season, returns. They give the Mustangs vital experience and strength in the interior part of the line.

Junior quarterback Jack Davidson replaces all-confer-ence quarterback Clay Norris. Davidson spent the previous two seasons on JV, but would have been Norris’s backup by the end of last season.

Davidson is fortunate to have a solid receiving corps, which is the strength of the offense.

The Mustangs return three dependable pass catchers led by seniors Brandon Adams and Cooper Hearn, and junior Jason Monastra. Chadwick believes Monastra might be the best one out of the group; however, he also will start on defense at safety as the only two-way skill position player on the team.

Myers Park has a solid one-two punch at running back in senior Brandon Caldwell and junior Antario Dubose, who moves up to the varsity after a successful sophomore sea-son on JV last year. Caldwell is more physical and bruising, while Dubose adds a significant speed component to Myers Park’s backfield.

DeFenSeThe Mustangs graduated every starter on its defen-

sive line, so senior Colby Williams moved from tight end to defensive end. His switch has been a positive change for the team. At 6-foot-2, 245 pounds, running a 4.8 in the 40-yard dash, Williams gives Myers Park a force coming off the edge.

Their stregnth on defense is at the linebacker posi-tion. They return three-year starter senior Noah Smith, senior Warren Layne and junior Ben Norris.

The secondary is one of the most athletic units of its kind in the city. Senior Jamal Watson, a three-year starter, and junior Kevin Alford, who started last season, have the cornerback positions locked down. Monastra will play one safety, while Alex Alvarez and twin brothers Davis Ray and Owen Ray will split time at the other safety position.

SPecial teaMSSophomore Tyler Dameron will kick and punt for the

Mustangs. He made 95 percent of his PAT and 80 per-cent of his field goals last seasons. Myers Park’s kickoff and punt returners will be by a committee basis.

Myers ParK

(From left) Elijah Small, Christian Colon, Cedric Stone and Je-rome Cochran

coach Justin Hardin, first season


2014 recorD 12-1, 6-0

oF note:Despite a near-perfect season last year, the Patriots hopes of a state title ended too soon with a second round loss. they enter 2015 with high expectations and an up-and-coming group of talented players after going 12-1 and winning the conference last season. However, Indy has multiple question marks following its coaching change from Joe Evans to Justin Hardin and a mass exodus of starters.

Pre snaP read

Senior defensive end Kima Bell has the opportunity to slip under the radar. teams pay so much attention to defensive tackle Christian Colon, and fail to notice Bell. When that happens it’s too late, because he’s already exploded in the backfield for a big play. the 6-foot-3, 210-pound long and rangy defensive end is lethal coming off the edge from his defensive end position.

kiMa bellin the sPotlight

(From left) JaMykal Neal, Anton O’Brien, Jamal Watson, Coo-per Hearn and Jason Monastra

coach Scott Chadwick, second season


2014 recorD 5-7, 3-3

oF note:Chadwick has built and rebuilt programs, guiding three teams to a state championship and winning one. His second season at a school is usually when a team makes the most improvement. Despite a frustrating ending last season, the Mustangs had multiple close games. this year, they swill bridge the gap to pull out a win. His players know what’s expected of them and how to prepare.

Pre snaP read

Senior linebacker Noah Smith proved himself as one of the top headhunters in all of Charlotte last season, recording 81 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions. the 6-foot-1, 210 pounder will again be a leader for the Mustangs with the success of Myers Park’s defense largely hinging on his play.

noah SMithin the sPotlight



Bevilacqua has passed the offensive coordinator duties to Andy Rodden, who spent last season at Marvin Ridge. The Pirates return six starters to its spread offense, which operates out of multiple formations.

Porter Ridge has three senior offensive linemen coming back in tackle Joe Dose, guard/tackle Dylan McCarthy and guard/center Vince Vagnone.

The Pirates have two capable quarterbacks in freshman Grayson McCall and senior Matt Bowman. Bowman com-pleted 45 of 108 passes for 557 yards and three touch-downs, and rushed 73 times for 197 yards and three touch-downs in six games last season.

Porter Ridge is not short on quality targets at receiver;

the Pirates can go to junior Yaw Sackey, Will Moncure, Jor-dan Crowell and Javonte Frazier.

Senior Adam Chase returns at running back, and will be a focal point of the offense.

DeFenSeBevilacqua moves his focus to the defensive side of the ball,

which returns four starters to its unit and will operate out of a 3-5 scheme. Porter Ridge doesn’t have much depth or big bodies on its defensive line, which could be a challenge.

