Heading into the 2020 high school football season, Greenbrier East had high hopes for another postseason visit.
After all, the Spartans had qualified for the playoffs three of the past five seasons and had hosted a home playoff game for the first time since 1998.
Unfortunately for East, a fourth trip to the playoff was not meant to be in 2020. Some late season struggles saw the Spartans drop three of the final four games, leaving them on the outside looking in at the playoffs with a 5-4 record.
However, in a season hampered by COVID restrictions, head coach Ray Lee viewed last season as a success for his team.
“Being able to play as many games as we did last year, when I say it was a blessing, that was a blessing,” Lee said. “We didn’t have any outbreaks or anyone testing positive for COVID. We followed all the guidelines that were in place. We took temperatures and went down the COVID checklist each day. Being proactive was really key for us to have pretty much a full season.
“We got in nine games. Parents played a big role in monitoring the kids and keeping them home,” Lee went on to say. “That was something as a coaching staff we emphasized, not being places where you would come in contact with others that might be infected.”
Like many teams in the area, Greenbrier East heads into the upcoming season with some holes to fill.
“That is for sure. When you sit down and think about it, you lose players that produced almost 80 percent of your offense,” Lee said. “Colby Piner was first-team all-state and the Fulton Walker Award winner. Quentin Wilson did a great job for us running the ball and Christian McNeely was a sleeper that really helped us out.”
Maybe the biggest loss for the Spartans comes with the graduation of Nate Baker.
“Nate Baker was an all-stater that was in our program since he was a freshman. He was a kid that contributed to the extreme for us on both offense and defense,” Lee said. “Nate came in, worked his tail off and hardly ever left the field. He was kind of our coach everywhere on the field. He started his third football game as a freshman and was a starter ever since. He didn’t miss a game and didn’t miss a practice.”
While the losses hurt, Lee is excited to see who will step up this season.
“The young men that we are counting on this year, at least got some playing time last year,” Lee said. “They played behind those guys and they have a lot of Friday night experience and hopefully that will kick in.”
With Lee at the helm, scoring has normally not been an issue. Last season Greenbrier East averaged over 40 points per game.
Back to lead the offense is quarterback, Monquelle Davis. Davis is a player his teammates liken to a young Lamar Jackson at times.
The junior standout is coming off a sophomore season that saw him account for 19 touchdowns. Davis ran for 682 yards and nine scores, while passing for 770 yards and 10 more scores.
Up front the Spartans return three seniors that have been with Lee since they were freshmen.
“We only lost two seniors on the line from last year’s team. Jacob Wickline is getting a lot of Division-I offers and looks and a lot of I-AA looks. Him, J.T. Spencer and Landon Hayes, those are the veteran anchor guys on the line. We are looking for big things from them to be leaders across the front.”
Lee says that sophomore Aiden Cole will likely start at center and the remaining spot on the line will be filled by either sophomore Garon Wiseman, or junior Luke Carola.
To go along with a stout offense, Lee feels his defense may be the team’s strong point this season.
Kamon Anderson and Garrett Bennett are two players that Lee describes as mainstays and the leaders on the Greenbrier East defense.
Braden Bragg has garnered attention around the state and he will play outside linebacker, as well as doing the punting for the Spartans. Jarrett McHale will play outside linebacker.
“Ian Cline started for us at free safety as a freshman and had some pretty good carries on offense. Senior Bryson Ormsbee has started at cornerback since his freshman season. We are looking for big things from him. He may also be playing some wide receiver. Lucas McCallister played a lot of football his freshman year and started last year as a sophomore,” Lee said.
Lee also has a back-up quarterback that he feels may see some action which will allow Davis to move to the slot or to wide receiver.
“Sophomore Gavin Bennett is our back-up quarterback. He played a lot of JV ball and traveled with us on varsity nights,” Lee explained. “He has some real promise. He is a hard worker and a baseball player that can throw the ball and he is pretty accurate. With time, he will likely play some this year.”
At this point in the season, playoffs and wins are not the talk for Lee. Instead it is the components that have made Greenbrier East successful over his tenure.
“Our culture is now to a point where everyone knows what our expectations are and what our standards are,” Lee said. “Come out, work hard, do what you’re supposed to do and things will take care of themselves. Always try to make yourself better everyday.”
