Central AcademyThe Cougars will have a tough test in the regular season opener when they travel to West Montgomery on Aug. 20. The Warriors went 11-4 a year ago and advanced to the fourth round of the 1AA state playoffs, defeating Monroe High along the way. The Cougars come back home the following week to face Highland Tech, which was the victim of CATA’s first-ever win in school history last year.

— Eric Rape

CuthbertsonThe Cavaliers will go into the 2010 season with 90 players between the var-sity and junior varsity teams after making cuts on Wednesday. “It was really tough for me,” said Cavs coach Mike Roark. “I am ready to move on from it and focus on the football season. I hope those kids will work hard and prepare themselves for next year and come out again.” The Cavs open the 2010 regular season at home on Aug. 20 against Weddington High.

— Eric Rape

Forest HillsYellow Jackets coach John Lowery has been pleased with the turnout of players at practice so far. He said approximately 85 players between the varsity and junior varsity teams have been attending daily. “Our numbers are really good for a school our size, and we had good turnouts all summer, too,” said Lowery. “We’ve got a lot of kids, which is good, but it’s kind of hard to get a feel for new players until you get some pads on and start hitting.” According to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, teams

are not allowed to engage in contact drills until the seventh day of practice, which will be Monday.

— Justin Murdock

Marvin RidgeThe Mavericks are still searching for a replacement at kicker after the gradu-ation of Matt Frein. According to Mavs coach Scott Chadwick, a couple junior varsity players players are competing for the position, but nothing has been decided. Frein connected on 41 extra points and seven field goals last season. “I have no idea who our kicker is, so that’s a big question mark right now,” said Chadwick. “Our kicking game has been a source of strength for us the last two years.”

— Justin Murdock

MonroeThe Redhawks are best known for their team speed, and will continue to spread the field by starting three receivers, but coach Johnny Sowell is also preparing to line up in a two-tight end set at times. Because he has two big receivers in junior Quinton Miller (6-3, 180) and sophomore Quayshawn Chambers (6-2, 185), Sowell ll will have the option of packing it in on short-yardage plays. “Both those guys can do some things,” Sowell said. “There’s a lot we’re looking at with that combination.” Sowell also praised senior Chris Thomas and Jared Hill for “looking good” in the preseason. With star receiver

Jamison Crowder recovering from a hamstring injury, more repetitions are available. “It gives us a chance to look at some other guys,” Sowell said. “We’re looking pretty good at receiver.”

— Jerry Snow

ParkwoodThe Rebels will have three new starters in the secondary, including two-time all-county receiver Marcus Leak, who has committed to Maryland. Leak (6-0, 190) will share time at safety with senior Deonte Hiatt (6-1, 190), according to Parkwood coach Nelson Rowell. Leak and Hiatt have started at receiver the past three years, but neither has much experience in the defensive backfield. “Both those guys will hit you,” Rowell said. “Senior Andrey Solano (5-10, 160), who played significantly last season, will start at the other safety. Senior Keith Har-bison and junior MJ Washington will be the cornerbacks. Harbison enters his third year as a starting corner.

— Jerry Snow

PiedmontThe Panthers have much better numbers this preseason. Coach Frank Ambrose said he ended the 2009 season with 53 players in the program but now has 71. “We’ve got good competition this year and I that pushes some kids,” Ambrose said. Piedmont went 1-10 in 2008, Ambrose’s first year, then followed up with a 7-5 season in 2009. “Success is your best recruiter,” he said.

— Jerry Snow

Porter RidgeTThe Pirates return sophomore kicker/punter Matt Wogan this season. “Wo-gan will see time at the tight end position also,” said PR coach Blair Hardin. “He’s more than just a kicker, he’s a football player.” Wogan kicked 29 extra points and added six field goals in 2009. The Pirates open the regular season on Aug. 20 at Monroe.

— Matt Abrigg

Sun ValleyDanny Sawyer was credited with 84 tackles as a sophomore safety in 2009, and shared the team lead in interceptions with three. Sawyer will pick up another duty this season. According to Spartans coach Scott Stein, Sawyer will serve as the team’s kicker after the graduation of Cameron Havey, who was a four-year starter. “Danny kicked some for us last year,” said Stein. “He doesn’t quite have the soccer-style leg that Havey did, but he does a good job of staying consistent.”

— Justin Murdock

Union AcademyThe Cardinals return three starters on the defensive line from last year, includ-ing senior defensive tackles Devin Chambers and Ian Stanly, and junior defensive end Darren Clark. Senior Dominick Rapuano will the be the new face on the defensive line. “We’re a more experienced team than last year,” said UA coach Lynn Keziah. “We’re ready to get the season started.”