The Pirates will use movement up front, different angles from blitzing linebackers and mixed coverages to help con-fuse offenses and create opportunities to make plays.

Seniors Connor Johnson and Nick Cambria will be back at defensive ends to pillage and plunder opposing backfields.

Senior William Maier returns to his middle line-backer position, while senior Nico Ortega will man one outside linebacker spot.

Junior Jerran Caldwell moved from cornerback to free safety. Caldwell, who made 39 tackles last season, headlines the Pirates’ secondary.

SPecial teaMSSenior Brandon Haas will punt, but can kick if

needed. Junior Brandon Sieminski will kick, but also can punt, giving the Pirates some options.

Frazier and junior Mason Mills will handle the return duties. Frazier, who plays point guard on the basketball team, has great vision to find holes and open lanes, while Mills is a physical, contact runner, who isn’t afraid to run up the middle.

Porter riDge


Rocky River returns only three starters to its spread attack; however, the Ravens aim to stay balanced with its use of the run and pass.

Senior offensive left tackle Dashaun Dixon returns to protect the quarterback’s blindside, and gives the Ravens much needed experience to wage war in the trenches.

Rocky River has a deep stable of running backs, but

junior Elijah Henry, who has moved up to varsity after rushing for more than 3,000 yards in the last two sea-sons at the JV level combined, has taken the starting job by the horns. Bryson Adams, a two-way player, also will see time at running back.

Wide receivers Johari Alexander and Kendall Lewis have emerged as the go-to-targets for junior quarter-back Phillip Clay, who takes the reins after serving as the understudy last season.

DeFenSeRocky River doesn’t return a single full-time starter

to its defense; however, senior Larry Blanton saw reps as a part time starter last season.

Blanton has moved from defensive end to middle linebacker and will make the calls.

Tyrek Haywood, an athletic forward on the basket-ball team who has never played football, will take his 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame to the gridiron this fall. The rising junior will play defensive end.

Senior cornerback Dexter Harris, who will see snaps on offense, is surrounded by high expectations.

SPecial teaMSSenior place kicker Jonathan Pfeiffer, a two-year

starter, has made 93-104 PAT and 11-16 field goal attempts, including a long of 43 yards, in his career. Adams, Henry, Lewis, Harris and others might see action in the return game this season and Rocky River won’t have a problem finding athletes to plug in as returners.

roCKy river

(From left) Connor Johnson, William Maier, Yawl Sackey and Vince Vagnone

coach Zach Bevilacqua, second season


2014 recorD 2-9, 2-4

oF note:After an abysmal 2-9 finish, Porter Ridge would like to forget last year. But a strong offseason, talented players and veteran leaders have steered the Pirates’ ship in the right direction. A trip back to the state championship doesn’t seem realistic, but a playoff appearance and winning season isn’t out of the question.

Pre snaP read

Junior running back Adam Chase gives Porter Ridge an experienced runner the Pirates can depend on. He led Porter Ridge in rushing last season with 110 carries for 422 yards and five touchdowns, and will again be the featured back in the Pirates ground game.

aDaM chaSe

in the sPotlight

(From left) Larry Blanton, Kendall Lewis, Deshaun Dixon and Johari Alexander

coach Jason Fowler, sixth season


2014 recorD 9-5, 4-2

oF note:Sometimes graduation hurts a team. Rocky River’s roster was emaciated by the departure of 29 seniors from last season’s 9-5 team that reached the third round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A state playoffs. It was a class that helped to establish a winning culture at Rocky River. While the Ravens might be short on players with significant varsity game experience, they have a vast stable of speedy athletes eager to compete. the first five games will be a good litmus test on whether this will be a rebuilding year or not.

Pre snaP read

Senior Bryson Adams is one of the most athletic and versatile players on Rocky River’s roster, and is equally important on both sides of the ball. Adams can pose as a punisher from his running back position and wreaker of havoc in opposing backfields crashing in from his defensive end post.

brySon aDaMSin the sPotlight


all it the luck of the Fighting Irish that landed the University of Notre Dame a commitment from Ardrey Kell defensive end Julian Okwara.

“Notre Dame is where I feel like I’m sup-posed to be, because my family is always about the degree, and getting your school work done,” Okwara said. “I’d come home and get school work done before I’d do anything else.

“I wanted to study something in busi-ness. I wanted to major in business man-agement. They were 10th in the nation for that… Everything felt right football-wise, school-wise, coaches-wise, people I wanted to be surrounded with. Everything felt like home.”

