CHESNEE, SC - It's not very often that players are able to say their one of the few people in school history to do something, but Pearl Holloway now has that honor as she became only the second known player in Eagles history to pass the 1,000 career assists mark.
Holloway passed the mark in the Eagle's game at Walhalla on Monday night but was able to celebrate the milestone in front of the home crowd on Tuesday when she was awarded a golden volleyball that had her accomplishment as well as her name painted on. She said that being able to accomplish the feat with this team is special because it's one of her favorites and to be able to celebrate it with the home crowd was a great experience. "It's special to get this accomplishment because I've been working for this for a while," said Holloway. "To accomplish it with this team is really special because it's my favorite team that I've been a part of, and I could feel the love from everyone here tonight." Chesnee head coach Katie Jolley said that she's happy for Holloway to reach this milestone because she's putting so much work into getting better. "It's a huge accomplishment because she works non-stop," said Jolley. "She's one of those players that if you tell her to do something, she's going to do it with 110 percent of her ability. You see kids like that succeed because they are so hardworking and push themselves to be better." With the Eagles being full of younger players this year, including their JV team, which is mostly freshmen, Jolley says it's important to those players seeing an older player reach that accomplishment and the work it takes to get to that point. She added it's also important to the players wanting to be Eagles volleyball players one day to see a player get recognized like that. "It's huge for all the younger players to see this milestone," said Jolley. "On our JV team we have mostly freshmen and all the young setters, including my niece who was in the stands, get to see her getting recognized for this milestone and saying 'hey, that's something I can achieve one day' and it's just special for the whole community." When asked about her milestone, Holloway was quick to say that she couldn't do it without her team and said that she hopes her accomplishment inspires her younger teammates to achieve the same thing as the seniors did for her during her younger playing days. "It's a great feeling to get this mark but you can't get an assist without your hitters so it's really a team accomplishment," said Holloway. "It's great to be leading this young team and to be a part of their journey because I can remember as a younger player looking up to the seniors and wanting to accomplish what they did." Jolley said the impact that Holloway has on the team is felt every time she walks onto the court. "She's been huge in terms of her leadership and competitiveness," said Jolley. "She never wants to lose, and you saw it tonight with her body just flailing across the floor to hustle to get the ball. She gives it her all every day and in every moment." As for the game, the Eagles had a rematch against Crest who they lost to 3-0 last week and came just a few points away from a victory as they fell 3-2 to the visiting Chargers from just over the state line. Crest won the first set 25-9 and it looked like the match made head the same way as the first one as the Chargers took a 1-0 lead but the Eagles had a different outcome in mind. In the second set, the Eagles fell down 11-4 but soon they bounced back with a 15-6 run to take a 19-17 lead over Crest. The run was fueled by three kills from junior Maggie Blanton, two kills and two ace serves from senior Pearl Holloway, along with a kill each from sophomore Hayden Roberts and seventh grader Dacie Green. The final point of the second set came off the hands of Holloway as the Eagles claimed a 25-21 victory in set two to tie up the match at 1-1. The Eagles jumped out to a big 11-3 lead in the third set and never looked back on their way to a 25-16 victory in the set. The original run was helped by big plays Holloway, Blanton, and Green along with junior Carlee Turner and eighth grader Payden Pitman. Chesnee won the third set when Holloway spiked a ball to the left rear corner of the court just inside the backline to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Crest rebounded in the fourth set as they took a 25-15 over the Eagles to force a fifth set tiebreaker. In the fifth set the two teams tied six different times in a battle to 15 points and when it was over Crest just beat the Eagles grabbing a 15-12 win in the set and a 3-2 victory in the match, On the night she was honored, Pearl Holloway had a huge night as she led the team in kills, assists, and aces with 14 kills, 29 assists, five aces to go along with two blocks and 13 digs. Hayden Roberts ended the match with 13 kills, 11 digs, and six assists while Harley Grady had 18 digs and two aces. Dacie Green ended the match with six kills while Payden Pitman added two and a half blocks. Chesnee will be back in action on Thursday when they travel just a few minutes down the road to take on Spartanburg High School in another out-of-region matchup. DUNCAN, SC - Despite a delay in the event, the Chesnee girls' golf team was able to put together an impressive round of golf to walk away with the championship trophy from the 2023 Lady Rebel Invitational on Tuesday.
