LEWISBURG (WVDN) – The Greenbrier East Spartans football team held their first official scrimmages on Saturday, Aug. 13 in front of a good crowd and perfect weather.
East went against Covington, Va., in the first session, then faced Rock Bridge, Va., in the day’s finale. The Spartans were set on playing younger players to get them some gain action, so players like Monquelle Davis and Ian Cline did not see any action in the first session but did in the second.
With that being said, here are some observations from the action on the field.
Freshman Brody Hamric, a record setting quarterback for Eastern Greenbrier Middle School last season, got his feet wet in his first action at the high school level. As it is with most ninth graders, there were some ups and downs for Hamric. He completed a nice pass across the middle, then was sacked and threw an interception on a quick out-route that the Covington defender timed perfectly.
He also delivered a well-thrown screen pass to Chris Jacobs who barreled over a defender en route to the end zone. That play got everyone fired up down on the field and in the stands. A couple plays later, Hamric was intercepted again as the Cougars would have run it back for a score, but the play was blown dead.
When the Spartans were on defense, it was the same scenario, some good and some not so good. However, that is the point of scrimmaging. Coaches get a feel what their team is doing well and what they are struggling with, and the Spartans coaches have proven over the last several years to adjust nicely to those very things.
After a Covington running back had about a 70-yard TD run, the Spartans defense looked much better in the next couple of possessions. They then gave up another long run around the left end on a touch-pass as the Cougars got to the end zone. East did recover a fumble during the session.
Gavin Bennett looked pretty good in his time on the field throwing the football. Bennett has some experience and will back up Davis on the season, but also may come in for several plays a game in an attempt to get Davis more out in open space.
Bennett was stellar against Rock Bridge as well and was named a standout performer by the coaching staff. Although East scored only one time, it was a nice 70-yard pass from Bennett to Lucas McCallister. Ian Cline, one of the top returning players in the state, also had a good day.
On defense, East held Rock Bridge out of the end zone for the duration of the scrimmage. Standout players were Chris Sinclair, CW Sturgell, Davis and Abram Wickline.
East will scrimmage again this weekend, then kick off the regular season on Aug. 26 against Point Pleasant.
