ThisWeek
8/26
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Brookhaven quarterback Mike McGee looks for a receiver during the scrimmage last Friday against DeSales. The Bearcats, who will compete in Division I this season after winning the Division II state title a year ago, open Friday at Chillicothe.
Brookhaven
Brookhaven will play what appears to be a more difficult schedule after its opponents went a combined 41-59 in the regular season a year ago.
The Bearcats face both Chillicothe and Walnut Ridge in non-league games for a third consecutive season, but replacing Cincinnati Princeton -- which went 3-7 last year -- in the second game is Division I power Cleveland Glenville. The Tarblooders were 12-2 last year.
Considering Brookhaven has joined Walnut Ridge and Whetstone as the only City teams in Division I, the Glenville game could be a key factor in whether it makes the playoffs.
"If we beat Glenville, we'll get a lot of points," said Tom Blake, who is 28-1 in two seasons as the Bearcats' coach and is 88-55 overall including previous tenures at Independence and Thomas Worthington. "If we don't, we could be in trouble."
Dominic Jones (WR/DB/KR), Alex Daniels (LB) and Keith Massey (DB) all signed with the University of Minnesota and Idris Lawrence (DB) signed with Ohio University from a defense which posted four shutouts, including 38-0 over Pickerington Central in a regional semifinal. The Bearcats, who downed Canfield 18-3 in a regional quarterfinal, Uniontown Lake 35-14 to win a regional title and Dayton Carroll 39-3 to reach the state final, also lost Preston King (DL), Brandon Crowder (LB) and Melvyn Jackson (LB), among others, on defense. King, Jones and Daniels were first-team all-district, Massey made the second team, Lawrence was special mention and Crowder and Jackson were honorable mention. Jones and Daniels each made the ThisWeek Super 25 team and King was honorable mention.
Back to lead the offense are tailback Rodney Holmes (5-foot-7, 170 pounds), who rushed for 930 yards and 11 touchdowns, and quarterback Mike McGee (6-0, 190), who threw 22 touchdowns. Senior Markell Lacy (5-5, 155) rushed for 1,253 yards and 17 touchdowns last year at Walnut Ridge and joins a backfield that includes senior fullback Levon Warfield (6-0, 200).
Back at wide receiver are seniors Ryan Wallace (5-9, 155) and Marvin Jones (5-5, 145). Senior Jeff Cumberland (6-5, 230) returns at tight end. Cumberland caught 17 passes, including six for touchdowns, Wallace had 17 receptions for 360 yards and Jones had 14 catches for 387 yards and three scores.
Senior Cornell Talley (6-0, 210), who also transferred from Walnut Ridge, will provide depth at fullback.
Junior left tackle Marcus Houston (6-3, 290) is another returning starter and is joined on the offensive line by senior left guard Charlie Farris (5-10, 250), senior center Mark Jackson (6-6, 300) and junior right tackle Zach Seeds (6-1, 280).
Back on defense are senior Curtis King (5-11, 225) at tackle, Warfield at linebacker and senior Anthony Harris (6-2, 190) at safety. Expected to move into prominent roles are junior Travonti Wallace (5-10, 235) and Donald Prentiss (5-10, 260) at tackle, seniors Jimmie Owens (6-4, 215) and Roosevelt Hinton (5-10, 205) and junior Miles Gregory (6-0, 220) at end, juniors Jamelle Davis (6-1, 190), Shane Carson (6-1, 180), Josh Munnerlyn (5-9, 210) and Talley at linebacker, and seniors Cameron Campbell (6-2, 185) and Kameron Taylor (6-0, 170) and sophomore Rodney Stewart (5-6, 155) at defensive back.
Senior Phillip Kamara (6-1, 160) is the kicker and Campbell will punt.
"We'd better put some points on the board because our defense is young," Blake said. "Unfortunately they just don't have the reps and experience yet. They're going to make some mistakes. That and our special teams better be sound."