The Eagles defeated an impressive field of teams that included the defending 5A state champions, the Dorman Cavaliers, in a tournament that was interrupted in the middle by a thunderstorm that rolled through the area on Tuesday. Chesnee head coach Kyle Scruggs said that the poise from his team came from struggles this past weekend that his team faced in another tournament. "We played in a tournament in Aynor this weekend and struggled," said Scruggs. "We practiced yesterday to work on some things we saw as weaknesses, and I think they done a great job of trying to make those changes as we saw some really good improvements from each of the players. It was nice to get a win against a strong field today after such a bad tournament this weekend." Scruggs said that his team was poised coming out of the weather delay because they had faced the same thing this weekend. "I think our girls were ready to go today after the break," said Scruggs. "We had a weather delay in Aynor too and we just struggled and couldn't get back going. This one they were playing well going into the weather delay and were looking forward to getting to finish the tournament strong." Chesnee fired a tournament low score of 308 at the course at River Falls, which was three shots better than second place Dorman and 25 shots better than third place Spartanburg Day. The Eagles were led on Tuesday by Olivia Roberts who won the individual title with a tournament low score of 66, which was one shot better than second place Caroline Hawkins from Blythewood. Roberts said that her short game was strong on Tuesday and said that her only regret was not being able to match her older sister Sydney's low score of 65. "I feel like I had everything going and my putter felt really good as when I looked at each putt, I just felt like I was going to make everything," said Roberts. "It feels good to win the individual title like my sister, but I wish I could have made the par putt on the final hole to tie her low score." Both Roberts and Hawkins were joined on the all-tournament team by Daniel's Peyton O'Brien, Mauldin's Olivia Pellerin, and Kate Gunnells. The other Eagles players also had a good tournament as Addy Parker and Olivia Shields each fired a score of 79 while Abigail Watson shot an 84 and Abby Herrington shot a score of 88. Chesnee wasn't the only local team competing as fellow district school Boiling Springs shot a score of 391 and Chapman shot a score of 392. The Eagles will return to action on September 5th when they compete in the Palmetto Preview at the Mid-Carolina golf course. COWPENS, SC - In a matchup of county opponents that have an allegiance separated by the middle of roads in some areas, the Broome Centurions downed the Chesnee Eagles 49-20 on Friday night.
Broome got off to a fast start as they built a 28-7 halftime lead as they received the opening kickoff and used five straight runs after an incomplete pass to reach the endzone. The drive was highlighted by a 34-yard run by Jaylen McGill which he capped off with a seven-yard rushing touchdown. On Broome's second drive of the game Kamajay Brackett-Brannon completed his first pass of the game, this one went for a 32-yard score to Grayson Bradley to make it 14-0 in favor of the Centurions midway through the first quarter. Broome's third drive started with a Brackett-Brannon 20-yard run and was capped by McGill's second touchdown, this one from 15-yards out to make it 21-0 early in the second quarter. Chesnee responded with a touchdown on the ensuing drive which was highlighted by Leonardo De La Cruz's 29-yard run on fourth down that came as he was preparing to punt, but he was able to capitalize on an opportunity to pick up big yardage on a fourth and five. Noah Lawter capped off the drive with a nine-yard touchdown run to cut the Centurion lead to 21-7 with just over eight minutes to go in the first half. Jaylen McGill added his third touchdown of the first half with a two-yard scoring run that made it 28-7 in favor of Broome. Broome recovered an onside kick to open the second half and scored three plays later as McGill took it in from 45-yards out for his fourth score of the game. Chesnee cut into the Broome lead as Noah Lawter scored his second touchdown of the night, this time a 50-yard rushing touchdown to make it 35-14 