Line coach Kevin Cruise watches as linemen go through blocking drills on the first day of hitting practice Sat-
. urday. AT RIGHT, Junior linebackers Jacob Miller (32) and Alex Reynolds Bl go head- {heal on goal line sit-
uations during football practice at Kings Mountain High School.
Kings Mountain's Mountaineers had a
and will face some stiff scrimmage action
this week before opening their regular sea-
son at home on Friday, August 17 against
Bast Rutherford’s Cavaliers.
The coaches greeted 48 varsity players on
what was a cooler than normal August morn,
and for the most part head coach Greg Lloyd
was pleased with what he saw.
“It was a good first day practice,” he said.
“It was really good to get through it healthy
for the first time in a while.”
. For the past several years, the Moun-
taineers have had at least one key player go
BELOW: KM defensive back, Jose Sapnia, stops a runner from crossing the oa line dur- own to injury during the first hitting ses-
ing Saturday mornings practice session at KMHS. sion. This time, no one was injured.
me or — . The Mountaineers’ summer and condi-
; ; tioning programs paid off as most of the
players reported in excellent shape. That, and
the fact that the Mountaineers have 18 re-
turning players that started at one time or an-
other last year, gives the sixth-year head
coach reason to be optimistic.
“We have experience at key positions, in-
cluding quarterback,” he said. “That’s always
good.”
Dashan Guest, who was slated to be a
starter last year before being lost for the sea-
son after two games, and sophomore Tico
: Crocker, who is up from the JV team, both
looked good running the ball.
Barring key injuries, the Mountaineers’
spread offense should present a lot of prob-
* lems to opposing defenses. Clark, who goes
into the season with just over 2,000 career
yards passing, should threaten Michael
Roberts’ record of 3,921 yards.
Returning receivers Trevin Torres, Phillip
Quinn and Donterius Simmons looked good
catching the ball as well as newcomers
Crocker and Xavier Johnson.
Many of the returning line starters, line-
backers and defensive backs reported in tip-
Senior receiver Phillip Quinn holds onto the ball during Saturday mori practice ses-
sion at KMHS.
The Kings Mountain Herald | www.kmherald.net
Mountaineers open
football practice
with hard hitting and
lots of experience
good first-day of hitting practice Saturday
top shape and were enjoying hitting each
other. Linebackers Alex Reynolds and Jacob
Miller had an exceptional practice, often
going against each other in tough hitting
drills. Defensive backs Jose Sappia and Cur-
Lineup for Friday
night’s annual Cleve-
land County Jamboree
at Crest High School.
6 p.m. - Burns vs. East Lin-
coln.
7 p.m. - Shelby vs. AC
Reynolds
8 p.m. - Kings Mountain vs.
Northwestern
9 p.m. - Crest vs. Northern
Guilford
tis McNamara did the same.
Returning line starters also had a good
practice, including center Wilson Rikard and
guards Cody Griffith and Nick Postell. The
Mountaineers will be counting on Douglas
Edgerton, Mason Fleisher, Chaz Gamble,
Zack Hayes, Graham Keeter, Julian Coulter
and others to provide a lot of starting time
and back-up on the offensive line and Travis
Oates, Dion Murray, Landon Keeter and
Kaliel Hopper to take up the slack from los-
ing two starters on the defensive front. *
“Having an ‘experienced quarterback re-
turning is always good, and getting Guest
back will help us a lot,” Coach Lloyd said:
See MOUNTAINEERS, 5B
photos by GARY STEWART
Players learn to take a hit and hang on to the football during practice
Saturday morning.
Saturday.
Line coach Kevin Cruise Walghss as linemen go through blocking drills on the first day of hitting practice