8/26
<hr style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);" size="1"> <!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->
Brookhaven quarterback Mike McGee looks for a receiver during the scrimmage last Friday against DeSales. The Bearcats, who will compete in Division I this season after winning the Division II state title a year ago, open Friday at Chillicothe.
Brookhaven
Brookhaven will play what appears to be a more difficult schedule after its opponents went a combined 41-59 in the regular season a year ago.
The Bearcats face both Chillicothe and Walnut Ridge in non-league games for a third consecutive season, but replacing Cincinnati Princeton -- which went 3-7 last year -- in the second game is Division I power Cleveland Glenville. The Tarblooders were 12-2 last year.
Considering Brookhaven has joined Walnut Ridge and Whetstone as the only City teams in Division I, the Glenville game could be a key factor in whether it makes the playoffs.
"If we beat Glenville, we'll get a lot of points," said Tom Blake, who is 28-1 in two seasons as the Bearcats' coach and is 88-55 overall including previous tenures at Independence and Thomas Worthington. "If we don't, we could be in trouble."
Dominic Jones (WR/DB/KR), Alex Daniels (LB) and Keith Massey (DB) all signed with the University of Minnesota and Idris Lawrence (DB) signed with Ohio University from a defense which posted four shutouts, including 38-0 over Pickerington Central in a regional semifinal. The Bearcats, who downed Canfield 18-3 in a regional quarterfinal, Uniontown Lake 35-14 to win a regional title and Dayton Carroll 39-3 to reach the state final, also lost Preston King (DL), Brandon Crowder (LB) and Melvyn Jackson (LB), among others, on defense. King, Jones and Daniels were first-team all-district, Massey made the second team, Lawrence was special mention and Crowder and Jackson were honorable mention. Jones and Daniels each made the ThisWeek Super 25 team and King was honorable mention.
Back to lead the offense are tailback Rodney Holmes (5-foot-7, 170 pounds), who rushed for 930 yards and 11 touchdowns, and quarterback Mike McGee (6-0, 190), who threw 22 touchdowns. Senior Markell Lacy (5-5, 155) rushed for 1,253 yards and 17 touchdowns last year at Walnut Ridge and joins a backfield that includes senior fullback Levon Warfield (6-0, 200).
Back at wide receiver are seniors Ryan Wallace (5-9, 155) and Marvin Jones (5-5, 145). Senior Jeff Cumberland (6-5, 230) returns at tight end. Cumberland caught 17 passes, including six for touchdowns, Wallace had 17 receptions for 360 yards and Jones had 14 catches for 387 yards and three scores.
Senior Cornell Talley (6-0, 210), who also transferred from Walnut Ridge, will provide depth at fullback.
Junior left tackle Marcus Houston (6-3, 290) is another returning starter and is joined on the offensive line by senior left guard Charlie Farris (5-10, 250), senior center Mark Jackson (6-6, 300) and junior right tackle Zach Seeds (6-1, 280).
Back on defense are senior Curtis King (5-11, 225) at tackle, Warfield at linebacker and senior Anthony Harris (6-2, 190) at safety. Expected to move into prominent roles are junior Travonti Wallace (5-10, 235) and Donald Prentiss (5-10, 260) at tackle, seniors Jimmie Owens (6-4, 215) and Roosevelt Hinton (5-10, 205) and junior Miles Gregory (6-0, 220) at end, juniors Jamelle Davis (6-1, 190), Shane Carson (6-1, 180), Josh Munnerlyn (5-9, 210) and Talley at linebacker, and seniors Cameron Campbell (6-2, 185) and Kameron Taylor (6-0, 170) and sophomore Rodney Stewart (5-6, 155) at defensive back.
Senior Phillip Kamara (6-1, 160) is the kicker and Campbell will punt.
"We'd better put some points on the board because our defense is young," Blake said. "Unfortunately they just don't have the reps and experience yet. They're going to make some mistakes. That and our special teams better be sound."