with just over four minutes to go in the third quarter. Brackett-Brannon hit a pair of passes to Xavier Hill on the ensuing drive as the first went for thirteen yards, and the second went for a 17-yard scoring strike for Brackett-Brannon's second touchdown pass of the night. He picked up his third touchdown of the night early in the fourth quarter when he found McGill on a 14-yard wheel route to make it 49-14. Chesnee scored on the final play of the game as Carson Gossett found Kaylob Blanton for a 41-yard scoring strike. Brackett-Brannon finished with 217 total yards for Broome as he had 15 carries for 135 yards and completed five passes for 82 yards with a trio of scores. McGill added 162 yards on the ground and a quartet of touchdowns for the Centurions while he also added one catch for 14 yards and a score. Grayson Bradley and Xavier Hill also added receiving touchdowns for the Centurions. Noah Lawter led the Eagles with 136 yards rushing and a pair of scores as Carson Gossett completed eleven passes for 120 yards and a score. Kaylob Blanton and Hayden Webb each caught seven passes as Blanton finished with 92 yards and a score and Webb added 61 yards. Chesnee will travel to Walhalla next Friday as they take on the Razorbacks in a game that is scheduled for a 7:30pm kickoff. The Razorbacks fell to Woodmont 48-28 on Friday night. The Chesnee Eagles volleyball team kicked off the 2023 season with a tough matchup against a team located just over the state line, as they fell to Crest (NC) 3-0 on Tuesday night.
Crest won the first set 25-12, the second set 25-15, and the third set 25-15 to grab the victory over the Eagles but the Eagles fought hard in a matchup against a larger school. Chesnee senior Pearl Holloway led the way for the Eagles with 11 assists, four kills, and six digs while fellow senior Harley Grady led the team with 11 digs of her own. Sophomore Hayden Roberts led the team in kills with seven while adding five digs and two ace serves. The Eagles will look to rebound on Thursday night when they host 5A Spartanburg with a match set to begin at 6:00 PM. CHESNEE, SC - The Chesnee Eagles used a fast start to establish an early lead which allowed them to pull off a 41-30 win over the Blue Ridge Tigers in front of a packed crowd at the Eagle's Nest.
The win gives Chesnee their first 1-0 start in three seasons, as the last time came in 2020 when they defeated Legion Collegiate in the season opener. The Eagles won the opening coin toss, and chose to accept the ball, which turned out to be a good decision as the first seven plays of the drive were runs, started by a Noah Lawter seven-yard run, with the first pass play of the season being a big one when Kjay Proctor found Kaylob Blanton on a curl before beating his defender to the end zone for the 17 yard scoring strike. The Eagles defense quickly forced a three and out to give Chesnee the ball once again. Chesnee started their drive at the Blue Ridge 38-yard line and scored just six plays later on a four-yard run by Adonis Burgess to make it 13-0 in favor of the Eagles with just over four minutes left in the first quarter. The Eagles defense once again forced a three and out, and the Eagles were the beneficiary of a bad snap on the punt attempt that gave them the ball at the Blue Ridge seven-yard line. Three plays later Kjay Proctor barged in from two yards out to give Chesnee a 20-0 lead with just over a minute left in the first quarter. The Chesnee defense continued its strong start with its third straight three and out. "Hustle and great effort," said senior Noah Lawter said about the team's early defensive effort. "We read our keys and maintained our assignments." The Eagles quickly hit a big pass play as Kjay Proctor found Kaleb Swaney for a 31-yard gain and later found Adonis Burgess from 18-yards out in the back of the endzone for a touchdown. Burgess made a tremendous highlight reel grab that took a few seconds of discussion between the officials to confirm he indeed made the catch giving the Eagles a 27-0 lead just two and a half minutes into the second quarter. "I was more focused on making the catch than getting my feet down," said Burgess. "After I went down, I looked back at the referees, and I could tell they were hesitant. When they finally signaled touchdown, I was excited." Blue