FOOTBALL TAB: Teams are chasing Kenan, Princeton in Carolina 1A

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on August 22, 2014 1:48 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

James Kenan head coach Ken Avent Jr. knows about the daily grind of being successful in the Carolina 1-A conference.

He's nearly perfected it.

In seven years at the helm of the Tigers, he's brought home two state championships and has never had a team finish below .500. Avent Jr. is 92-20 during his stint in Warsaw.

"We've been lucky enough to have a lot of success in recent years," said Avent, whose teams have won 27 of their last 28 games.

"But we lost a lot of guys from a pretty good class last year and this year we have to fill in those holes. You got some pretty good teams in this conference so it's not going to be easy. Anybody can beat anybody on Friday night if you don't bring your 'A' game."

The Tigers ran roughshod over nearly every opponent they encountered last season. The offense averaged 267 yards rushing behind Division I recruit Marcelias Sutton and scored 36.5 points per game. Avent's team throttled West Montgomery, 42-14, in the 1-AA state final last season.

James Kenan's defense, led by defensive Keevon Miller, forced 37 takeaways including 19 fumble recoveries.

Miller has graduated.

Sutton is gone, too.

Avent is looking for someone to fill those open voids.

"We're definitely still going to be a running team," Avent said. "We're just looking for some guys to step up."

Coaches around the conference know that, despite a competitive conference where anyone could theoretically beat anyone, there's a clear-cut agreement who on every team is chasing.

"Kenan's number one until somebody beats them," Spring Creek head coach Aaron Sanders said. "No doubt about it, you got a program that's lost one game in two years. Until someone beats them that's who we're chasing."

The breakdown

Team: Lakewood

Head coach: James Lewis

2013 record: 8-5

Last playoff appearance: 2013, lost in the second round of 1-AA playoffs to Whiteville

Offensive starters back:

Defensive starters back:

Players to watch: Cody Barnett (FB, MLB, senior) -- Team's leading tackler a year ago. Trace Faircloth (TE, MLB) -- team's second leading tackler in 2013. Deshawn Wilson (QB/FS, senior).

Lewis says: "We've got some pretty good size on the lines, some pretty big boys. We've got a lot of athleticism at the skill positions. We're not where we need to be before the first game yet.

"The kids have been working really hard. I think a lot of people are gunning for Kenan and Princeton. I don't know where we'll be in the mix just yet but I think we've got a chance to be pretty good."

*

Team: Hobbton

Head coach: Jeff Byrd

Last playoff appearance: 2011, lost in first round to Lakewood

Offensive starters back: 6

Defensive starters back: 7

Players to watch: Marques Surles (FB/DE, senior) -- rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2013. Raequan Bryant (RB/CB, sophomore) -- rushed fore over 1,000 yards as a freshman. Gregory Herring (QB/CB, junior).

Byrd says: "We've got all of our skill guys back this year so that's a good sign. I'm bringing back two 1,000-yard rushers who are hoping to be even better this year. We don't have hardly any depth. Basically everyone is going to have to play both ways.

"We've got seven sophomores who came out and we're going to need some of them to really step up for us if we're going to be successful."