Editor’s Note: Storylines is a series that will examine each of the teams in the surrounding counties and what to watch for heading into the season
The teams of Greenbrier County were fortunately able to get a decent slate of games in last year amid COVID. By the end of the year the county was one of the few that would’ve been eligible to play in the playoffs had they advanced deeper.
Unfortunately, East failed to qualify after two straight trips and West was knocked out in the quarterfinals. Now the attention for both teams turns to replacing some of the state’s best players.
Greenbrier West
The Cavaliers were poised for a title run in 2020 and nearly made one. During halftime of their quarterfinal game against Ritchie County it was announced that the winner of the game would head straight to the Class A championship game as the team on the other side would be ineligible due to the COVID color map.
Unfortunately for the Cavs, the wheels fell off in the second half and they bowed out in the second round for the second straight year. That wasn’t the only tough news to emerge from that game. For seniors Noah Brown, Kaiden Pack, Cole McClung and Hunter Starkey it was the end of their high school careers.
The question now will be how to replace them.
Brown was a two-time first-team all-state running back that also caused mayhem as the contain guy on the defensive line, Pack was a dual-threat quarterback that doubled as a quality defensive back, McClung played on the offensive line and in the backfield while Starkey paved the way on the line as well. Those four were cornerstones on a team that went 19-3 over the last two seasons, winning two playoff games in the process.
Greenbrier East
Much like their counterparts on the western side of the county, the Spartans need to fill some big shoes left vacant by a stellar group of seniors. It starts with the reigning Fulton Walker Award winner in Colby Piner. The definition of a utility player, Piner lined up at running back and receiver proving to be a mismatch.
He was just as much of an asset in the return game as he returned four kicks for touchdowns last season which earned him the Walker Award.
Piner wasn’t the only key loss. Quentin Wilson served as a bruising, powerful down-hill runner last season, complementing the versatile Piner. Last but not least was Nate Baker, a player head coach Ray Lee spoke glowingly about. Fortunately not all is lost.
Lee gets back his signal caller in junior quarterback Monquelle Davis who played some as a freshman before taking the reins last season. He was dynamic as an athletic, dual-threat quarterback, compiling over 1,400 yards and accounting for 29 touchdowns in 2020. Now the question will be how he responds when defenses key on him specifically.
Contact Tyler Jackson at tylerjackson@lootpress.com, call him at 304-731-5542 and follow on Twitter @tjack94