Ridge hit their first big play of game as Gavin Forrester hit Eli Smith for an 80-yard strike that set up Bryson Wyatt's two-yard touchdown run that made it 27-6 with just over eight minutes left in the half. Blue Ridge edged closer on their next position, this time thanks to a KB Henderson 37-yard scoring run to cut it to 27-14 with just under four minutes to go in the half. Chesnee responded with a big first play on the ensuing drive thinks to a 51-yard run by Kaylob Blanton that set up KJ Proctor for his fourth score of the half, this time from two-yards out that helped push the Eagles to a 34-14 halftime lead. Blue Ridge made it a twelve-point game on their first possession of the second half after KB Henderson scored from four yards out to make it 34-22 with just over seven minutes left in the third. The Eagles responded on the ensuing possession as Noah Lawter and Adonis Burgess each had big runs to set up Kjay Proctor's fifth touchdown of the night, this time a four-yard run to make it 41-22 with just over four minutes left in the third quarter. Blue Ridge added a touchdown with just over a minute left and KB Henderson scored from four yards out to make it 41-30. Chesnee recovered the ensuing onside kick attempt and knelt out the clock. Proctor had a big five touchdown night for the Eagles as he had two through the air and three on the ground. He completed eight passes for 92 yards and ran for 43 yards. "The coaches put in a great game plan," said Proctor. "I knew my teammates would make the plays, and our line did a great job blocking all night." Noah Lawter led the Eagles with 96 yards rushing while Kaylob Blanton had 68 total yards including a 17-yard touchdown grab. Adonis Burgess finished with a pair of touchdowns. KB Henderson finished with 146 yards and three scores on twenty-one carries while Gavin Forrester added 130 yards through the air and 62 on the ground. Eli Smith had 80-yards through the air while Bryson Wyatt had 43 yards on the ground and a score. The Eagles will be back in action next week at Broome as they take on the Centurions, who defeated Powdersville 22-21 on the road as kickoff is set for 7:30 PM. Eagles VolleyballThe Chesnee volleyball team is just three years removed from winning a state championship and with a lot of experienced talent back this season, the Eagles are looking to make some noise in the 2A ranks again this year. Chesnee is led by head coach Katie Jolley who enters her sixth season leading the Eagles program and her 18th season overall. After a third-place finish in region last season, that saw the Eagles battle into the second-round matchup in the 2A playoffs, they hope to enter the playoffs this year in front of the home crowd. "We are going to try and battle for a first or second place finish in the region this year so that we can host in the first round of the playoffs," said Jolley. "We then hope to make a run in the playoffs since we have so much of our core returning." The Eagles expectations are high with so much of their talent returning from last season including five starters and their entire front row. The group will be led by All-State selection Pearl Holloway, who is just 45 assists away from her 1,000th career assist. Holloway will be joined by returning starters Hayden Roberts, Carlee Turner, Maggie Blanton, and Jayla Dunn. Chesnee will also look to get key play from returners Harley Grady, who played a lot last season as a designated server, along with Rachel McKinney and Cayla Cash. They will also look to get key minutes from middle schoolers Dacie Green (7th) and Payden Pittman (8th). Jolley believes between the returning experience and the youth that the Eagles will have a strong season this year. "Our strong group of seniors and juniors will lead the team this year," said Jolley. "Our All-State player Pearl Holloway returns this year as well as our front row players from last year. We also have two athletic middle schoolers who will add to our hitting and blocking this year." Chesnee will begin their season with some strong preseason matchups against Greenville on August 8th and at district foe Boiling Springs on August 15th. Eagles Girls GolfThe Chesnee girls' golf team enters the 2023 season with some lofty goals but that's not new territory for the current two-time defending