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Dominion District capsules

By Staff Reports
Published: September 3, 2009
Updated: September 3, 2009

in predicted order of finish

L.C. Bird

Coach: David Bedwell
2008 records: 8-0 Dominion, 9-2
Offense: A talented offensive line, anchored by a pair of 290-pound tackles (senior Allen Spurlock and sophomore Tyler Fisher) should make life sweet for whomever carries the ball. Lionel Williams (6-0, 170, Fr.) might be first in line for that duty. Senior RB Stephen Lee will add backfield depth.
Defense: Eight starters return from a group that allowed 17.7 ppg last year. Williams, a newcomer of high promise, steps in at one of the vacant corner spots. DE Xavier Myles (5-10, 200, Sr.) and S Anthony Harris (6-3, 190, Jr.) seem poised to deliver prime-time seasons. Bedwell said this "could be one of the most athletic, and fastest, defenses we have had in a while."
Outlook: The Skyhawks have collected 10 consecutive Dominion titles. An 11th seems likely, if not imminent. Skill is plentiful, but depth, particularly along the defensive line and in the secondary, is an issue. Harris, whom Bedwell believes could be a major prospect, is one of several players who must remain healthy. He will start at safety and quarterback.

Manchester

Coach: Tom Hall
2008 records: 6-2, 8-2
Offense: Hall said his attack, seasoned and mature, "is better at every position" than it was a year ago. Then he added the Lancers have to find a QB to bring everything together. Steven White (5-11, 170, So.) appears to be the choice. RB Brandon Chiles (5-5, 155, Jr.), WR Brandon Briggs (5-11, 185, Jr.) and a burly line will help whomever settles behind center.
Defense: While not particularly beefy (265-pound lineman Tevin Foster is the most formidable specimen), Manchester's defense hopes to make the most of abundant experience. Hall said his three-man linebacking unit (seniors Kyle Johnson and David Rainey, sophomore Jake Marten) should be very strong.
Outlook : The Lancers seem capable of challenging for a district title. The new quarterback, given the luxury of an offensive front that returns four of five starters, won't be asked to do too much too soon. Hall regards four of his offensive linemen - center Josh Mann, guards Deonté Wright and Sam Tetterton and tackle Jake Goins - as Division I prospects.

Cosby

Coach: Pete Mutascio
2008 records: 5-3, 6-4
Offense: Points likely won't be a problem. Starters return at five of the six skill positions, including quarterback (Fuller Hoepner 6-2, 205, Sr.) and running back (Terry Williams 5-11, 185, Sr.). Mutascio said his skill players can match up with anyone in the region. The offensive line, he said, "has gotten bigger, faster and stronger."
Defense: Monacan must replace five starters, including both first-line cornerbacks. Those players were key members of a secondary that produced 22 interceptions in 2008. FS Bryce Dillon (6-2, 210, Sr.) and two-way lineman Kyle Gometz (6-3, 265, Sr.) will play central roles for a unit Mustacio describes as being more athletic than a year ago.
Outlook: The Titans possess nice size along the defensive front (two 265-pound tackles) and in the secondary. If its defense congeals quickly and the offensive line doesn't stumble while absorbing two new tackles (seniors Ellet McGeorge and Austin Hobson), Cosby might be capable of exceeding last year's success.

Clover Hill

Coach: Sean O'Hare
2008 records: 6-2, 8-2
Offense: The loss of seven starters suggests that the Cavaliers will be hard-pressed to match last year's output of 399 points (the most in the district, by far). Running back Andrew Oliver (6-0, 195, Sr.) and tight end Christian Conklin (6-3, 220, Sr.) will play crucial roles. The line is nimble but lean. Two members of the offensive front weigh only 210 pounds.
Defense: Here, too, replacement and adjustment is the order of the day. Gone are nine starters from last year's club. Oliver (safety) and Conklin (end) will perform double duty. So will, among others, DE/WR Deonte Strother (6-3, 210, Jr.) and CB/WR Tim Thaniel (6-0, 175, So.). O'Hare believes pursuit will be a tangible asset.
Outlook: Speed, they say, kills. In this case, it also could thrill. The Cavaliers have the look of a team built for the chase. With one noteworthy exception - 6-0, 320-pound junior Mo Gross - no member of the defense exceeds 220 pounds. Chemistry and seasoning are O'Hare's primary concerns. "We must mature quickly to be competitive right away," he said.