Schedule
1 08/27/21 7:30PM A – POINT PLEASANT SENIOR/MIDDLE SCHOOL –
2 09/03/21 7:30PM A – WOODROW WILSON –
3 09/10/21 7:30PM H – ROBERT C. BYRD –
4 09/17/21 7:30PM H – BUCKHANNON-UPSHUR –
5 09/24/21 OPEN –
6 10/01/21 7:30PM A – MINGO CENTRAL –
7 10/08/21 7:30PM H – OAK HILL –
8 10/15/21 7:30PM A – RIPLEY –
9 10/22/21 7:00PM A – HAMPSHIRE –
10 10/29/21 7:30PM H – PRINCETON SENIOR –
11 11/05/21 7:30PM H – LINCOLN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL –
Roster
# Pos. Name Gr Ht Wt Avg
1 OL//LB KAMON ANDERSON 12 5’11 160
2 RB/LB COLIN STURGELL 9 5’8 185
3 RB/DB BRYSON ORMSBEE 12 5’10 157
4 QB/DB DONAVIN PENN 9 5’9 160
5 WR/DB BRADEN BRAGG 12 6’0 162
6 QB/DB REED MCCRAW 9 5’4 115
7 WR/DB ETHAN HOLLIDAY 10 5’7 140
9 RB/DE LEVI WAGNER 12 5’11 160
10 TE/LB Cole Renick 9 5’8 150
11 QB/DE MONQUELLE DAVIS 11 5’9 160
13 WR/DB LUCAS MCCALLISTER 11 5’8 127
14 WR/DB LOGAN HAYES 10 5’5 120
15 WR/DB SAM TOTTEN 11 5’10 126
16 RB/LB ETHAN HERSMAN 12 5’7 180
17 QB/DB GAVIN BENNETT 10 5’8 155
18 WR/DB CHRISTIAN JACOBS 11 5’9 141
19 TE/LB ABRAM WICKLINE 10 5’8 135
20 WR/DE JAMES FOULER 11 5’9 144
21 RB/DB IAN CLINE 10 5’7 155
22 WR/DB Jake Pate 10 5’5 145
25 RB/LB JOE BAKER 9 5’10 150
26 WR/DB CALEB TOLLEY 9 5’5 115
28 RB/LB WESTON PENCE 10 5’5 155
29 WR/DB ELIAS WHITE 10 5’7 125
30 K/P NOAH DOTSON 11 6’0 170
31 WR/DB PARKER HALE 9 5’0 90
32 WR/DB LANDON VANFOSSON 10 5’10 137
33 TE/LB JARRETT MCHALE 12 5’10 180
34 TE/LB ASHTON HILL 9 5’10 135
35 RB/LB JAMES MCCRAW 10 5’5 160
37 TE/DE KHALIL GARY 11 5’6 157
38 TE/LB CRAIG BARNHOUSE 11 5’9 110
40 RB/LB CARTER HAMILTON 10 5’7 167
41 WR/DB Owen Wolford 9 5’4 135
45 RB/LB JADEN HOLLINGHEAD 11 5’9 175
46 WR/DE CODY JENKINS 11 5’9 140
50 OL/DL RHETT BAKER 9 5’4 230
51 OL/DL SAMUEL WRIGHT 10 6’0 220
52 OL/DL AIDEN COLE 10 5’7 180
53 OL/DL Austin Roberts 10 6’0 205
54 0L/DL KAINE TAYLOR 11 6’1 152
55 OL/DE GARRETT BENNETT 12 5’10 175
56 OL/DL ASHTON MENTZ 9 5’5 240
58 OL/DL SETH FOGUS 12 5’10 173
59 OL/DL Richard BOWYER 9 5’7 225
60 OL/DL Eric Mercer 9 5’6 215
61 OL/DE BRANSON HERNDON 10 6’2 175
63 OL/DL BLAKE GREENE 11 6’0 201
64 OL/DL Adan Workman 9 6’0 225
66 OL/DL RYAN WYKLE 11 5’11 141
67 OL/DL JT SPENCER 12 5’11 265
69 OL/DL Ethan Stidom 9 5’9 175
70 RB/LB LANDON HAYES 12 5’9 179
74 OL/DL LUKE CAROLA 11 5’7 198
75 OL/DL CHARLES WARLITNER 9 5’7 190
76 OL/DL GARON WISEMAN 10 6’0 220
77 OL/DL JACOB WICKLINE 12 6’4 245
79 OL/DL LUKE FOGUS 11 5’10 168