state champions and they enter the new season believing that they can make it three in a row. The program enters its sixth season, all six under head coach Kyle Scruggs, having won the state championship twice in the five seasons of its existence and they're going into this year looking to make it three titles in six years, which means the team would have won a state championship fifty percent of the time. The Eagles finished last season with a 5-2 record in nine-hole match play while winning three 18-hole tournaments and also capturing the Region I-2A championship along with the 2A state championship. They also have the defending individual state champion in Olivia Robets and the state runner-up in Addy Parker both returning this season to lead the Eagles. Chesnee has a lot of reasons to be excited about their chances this season as they not only return both Roberts and Parker but they also return fellow All-State players Olivia Shields and Abigail Watson along with returning players Abby Herrington and Jada Flynn. Eagles head coach Kyle Scruggs is making sure to prepare his team for another run as they play in some very strong tournaments throughout the season to help them get ready for the postseason. "We look forward to competing on the Palmetto Preview, Short Par 4 Palmetto Tournament of Champions, and WSCGA High School Invitational to prepare to make a run in the postseason," said Scruggs. "Our ultimate goal this year is to continue the success we had last year and try to bring home another state championship to Chesnee." With the success of the Eagles program since the beginning of the program, they will also be adding a JV program this season to help give the younger players opportunities and continue to grow the success of the program. Chesnee will kick off their 2023 title defense at the Lady Blue Jacket on August 26th-27th before seeing where they stack up against a lot of competitive local teams at the Lady Rebel Invitational at River Falls on August 29th. Eagles Cross CountryThe Chesnee Eagles cross country team enters the 2023 season with some high expectations as they have plans to compete for a region championship and a spot in the state championship meet this year. According to Chesnee head coach Terrance Hamilton, who enters his fifth season, believes that this year's boys' team could be the best team the Eagles have put on a course in many years. "This year's team looks to be the strongest team Chesnee has had in a number of years," said Hamilton. "We look to challenge for the top region spot this year and have a goal of going to the 2A state championship meet as a team for the first time since 2017." Chesnee returns lead runner Omarion Ocampo-Rios, who competed in the 2A state championship meet last year as an individual where he finished in 22nd place. He will be joined by fellow starters from last year's team in seniors Noah Gottschalk, Tyrel Hamilton, and Hayes Nix along with juniors Andrew Cash and Tyler Sumerel. The Eagles are also looking forward to a group of newcomers to the team that they think will help reach their goals and that group is led by eighth graders Luke Edmonds and Hayden Held along with junior Hudson Jones. They'll also look to juniors Jacob Sumerel and Davis Wall, sophomore Jace Proffit, eighth graders Grayson Luzniak and Keagan Riggs, along with seventh grader Dalton McGatha to help the Eagles reach the goal of a region championship. On the girl's side, the Eagles look to build on a strong season from last year that saw them finish third in the region and in ninth place as a team in the state championship meet. The Eagles will return four starters from last year's team as they'll be led by juniors Lanie Arrowood and Claire Walker along with fellow runners Abrie Cox and Madelyn McDowell, who Coach Hamilton says will take on bigger roles for the Eagles this year. They will also look to get key contributions from eighth grader Anna Cobb who the Eagles say has looked strong in the offseason. Chesnee will kickoff their season on August 19th in the 15 Mile Relay at Boiling Springs before competing in the Eye Opener at the Milliken Research Center on September 2nd. *We sent out an email to the head coaches of all fall sports for information, if a team isn't represented it's because we never received a reply.
