About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 9, 2020)
Midweek Edition - September 9-10, 2020 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com SPORTS FOOTBALL 2020: EAST HALL VIKINGS Sponsored by Northeast Georgia Health System Vikings ready for jump to 4A SCOTT ROGERS I The Times The East Hall Viking offense practices pass plays Tuesday, Aug. 25 during practice at East Hall Stadium. East Hall hopes to improve in second season with Michael Perry as head coach SCOTT ROGERS I The Times East Hall football players run hills on Tuesday, Aug. 25 during practice at East Hall Stadium. BY NATHAN BERG nberg@gainesvilletimes.com The East Hall football team is entering its second year under head coach Michael Perry, and the Vikings are looking to take a step forward following last year’s 2-8 campaign. East Hall found some offensive success last season, but allowed 30 or more points in every contest, and will need to shore up its defensive deficiencies to have a chance at competing in a tough Region 8-4A. It is the team’s first year in 4A, after spending the last eight seasons at 3A. Perry said he was expecting better exe cution from the Vikings in his second year coaching the team as the players grow more comfortable with his system and playbook. “I think that corps group of kids that we have, they’ve really bought in,” he said. “They know what’s acceptable and what’s not acceptable. So the buy-in has been great so far. Got a great group. They’re just fun to work with every day.” COOPER’S CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT Junior Clete Cooper will reprise his role as starting quarterback for the Vikings, and Perry said the young quarterback’s devel opment over the last year has been prom ising. After a slow start last season, Cooper caught fire down the stretch, finishing the year with close to 2,500 passing yards and 11 touchdowns. Cooper capped off the 2019 season with a 387-yard, four-touchdown performance against Lumpkin County, which powered the Vikings to a 40-31 victory. Cooper’s perfor mance last season was good enough to earn him an honorable mention on the Recruit Georgia 3-A All-State team. Perry said he only sees Cooper getting better in his second year as starter for the Vikings. “Clete’s doing a really good job,” he said. “His work ethic has been really good. I’m proud of the growth he’s made in a lot of areas, especially from a maturity standpoint. He’s worked extremely hard in all this, and I think he’s going to end up being a pretty good high school quarterback.” STRONG ALONG THE DEFENSIVE LINE While East Hall’s defense struggled last season, Perry said he has optimism for this year’s unit, which will be anchored by a deep and experienced defensive line. Perry said he’s counting on the group to be the catalyst for the team’s defensive production. “I think our strength is going to be our defensive line,” he said. “We have a pretty solid defensive line that’s just a great, hard working group of kids. ” The group returns several upperclass men contributors from a season ago, including senior Ray Grayble and juniors Marcus Holmberg and Connor Tompkins. The Vikings also welcome senior Orlando Mayweather, who joined the team from Riv erside Military Academy after the private school canceled all fall sports this year. “(Mayweather) is an exceptional young man,” Perry said. “He has great character, and just is a pretty good football player. He’s going be a bright spot for us definitely on defense.” MAKING SPECIAL TEAMS SPECIAL AGAIN Special teams play was a problem for East Hall a season ago, but Perry said he is not letting the issue go unaddressed. Without a reliable kicker on the roster, the Vikings were forced to go for two-point conversions following every touchdown in 2019. This year, Perry is predicting big things out of freshman kicker Jaden Hernandez -- who is also listed as a wide receiver and defensive back on the East Hall roster. With East Hall assistant coach Mark Wade now in control of special teams, Perry said he’s expecting a bump in the kicking game, as well as on punts and returns. “Special teams was a disaster last year, but we’ve been working on that really hard,” he said. “Just every day we’re putting emphasis on it.” Roster 1. Matthew Lott LB/WR So. 2. Deshaun Gray CB/WR Sr. 3. Kyle Hughes LB/RB Sr. 5. Clete Cooper QB Jr. 6. Macere Walker CB/WR Jr. 7. Justin Gilbert LB/WR Jr. 9. Ken Hester S/RB Sr. 10. Owen Murrow LB/WR Sr. 12. Jaden Hernandez DB/WR/K Fr. 13. Jahmeil Cantrell LB/WR Sr. 14. Andrew Shockley LB/WR So. 15. Gibby Thompson LB/RB Jr. 18. Walker Anderson CB/QB Fr. 21. Averen Samuels CB/WR Sr. 22. Levi Howard LB/WR Jr. 23. Montavious Tabor S/WR Sr. 24. Kade Rogers DB/WR So. 25. Treshun Moss DB/WR Fr. 26. Temeris Morrison DB/WR So. 41. Demariun Tatum LB/WR Fr. 45. Marco Ramirez LB/RB Fr. 50. Jake Jones DLUOL Fr. 51. Caleb Pruitt LB/C So. 53. Kyzer Colvin DLUOL Jr. 54. Andrew Brice DLUOL Sr. 55. Orlando MayweatherDL/OL Sr. 56. Caleb Reeves DLUOL Fr. 58. Marcus Holmberg DLUOL Jr. 59. Jake Evans LB/OL So. 62. Connor Tompkins DLUOL Jr. 65. Jayden Mahaffey DLUOL Fr. 66. Isaiah McClary DLUOL So. 73. Jason Garcia DLUOL Fr. 74. Kyle Mason DLUOL Fr. 75. Ray Grayble DLUOL Sr. 76. Caleb Woodring DLUOL Fr. 77. Eric Osorio DLUOL Sr. 81.Jacob Hernandez CB/WR Fr. 83. Daniel Murillo CB/WR Fr. 85. Casen Cash CB/WR Fr. Schedule September 11 September 18 September 25 October 2 October 9 October 16 October 23 October 30 November 13 November 20 at West Hall FRANKLIN COUNTY JOHNSON at East Jackson CEDAR SHOALS at Jefferson CHESTATEE at North Oconee at Madison County FLOWERY BRANCH complete orthopedic Sc sports medicine (hip, hip, hooray) nghs.com/complete-ortho I 770-609-1580 •4£(SS=- Northeast Georgia Medical Center