Monacan

Coach: Danny Parsons
2008 records: 5-3, 7-4
Offense: This unit "will have to grow up fast," Parsons said. Only four full-time starters return, including QB/P Logan Staib (6-1, 205, Sr.) and WR Kevin Walker (5-11, 170, Sr.). The offensive front is not without noteworthy size - senior T DeShawn Boozer is a 6-2, 300-pounder - but it lacks quality depth.
Defense: So inexperienced is this group that the offense, by comparison, seems lavishly seasoned. Gone are nine of last year's 11 starters. LB Travis Luck (5-10, 170. Sr.) and CB Javon Moody (5-10, 175, Sr.) will inherit leadership responsibility. Smallish defensive tackles may tempt opposing coordinators to try to pound at the center of the Chiefs defense.
Outlook: Monacan has qualified for the Division 5 playoffs in each of the past two years and has been eliminated by Hanover each time. The Chiefs meet Hanover in an Oct. 23 regular-season game. Venerable Keith Daniels (30-plus years of experience as a coach) returns to the Monacan sideline as defensive coordinator. Said Parsons: "I hope he has a little magic left."

Midlothian

Coach: David Cooper
2008 records: 2-6, 2-8
Offense: The performance of an offensive line anchored by senior guard Matt Arkema (6-3, 290, bound for Virginia Tech) and senior T Danny Klein (6-6, 270) will be crucial for a Trojans team that scored only 160 points last year. Jimmy Whitten (6-1, 165, Jr.) returns at quarterback. Expect - in the early going, at least - a three-man committee at running back.
Defense: Arkema, Klein and nose guard Derek Godwin (6-1, 205, So.) form the foundation upon which the Trojans hope to build. Kevin Mallory (6-3, 220, Sr.) will relocate at linebacker after starting 10 games at tackle in 2008. CB Marc Padgett (5-10, 170, Sr.) is the only returning veteran in a secondary that Cooper described as "a bit reworked."
Outlook: Offensive improvement seems possible. Cooper said Whitten has improved visibly as a passer and has a better command of the nuances of the position. Defense may be of greater concern. There the Trojans yielded 301 points last year. "Stopping the run and creating more turnovers have been a huge focus," Cooper said.

James River

Coach: Greg DeFrancesco
2008 records: 3-5, 3-7
Offense: The Rapids must replace six starters from an offense that struggled in 2008 (3.8 yards per carry, 13.4 points per game). Seniors will start at quarterback (Josh Wells) and two of the three running back slots. Senior tackle Ryan Powis (6-2, 260) anchors a quick but light offensive line that averages around 225 pounds.
Defense: Talk about an extreme makeover. DeFrancesco loses nine starters from last year's unit. He believes this year's group, led by Powis, senior DE Quinn Gray (5-9, 205) and senior S Jesse Wells (5-10, 165) should be faster and more aggressive. Even so, a concern persists: Can the Rapids break last year's habit of allowing game-changing offensive plays?
Outlook: DeFrancesco isn't reluctant to adjust. He says he has retooled his Wishbone offense to take advantage of this team's assets and encourage efficient passing. On defense, he said, James River will emphasize fundamentals and hustle while simplifying its schemes and coverages to eliminate mental mistakes.

Huguenot

Coach: Ron Gundry
2008 records: 1-7, 2-8
Offense: Does maturity translate into success? The Falcons hope so. They expect to start nine seniors, a junior and a sophomore. Seniors will line up at quarterback (Trevor Williamson 6-1, 165), both running back positions and both wideout slots. The offensive line, which averages more than 266 pounds, is anchored by imposing junior T Kent Banks (6-6, 300).
Defense: Seven starters depart, thereby adding inexperience to the list of concerns for a unit that allowed 298 points last year. One thing seems certain: tackles Jason Campbell (5-9, 350, So.) and Shawn Robertson (6-1, 280) will be difficult to dislodge when an opponent chooses to attack the center of the line. Mitchell Ryan (6-2, 226, Jr.) is a capable linebacker.
Outlook: The presence of 16 senior starters and a season's worth of exposure to Gundy's system suggest that Huguenot should be better this year. But improvement on the field might not carry over to the scoreboard. Health and depth are potential problems. Wideouts Sadaris Fitzgerald and Mario Williams weigh 150 and 140 pounds, respectively.

George Wythe

Coach: Gary Warren
2008 records: 0-8, 0-10
Offense: If size does, in fact, matter, there may be reason for hope in the Bulldogs camp. Damian Johnson (290 pounds), O'Shaye Scott (287) and Antwan Jenkins (278) will dig in along the offensive front. Senior running backs Michael Harris (5-9, 170) and Donto Washington (5-9, 165) should be the primary beneficiaries.
Defense: The bad news: the Bulldogs are conspicuously undersized at many positions. The good: all three linebackers and all four defensive backs are seniors. The linebackers - Kimon Howard (6-1, 210), Jamaal Gary (5-10, 200) and Merion Anderson (5-10, 170) will have to perform well if Wythe is to improve last year's yield of 38.3 points per contest.
Outlook: Warren, a former Virginia State University player, has inherited a daunting challenge in his first season at Wythe. The Bulldogs have lost 44 consecutive games and are closing in on the state record of 53. Moreover, they are replacing 18 starters from last year's club. Depth seems an issue. Seven players will perform double duty as starters.