Season PreviewThe Chesnee Eagles have a lot of confidence heading into the 2023 season as they are faster, stronger, and more experienced after a strong offseason, which they believe will lead to success this year. "We have really had a good offseason starting in January," said Chesnee head football coach Clay Lewis. "We have had a lot of kids in the weightroom, and we have improved in our strength and speed. The kids have really worked hard since January, and we had a good skill development period in March along with a great spring practice. I feel like we looked good in the spring game while also having a good summer." Looking to bounce back from a 2-9 season, the Eagles entered the offseason looking to become a team, but those plans changed as it developed organically this offseason during a weightlifting session. "The week before team camp I started to feel like we were starting to take a turn in the weight room," said Lewis. "The coaches didn't have to say a whole lot as the kids were in there working hard, leading each other, and encouraging each other. We had several good practices and weightlifting sessions early in camp. It was just a great week for us." What was originally scheduled to be a light lift in the weight room turned out to be a team bonding experience that saw fifteen players reach new max weights in cleans alone. "After practice, we had a light lift scheduled and we started doing power cleans and they started getting motivated," said Lewis. "We ended up with thirteen personal records, and we didn't go in planning for that. We had kids make big jumps in their max weights. We went in there for a light workout, and it turned into so much more. After that we went out to practice and had what I think was our best practice." After that practice and what he has seen this offseason, Lewis is excited for the 2023 season for his Eagles team. "I've told them all summer they are better than they think they are," said Lewis. "I can see they are starting to believe that and have confidence in themselves." He returns starting quarterback Kjay Proctor to execute an Eagle offense that switches from the triple option offense to a spread offense for the first time under Coach Lewis. "He has to continue to improve every day," said Lewis. "It doesn't matter what is going on, he always keeps his head up and is a great leader by example. He has had a good offseason for us." Proctor will be backed up by Carson Gossett, who will see the field in a plethora of roles for the Eagles this season. "It's big for us to have someone who is capable of playing multiple positions including quarterback," said Lewis. "I have really seen some growth in him this offseason and he is a good athlete, while also being a great kid." This season the Chesnee offense will feature one running back instead of the three featured in years past as Noah Lawter, Austin Bigford, and Jayden Williams are some players to watch for. "Noah and Austin have done a great job transitioning this offseason," said Lewis. "Lawter is nifty and has some good speed while Bigford is as well, but he is more of a power back. Jayden is coming along for us, and I feel like any of those three can come in and make an impact for us." Chesnee is returning starting wide receivers Kaylob Blanton and Kaleb Swaney as well as transitioning some of the returning A-Backs out to the slot. "Blanton and Swaney are our two top wide receivers on the outside," said Lewis. "Blanton is going to be one to be reckoned with this season." Kyle Martin, Hayden Webb, and Adonis Burgess are going to be in the slot for the Eagles. "Adonis, Hayden, and Kyle are all very good athletes who are good in space with speed," said Lewis. :I think all three of them will be threats, and we have to get the ball in their hands. They can play inside or outside and will still be involved in the run game." Chesnee will look to replace the departed Ezekiel Lazarin at tight end as Paul Martin will be tasked with filling that role this season. "Tight end for this season will be used depending on the matchup," said Lewis. "Paul has great hands at that position." Coach Lewis thinks one position group that will benefit from the scheme change is the offensive line. "They have adjusted well this offseason," said Lewis. "We have to keep working on our protections as we have a lot of experience coming back, and that should be one of our strong points. We are a lot stronger at every position but especially along the line." Some players to watch on the line are Clay Davis, Bryson Avery, Wesley Wilkie, Zabian Kendrick, Aiden Allen, Brycen Sprinkle, and Brandon Burrows. The defensive line returns several experienced players including Aiden Allen and Wesley Wilkie, as each started games at defensive tackle last season for the Eagles. One group that has a lot of experience coming back is the linebacker core as several players got experience due to injury as players to watch there are Gunther Gerstenacker, Jayden Williams, Austin Bigford, and Noah Lawter. Some younger players that will make an impact are Thadeus Gerstenacker, Quinton Gerstenacker, and Kale Thrift. "We have a solid group of linebackers and have good depth at the position," said Lewis. "The main thing I like about our linebackers is their athleticism, toughness, and nastiness." Chesnee is returning several starters in the defensive backfield as Adonis Burgess, Hayden Webb, Kyle Martin, and Kaylob Blanton. Other names to keep an eye on there are