— Matt Abrigg

WeddingtonThe Warriors will take part in two scrimmages next week, including Thursday at Charlotte Latin. WHSwill then take on first-year school Rocky River High the following day. WHS opens up the 2010 season on Aug. 20 at Cuthbertson.

— Justin Murdock

THOMAS

SAWYERLOWERY

Union CoUnty Preseason Football CamP

9 days untilkickoff ...a look aroUnd atthe 11 FootballPrograms in UC.

TRADER SportsWednesday, August 11, 2010 Covering SUN VALLEY and PORTER RIDGE

BY JUSTIN MURDOCKE-J Sports Writer

MONROEAs far as skill positions on offense,

the Sun Valley High football team returns arguably the most talent of any school in Union County.

Junior quarterback Ryan Smith, junior tailback Jadarrius Williams and junior receiver Jody Fuller are all back in the lineup after standout seasons a year ago. Smith threw for 1,970 yards and 26 touchdowns during the regular season, while Williams rushed for 1,299 yards and 13 touch-downs. Fuller caught six TDs and currently has scholarship offers from Clemson, Duke East Carolina, Mary-land, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The talent on the perimeter seems to be in place, but the Spar-tans are inexperienced up front.

They must deal with four new faces on the offensive line.

Senior Andy Vinson is the only returning starter on the offensive line, but Sun Valley coach Scott Stein likes what he’s seen out of the new unit.

“This is a hard-working group,” said Stein. “We’ve moved them around in different positions and we’ve got a couple other kids that are fighting for time in there, so it’s been a good competition throughout the sum-mer. I guess the thing I like about them the best is just their work ethic and the way they get after it.”

Vinson has moved over to left tackle after starting at right tackle last season. Junior Chris Shannon is the projected starter at left guard, while junior Jared Barr is expected to be the center.

Sophomore Jacob Cannell — the biggest of the group at 285 pounds — will take over at right guard alongside junior right tackle Sherod Davis.

As the only senior among the group, Vinson is being counted on to lead the younger players. Barr also has experience after playing on the varsity team last season.

“Andy’s personality is not neces-sarily to be a loud person, but at the same time, he’s one of the guys that’s been through this before,” said Stein. “Barr also went through a little bit of

varsity stuff last year, so we expect them to bring certain things to the table. We want them to help explain the speed of the game to our interior guys more than anything else.”

While the group is inexperienced, Stein expects positive results right away.

“It’s not like Jadarrius, Jody or Ryan are going to make plays if nobody blocks for them, that’s just not the way

it works,” said Stein. “I think Ryan and Jadarrius, especially, understand the need to have those front five working well together. Putting (Steven) Cole at tight end, which has been there for three years now, helps a little bit as far as the perimeter blocking.”

Sun Valley opens the 2010 regular season on Aug. 20 at home against Ashbrook.

Fresh faces up frontSun Valley returns just one starter on the offensive line

E-J staff photo by Ed Cottingham

Senior Andy Vinson, who has moved from right to left tackle, is Sun Valley’s only returning starter on the offensive line.

Union County has three state champs playing at regionalsBY ALLISON SMITHE-J Intern

MONROEUnion County has produced

tons of baseball talent this de-cade, with more than a dozen high school players signing scholarships over the last two years.

Based on the success of the youth leagues, it looks like the trend will continue for years to come.

Three Union County Babe Ruth baseball teams won state championships in their age

groups last month — includ-ing the 15-year-olds, the 14s team and the 13s team.

These three teams have a history of success in the Babe Ruth state championships, with the 13 team winning the championship five years in a row and the 15 team winning it 14 years in a row.

The 13 team includes 12 players from six different as-sociations in Union County. The 13s posted a record of 4-1 in the state tournament and 22-2 overall. They headed to

Havelock for their regional, where they play the host team of Havelock at 7:00 tonight.

Coach Lane Baucom feels his team has enough to go far in the regional, “They are a talented group of kids and they have come together well as far as gelling together,” he said. “The boys are from all over the county, Marvin Ridge, Sun Valley, Piedmont, etc. I think we should do re-ally well.”

If the 13s have success in Havelock they will move on to

the World Series in Texas in a few weeks.

The 14s went 6-0 in the state championship. They are now headed to Thermopolis, Ala., where they will compete in the regional against 11 other state champions. The team is coached by Chuck Jones, who coached Piedmont in the reg-ular season. All of the head coaches of the three teams are from Piedmont since Pied-mont won the regular season in all three age groups.

Jones likes his team’s

chances.“We have a very talented

team and the kids get along really well and have really good team chemistry,” Jones said. “But this is not the boys’ first regional.”

Last year the UC 14s lost in the regional as a 13 team to eventual champion Tallahas-see, Fla.

“We came in third place last year and were beat out by the group that won the World Se-ries,” Jones said.

See BABE RUTH / Page 2B

B1/SPORTS