HIGH SCHOOL TEAM PAGES VOLUNTEER

Happy Valley Looks to Continue the Magic in Opener at Volunteer

Happy Valley Looks to Continue the Magic in Opener at Volunteer
Volunteer quarterback Luke Dorton and running back Zac Christian expect a challenge from Happy Valley on opening night Friday. TriCitiesSports.com photo by Allen Greene.
by JIMMY MOORE
TriCitiesSports.com
August 17, 2017

The Happy Valley Warriors came within a whisker of advancing to the 2016 TSSAA 2A semifinals under second-year head Coach Jason Jarrett before losing to Austin-East 20-13 in the quarterfinals and finished with an 11-2 record.

Friday night the TSSAA Class 2A Warriors will open the 2017 campaign when they travel to Church Hill to tangle with third-year head coach Barry Jones’ Volunteer Falcons.

The Falcons are coming off their first .500 season (5-5) since Scott Rider guided Volunteer to post-season play in 2007 when they ended the season with a 6-6 mark.

Jarrett was a member of the Warriors’ last team to garner 11 wins in a season when Stan Ogg guided Happy Valley to a 12-1 mark in 1997.

After what many considered a magical season in 2016 for Happy Valley a number of returnees from that group on this year’s edition including senior Brayden Sams, the probable starting quarterback, has a lot of enthusiasm on the hill.

“Brayden is a good athlete that we hope can lead us,” said Jarrett. “He loves to play wide receiver but he came in and started a few games as a freshman at quarterback and did really well.

“Against Unicoi County his freshman year he was 8-for-8 or 10-for-10 passing for 80 yards or so and probably had 60 yards or so passing and probably had 60 yards or so rushing. That puts a lot of pressure on a defense.”

Two targets for Sams are senior wide receivers Kai Norman and Jacob Surcey while a trio of starters in the offensive line, Landon Morefield, Nathaniel Nickles and Karrington Richardson return up front for their senior season.

At running back, Tyler Guinn and Will Tittle are expected to share time in the Warriors’ backfield.

Jarrett is eager to see how this year’s team responds and matures even if it does not lead to the plateau last year’s team reached and he will get the first look Friday night at TSSAA Class 5A Volunteer.

Jones and his staff have 11 seniors returning from last year’s 5-5 team but will need a number of underclassmen to step up if they hope to match or exceed last year’s mark as they move into the newly formed Mountain Lakes Conference this year.

Jones and his staff know that Happy Valley may be a Class 2A school but after the success they had last year the Warriors will be a tough opponent out of the gate.

“They have three or four dandy linemen and they have some kids that can run the ball with better than average speed,” said Jones. “If they get the ball out to their kids in the space they’re very dangerous.

“Defensively their front four gets up the field and their linebackers read well. They can create havoc in your backfield. In one of their scrimmages they had 4-or-5 interceptions and 3-or-4 of them were run back for touchdowns.”

The Falcon head coach said despite the youth of the Warriors’ sophomore quarterback Brayden Sams, he plays like a polished athlete and will present a huge challenge for the Falcons’ defense.

“Our kids have made some great strides and our offensive line should be the strength of our team,” said Jones. “Right now, Seth Bland is our center, Matthew Craddock is the right guard, Alex Christian the right tackle and Clay Snapp left guard and Ben Dorton the left tackle.

“They are big strong kids who understand what we’re doing. We just have to make the first contact and stay with our blocks. We’ve showed a lot of improvement in the last two weeks and are having fun doing it.”

Sophomore quarterback Eli Dorton is projected to start at quarterback, the position his brother Luke held last year. Senior Zac Christian will man the running back position behind fullback Avery Venoy.

“We want to get Zac Christian the ball 20-25 times a game through the air or on the ground,” added Jones. “Eli is throwing the ball pretty good right now. We’ve got some good receivers – Peyton Derrick, Breiydon Gilliam, Drew Burton and Joe Olterman – catching the ball.

“Gilliam, who is a freshman, will back up Dorton. He is pretty elusive in the backfield of avoiding the pressure with a great natural ability to get away from people. Peyton Baker and Peyton Derrick will be our wideouts.”

The Falcons 3-4 defense does not have the big crushers up front and will need to depend on their speed noted Jones.

“Tyler Bridgeman is leading us up front along with Christian Ryans and Elijah Dunlop,” said Jones. “Our outside linebacking corps has Avery Venoy, Dennis Smith and our inside people are Joe Olterman, freshman Dane Dykes, and they are backed up by Jesse Rollins and Wes Horne.

“Sonny Parrish and Peyton Baker are returning starters in the defensive backfield along with Luke Bellamy, Peyton Derrick, and Cameron Johnson a freshman who has looked good back there.”

GAME NOTES: The two teams have squared off four times (2-2), the last meeting coming in 2014 when the Falcons won 21-13…. Jarrett heads into his third season as the Warriors’ head coach with a 17-7 record… Volunteer games will once again be available live on the internet at voulunteersportsnetwork.com with Jeff Fisher and Alex Reed… The Falcons have 51 players on their roster that includes 18 freshmen.

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