Okwara, who is rated as a four-star recruit and the No. 14 overall prospect in North Carolina by Rivals.com, enters the 2015 season with high expectations for an epic final campaign with the Knights after making 90 tackles and 10 sacks last fall.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound English-born son of Nigerian immigrants might have the highest ceiling of potential of any high school football player in Charlotte – and maybe all prep athletes in the Queen City.

He didn’t start playing football until he was a 13-year-old eighth grader, but he was blessed with elite athleticism culti-vated through playing a variety of sports.

Okwara, who does flips and backflips

for fun, ran track, swam, played tennis, soccer and basketball before he reached the gridiron.

Those sports showed him how to use his body in different ways, developed his foot-work and eye-hand coordination, which have all translated to his play on the foot-ball field.

“My parents kind of forced me to be outside and stuff,” Okwara said. “They didn’t want to keep me inside playing video games. I did a lot of physical activity stuff.”

He played safety when he took up the sport, but decided he wanted to play wide receiver like his older brother, Romeo Okwara. But it was former Ardrey Kell coach and current Providence Day coach Adam Hastings that moved him to defen-sive end – and the position fit like a glove.

“I came out here and lined up in line at wide receiver,” Okwara said. “Coach Hast-ings was staring at me like, ‘What are you doing? Go down to d-end.’

“I started liking d-end a lot… By tenth grade, I was picking it up a little bit. I was starting. In eleventh grade, I was starting over some seniors just be a playmaker.”

Okwara, who spent a good portion of his childhood in Nigeria, moved with his fam-ily to Charlotte when he was 8 years old. The transition was difficult for him early, and other kids made fun of him because he couldn’t speak English well.

But Okwara persevered through their derision. And just because he struggled to

verbalize the English language as a child doesn’t mean he struggled to read and write; in fact, he was proficient in those areas compared to his classmates.

When teachers assigned essays he would finish in two hours, while other students spent the entire day slaving on theirs.

“Everyone made fun of me,” Okwara said. “I’d take it to heart sometimes, but going on I realized you shouldn’t pay atten-tion to little things like that, just pay atten-tion to things ahead of you. Don’t listen to other people, just go on with whatever you want.

“Coming into high school, everything started kicking in. People tried to act like I’m friends with them or act like they’re friends with me just to get by. I try to focus on school, football and the things that matter the most.”

Okwara is a quick learner and it’s helped him not only in the classroom, but in ath-letics, too.

“I feel like what makes me a good player is I’m very coachable,” Okwara said. “I learn things fast. When I started playing tennis, I was getting the hang of it a little bit. After a couple of months I was beating kids higher level than me.

“I was 13, beating 17 year olds. Every-thing kind of comes to me real quick. Football, it took me two years to get the hang of it. Everyone started playing when they were little kids. Being coachable and able to learn stuff real fast helps you learn stuff in the long run.”

Okwara remembers other people used to tell him he wasn’t a good football player, and it would make him mad. He chan-neled that anger to a driving determination to learn the game and get better. He began to take football seriously as a sophomore.

“My first step off the ball is real fast,” Okwara said. “I’ve always practiced run-ning, real explosiveness, using my hands real well I get off the ball, using my hands to get to the quarterback.

“This season individually, I feel like I want to be a more vocal leader, more physical leader, but in school I want to be a leader in general. I want to leave AK knowing people look up to me.”

The sky is the limit this year for Okwara. He’s ready to lead Ardrey Kell and the Knights, who already have high expecta-tions lined up for them before the season begins.

But even if the season doesn't end with a league title or state championship ring, Okwara knows what’s most important.

“Seeing little kids come out here for the youth football camp, and coaching them… I was messing with the little kids, spray-ing water on them, teaching them how to play football,” Okwara said. “They were coming up to me, asking me, ‘Do you play football? What position do you play?’ All of that stuff means a lot even though it’s the littlest things. You take that for granted.”

Big Man on CaMPus: julian oKwaraby Ben Doster

[email protected]

c


chriStian colon

What are you exPecting From your team this year?

A lot. We lost last year in the playoffs because of casual mistakes, mostly on special teams.

this year we have a young offense, but a stout defense.

What made you decide to Play Football at Penn state?

It just felt like home. It felt like family – great coaching staff up there and I know I’m going to have early playing time because the year I come in, they are going to have two Dt’s declaring for the draft. there’s also great

education and a winning tradition that is very similar to the one that Independence has. It just

felt like it had that same type of vibe.

beFore a game, What are you thinking about?

oh I tune everything out. I grab my Gatorade and I have some type of gummy candy, like gummy bears, and I just sit in the corner and play my music, which is normally Chief Keef.

are there any athletes you look uP to?

