3A School information...

It's almost time for the boys to tee up the pigskin again. What we need here is all the important information on the 3A schools. Things such as returnee's, strength, weakness, players to watch, etc.


Lay that knowledge on us. :xyzthumbs

 

Mooresville Blue Devils - NPC 3A

Kinda early but I'll give it a shot.
Key players returning on offense:
HB E.J. Wilson, Sr. (actually sat out last year b/c grades)
HB Josh Forney, Sr.
OL Colby Benfield, Jr.
OL Robert Dixon, Sr.
OL Russ Smith, Sr.
TE Chris Peoples, Sr.
WR Jonquez Bailey, Sr.
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QB Brett Champion, Sr.
HB Jared Adams, Jr.
HB Marcus Brice, Jr.
TE/K Cody Recchion

Defense:
LB Thomas Harris, Sr.
Spur Mike Hobbs, Sr.
Spur J.T. Toupin, Sr.
CB Caleb Diggs, Sr.
S Quinton Feagins, Sr.
DL Quiente Brown, Sr.
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DL Aaron Belk, So.
LB Seth Rhyne, Jr.
LB Jimmy Holly, Jr.

Overall team speed should be good this season, especially at the skill positions. Backfield and receivers are very capable of getting the job done. QB is tall and strong but untested at the varsity level. OL should be much improved from last season. Kicking game now rests on the toe of Jr. Cody Recchion. Defensively, the Devils are not as strong up front as they have been in the past but they usually come together real quick under the guidance of long time DL coach Gary Karriker. LB corps should be able to perform well but will miss the fine play of Pangle and Oliphant, lost to graduation. The DB's are one of the strong points of this team as they return all but one starter from last season. Punting duties may go to Feagins again this season, he is a threat to go the distance on any fake or blown blocking assignment. EJ Wilson should be the main return man on special teams and could go both ways (HB/LB) for Mooresville. This does not happen much due to the two platoon system that is employed at Mooresville. coaching is another strong point for the Devils, as always. These guys get the most out of their players through the program method that begins way back in middle school. Although the triple option is the offense of choice, the Blue Devils have shown the willingness to go to the airways under second year head coach Barclay Marsh. This has opened things up for Mooresville and they are not as predictable nowadays. Look for them to challenge for the top spot in the NPC again this year.

 

Now that's what I'm talking about. One heck of a breakdown V.I. :applause:

 

The Crest High Chargers

This should be another exciting year for the Chargers coming off of a 3AA state title. The Chargers return 8 players on each side of the ball and welcome back a potential all state player.

The Crest offense will revolve around the ground game. Martray Littlejohn goes into his senior season coming off of a nearly 2000 yard season and state championship game offensive MVP. Martray may have the best back up in the state with the returning Travis Padgett. Padgett was excused from last years team after the first game of the year when he had an altercation with a coach. Travis returns with a new focus and new attitude. In his lone game last year Travis had over 160 yards in the game. Opening holes for these RB's will be a big strong offensive line led by Andy Barbee and Trip Smith. Both are big and strong and have the nasty attitude it takes to play in the trenches.

WR could be a question with the departure of Jermaine Strong and Gene Proctor. Maurice and Tyrece Brooks (twins) and Omar Washington will see time at the WR spots. Also DeShod Kee should fill in for Gene Proctor at TE.

The QB question is much more settled going into this season than last. Maurice Gullate will be the starter while sophmore Jordan Robinson is his backup. Gullate took a couple of games to settle in as the starting QB last season after moving over from DB. Once he did the Chargers were rolling. He finshed off the season picking up MVP honors of the State Championship game. Gullate has great quickness and is always a threat to run, but he showed at the end of the year that he's able to beat you with his arm as well. Jordan Robinson was able to get some valuable playing time last year as a Freshman. He started the St Stephens game last year when Gullate was out with and injury and threw 4 touchdown passes.

Defense once again should be a good one led by Coach Roy Kirby. The Chargers lost Chris Williamson from LB'er corp and he will be tough to replace.


The DL line will be anchored at the DE spots by Evan Bostic and Chris Tate. Both are strong and quick and have the ability to create havoc in the backfield for opposing teams. Expect to see Brandon "Tiny" Peterson clogging up the middle. The 300 plus DL should help stuff things in the middle.

The LB's will be led Junior Brandon Spikes. Spikes is 6'5" 260 pounds and has all the tools to be a superstar.

The secondary must replace Jermaine Strong. The secondary includes Safety Skip Allen. After being called up from the JV team last year Skip played really well. Also expect to see Jeffery Thompson in the Charger secondary.

Special teams will be fun to watch this year. With the return of Travis Padgett we may see him returning kicks. If he gets in the open, watch out.

The Chargers will have to replace Eric Lemmon at punter and kicker. It was nice having an all-state wrestler back there if someone gets through because he wasn't afraid to get his jersery dirty.

This team should be battle ready for the playoffs with a tough schedule that includes six road games with 4 of them being at West Charlotte, Davie County, Shelby, and Hickory.

Roy Kirby picked up his first state title last year. Now he and the Chargers go after number 2.

 

Ragsdale Tigers


Toney Baker

Any questions?

 

He cant do it all wossa as proven last year.Surely there is more to report about the Tigers than that.... :huh:

 

Smashmouth nice breakdown of the Chargers. :applause: I had heard that Gullate was gonna move back to Db.Whats the word on Brandon Mauney,I heard he was back at Crest,what chances of him playing or has he burned his bridges?

 

Gullate and Robinson were both sent to QB camp this summer. That's why Crest hasn't had any 7 on 7's yet. I think Gullate will still start at QB, but this team has the chance to give Jordan plenty of playing time too.

As far as Mauney goes, I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see him somewhere on the defensive side of the ball. We can't forget that he too is one heck of an athlete. He just needed the attitude adjustment also.

Let's hope both of these kids, Padgett and Mauney, appreciate the second chance.

 

No thats for sure - we need the defense to step up which was the weak link last year. The kicking game could be in trouble unless they find someone in pere-season. But Baker is good for three TDs a game all by himself against most any team. Norwood insisted Baker is going to return kicks next year which he didn't do alot last season - not punts anyway.

Ragsdale has a big tough junior QB coming up from the JV. Trevor Mullins was a dominating all conference pitcher and should have been starting last year as a sophomore IMO. I wish he had started mainly for the experience.

Of course he will still be handing off to Baker alot so the fact he will have more and faster recivers to throw to may not matter much. But Jarvis Siler is a sophomore speedster coming up from JV ( remember Robert Siler that played for Jordan Mathews and basketball for Wake? - his son ).

The defense returns all the linebackers and DBs so they should be better. A few holes to fill in the line but they have a good JV team moving up so I think with the new QB and more experience on the defense they will be better than last year.

I'll post more about other returning players and positions when I get more info.

 

Hey wossa, you obviously know a lot about Mr. Baker and his situation. Does he have a short list of colleges. Is he looking to stay in state or might he go join someone like Fat Phil over in Knoxville?????