Braylon Blanton, Noah Lawter, Leonard De La Cruz, Marcus Linder, Kaleb Swaney, and Carson Gossett. "We have the ability to matchup with the opposition," said Lewis. "We have great depth and different body types that we can use to give us the best matchup." The Eagle said goodbye to two-year starter Ezequiel Lazarin last season as kicker and punter. Leonard De La Cruz and Mark Bishop are in competition for the starting kicker job while De La Cruz, Bishop, and Brenton Suddeth are in competition for the punting job. "Lazarin is going to be hard to replace," said Lewis. "I've been impressed with Leonard De La Cruz and Mark Bishop this offseason." Some players to keep an eye on this season who look to have breakout seasons are Kaylob Blanton, Mark Bishop, and Bradley Myers. Eagles Offense Adapting To Scheme ChangeThis season will see a change to the offensive attack used by the Eagles as instead of the traditional tight triple option, they will now operate this season out of the spread while still maintaining elements of the triple option offense that works in the spread. "Last year, we had athletes on the sidelines that we felt could benefit us on the field, and the new offense will allow us to put more athletes on the field," said slot receiver/running back Noah Lawter. This change will allow speedsters like Adonis Burgess, Kyle Martin, and Noah Lawter more space to operate. "It gives us a better chance to get out in space and down the sidelines as it will open up both the running and passing games for us," said slot receiver and running back Adonis Burgess. "We have a lot of playmakers, and this gives us the opportunity to make plays." It will also give the power backs like Austin Bigford more running room in the backfield. "This offense allows the play to develop further so that I can build up more speed downhill and find the right gap," said running back Austin Bigford. "This is a fast-paced offense, and I'm excited to see the passing game this season." It will also allow quarterback KJ Proctor more time to find receivers such as Kaylob Blanton and Kaleb Swaney on the outside, along with giving him more room to operate in the pocket. It will also allow the offensive line better spacing to operate as now opposing teams will not have of an opportunity to stack nine men in the box as they have in past years. "They way we run this offense is different than your typical spread," said Lawter. "We are fast paced with this offense and that helps us get us in a better rhythm." "It helps us move faster and more fluid, which will benefit us getting off the ball," said offensive lineman Zabian Kendrick. "We have looked good this offseason, and everybody feels confident about this offense." The offensive players are excited about the potential of the new offense as it will allow them to get the ball in the hands of their playmakers in space as well as hopefully putting defenses in a position to make mistakes that lead to big plays. Eagles Senior Spotlight: Noah Lawter And Adoniss BurgessChesnee seniors Noah Lawter and Adonis Burgess are the definition of the old saying, bloom where you're planted.
"If you watched Noah Lawter last year, you noticed he played hard on offense, defense, and special teams," said Chesnee head coach Clay Lewis. "What a lot of people don't know is that Noah would drive you crazy Monday through Thursday getting him to go. He has been a totally different kid this offseason. I think he has made the biggest turnaround from last season as far as attitude and work ethic and I look for him to have an outstanding season." "Adonis has worked hard this offseason rehabbing," said Lewis. "He was in there in the weightroom doing the lifts that he could do along with the other kids and stuck out to me that he continued to work and work. He is one kid that has really improved in the weight room from last season. He's added twenty pounds while maintaining his speed and I think you will see a better Adonis Burgess on the field this season. He is one of our motivators this offseason as he leads both vocally and by example." They are both entering their third season on the varsity squad and have went from young bright spots to now senior leaders. "Last year I was more of just an emotional leader," said Lawter. "This year I have adapted more into the role of leading by example. Coach Lewis teaches us that it's easy to be a leader when things are going good, but he wants us to be a leader all the time, during the good and bad." Burgess and Lawter know that if the Eagles are to reach their goal it will be led by their senior class. "We have to set the example," said Burgess. "We have to teach them right from wrong, and that when you make a mistake it will be ok." They are both excited about being senior leaders on this year's Chesnee football team. "It feels great that the younger players look up to me, like I did the seniors when I was younger," said Burgess. "I know I have to set the example every day and that carries a lot of weight." As with any leaders they both have people that they look up to and credit for helping them reach this point. "My father (Jermaine Burgess), he pushes me every day to be great and be a better man," said Burgess. "He sets the example for our family." "James Davis (former Chesnee assistant now at Clinton) really helped me develop as a football player and as a leader," said Lawter. "He helped me dedicate myself to the game." |
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