Back when I used to play basketball it was Lebron. But now that I play defensive tackle,

it’s definitely Ndamukong Suh – his type of tenacity, his aggressiveness, his motor,

everything about him. other than his on and off the field issues, I really admire everything

about his game.

What does it mean to you to Play For indePendence?

It’s a big weight on your shoulders – the winning tradition and the name

Independence carries. You’ll always have the “oh, they aren’t as good as the old team”

and it’s like no one is satisfied with what you do unless you win a ring. It definitely fuels you with the mindset to not want to let your

people and your fan base down. You always have to play to the best of your abilities, not for you, but for what that “I” on your helmet

stands for.

taleni Suhren

Why did you decide to head to Wake Forest next year?

It was just the family aspect of it. they made me feel really at home and it’s not too far from

my family. I love it up there.

is there anything you like to do beFore a game?

I’m normally pretty mellowed out before a game. I normally go to our yoga room and take a nap because I don’t want to hype myself up

too early and then crash right before.

hoW did you get started Playing Football?

I started playing football really early. I played

flag football for the longest time, but I was too big. Parents actually started complaining. I was always a big kid so I played with older kids and I actually played for a pop warner

team called the Starville Lions. When I was in second grade, I’d play with fourth graders,

and when I was in fourth grade, I’d play with sixth graders. Middle school was the first time I

actually got to play with kids my own age.

you’ve sPoken a lot about your Family. What are they like?Me and my family are really close. If you’ve been at an AK game, you’ve probably heard my family. We’re the loudest no matter where I go. Me and my dad have a close relationship, and he even gives me tips on the field. He sits in the same spot every game and probably gets there an hour and half before anyone else. I always know exactly where he is.

What do you like to do oFF the Field?

I’m big into video games. As of lately I’ve been playing a lot of Call of Duty. I’m big on zombies. I’m just a regular kid, like I like to

watch a lot of movies and tV series. I’m really big on HBo. I think Ballers has been my new

show. Mr. Robot is pretty good, too.I’m pretty low key. I’m big with computers. I’m a big PC gamer so things like that fascinate me

– things like Steam and Counter-Strike.

xanDer gagnon

Why did you choose duke?Definitely the family atmosphere. I’m the

middle of five so I like that my family can easily come up for games.

What does Playing at catholic mean to you?

I moved from Cincinnati so I didn’t know it was such a big deal playing for Catholic. But as I started to see the tradition the last couple of

years, I’ve realized just how cool it is.

do you have any Particular Pre-game rituals?

We definitely get hype before game. the crowd and the fans just get us pumped up and

it’s definitely very cool.

hoW is it at school on a Friday, knoWing that it’s a game day?It’s very cool. Everyone knows because you wear a tie every Friday and everyone knows you’re a football player. Everyone stays hype

until Friday night.

are you ready For duke’s academics?

I think so. I definitely have my work cut out for me but I’m excited for that and some Duke

basketball.

What’s the last movie you’ve seen?

the Longest Yard. It’s great. It’s my favorite movie hands down. Big Adam Sandler fan.

What’s your mindset When you’re on the Field?

I get chills thinking about it. My family and all my friends are there. It is just something special.

What do you like to do oFF the Field?

I play varsity basketball. I play forward and the team is looking pretty good this year. It’s kind of hard to handle both sports but the basketball coach is good with waiting for

football season to finish up before we come to the team.

two Minute DrillYou already know what these southern Mecklenburg stars can do on the gridiron, but we’re taking them off

the field and introducing you to a different side of these up-and-coming stars in a series of rapid fire questions

Dru Seabrook

What’s your mindset beFore a game?

I just like to chill out and stay calm. I don’t get too hyped up. When you get too hyped up,

you make mistakes.

is there any Pre game music you listen to?

No, not really. I just listen to whatever we have going on in the locker room.

What’s your relationshiP like With the guys on the team?

Good. We all hang out outside of football. We’re pretty close. We swim at the pool,

go bowling, and we actually went to the Whitewater Center.

What are your interests outside oF sPorts?

I play video games. I play a lot of Madden and Grand theft Auto. Also, I like just hanging

out with friends.

With your senior season ahead oF you, have you

thought about What’s in store aFter high school?

Well, I’ve got a few offers to play football at Elon and Lafayette, so I’ll eventually come to a

decision on that.

What goes into that decision making Process?

the academic part, and definitely how the coaches are. I’ll probably major in business in

college. I’d like to go into real estate.

hoW imPortant is Family to you?

Very important. My dad has always supported and guided me with football and my brothers are all younger so they are like my biggest

fans.

2015 South Meck Football Preview

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