Staunton River out to end losing skid in Blue Ridge

MONETA — Staunton River has a new lease on life after leaving the football powerhouse Seminole District and joining the Blue Ridge.

“We’re very excited,” Golden Eagles second-year coach Rick Witt said. “Being in the Blue Ridge gives us a set of new challenges, and opportunities as well.”

“It’s kind of like a fresh start for us, to put everything behind us,” third-year quarterback Cody Jones said.

The first priority, and potential obstacle, will be recording their first victory in two and a half seasons. Witt said preseason signs are promising.

“We’re on a 25-game losing streak and we had 98 kids show up for the first day of practice,” he said, noting he had close to 60 players with 80 percent or better attendance in the off-season weight room after having less than 25 last summer. “The kids are excited about ending the losing streak and getting the monkey off their back. These kids are winners in everything they do. Hopefully, winning is contagious.”

Playing behind a line that has bulked up from an average of less than 170 pounds last fall to greater than 190 pounds this summer should provide protection and open running and receiving room for a few of those unproven winners at the skill positions.

Jones, who improved his quarterbacking technique in camps at Notre Dame, Virginia and Virginia Tech this summer, tailback Meech Coles, who rushed for close to 850 yards as a sophomore, and senior strong safety/wide receiver Wesley Gates are returning all-district selections who will help the Golden Eagles to take flight in the Blue Ridge.

“This is the best group of athletes we’ve had here since 1996, when Staunton River won the Seminole District title,” said Witt, who previously coached for 15 years in the Blue Ridge as an assistant at William Byrd. “We have better experience and I feel like we will compete each week.”

The trio has high expectations for themselves and their teammates this fall.

“We were never as intense in practice as we are now,” Jones said. “Everybody can’t wait until the first game.”

“We’ve been working pretty hard in the offseason,” added Coles, who plays outside linebacker on defense.

“Anything less than a winning season would be a disappointment,” added Gates, who also fields punts, averaging 22.8 yards per return last season.

Northside is the prohibitive preseason district favorite, with potential offensive and defensive players of the year Derrick Scott and Nick Sigmon, respectively.

Two-time defending Blue Ridge champion William Byrd, Staunton River’s closest rival next to Liberty, also will be a contender with Derrick Palmer, a 2,000-yard rusher last fall, returning in the backfield.

But the Golden Eagles could give both of those teams a battle and have the upper hand against Alleghany and Lord Botetourt, which made the Region III playoffs at 3-7 last fall before losing to Liberty in the first round.

With Coles on verge of a breakout season, Witt is not conceding district offensive player of the year honors to Palmer or Scott just yet.

“He’s better at everything,” Witt said. “His weight room numbers are ridiculous,” noting he’s squatting more than 400 pounds, bench pressing more than 250 and power clean lifting in 230 range. “As a running back, he’s really starting to get it, making the right cuts at the right times. I wouldn’t want to be a defensive coordinator trying to stop him.”

While the Golden Eagles will run primarily a multiple-I formation introduced last summer, they have added a few new wrinkles for this fall.

“Cody and Meech give us more of an option package,” Witt said.

Experience is a factor in Staunton River’s favor.

“Last year we had a lot of first-year guys, a lot of sophomores playing on varsity,” Jones said. “This year we have a majority seniors, a couple juniors, and everybody’s in their second year with this offense, so I’m excited about that.”

Through offeason conditioning, the Golden Eagles’ offensive line went from one of the weakest in the Seminole to one of the strongest in the Blue Ridge.

“This year, we’re bigger, stronger and a lot better as a team and an offensive line,” said senior tackle Ricky Pierce, a team captain.

“Our line was so weak last year, there was really no point in running (the ball),” Gates added. “They were killing us. Now, everybody’s hit the weight room and you can see the difference. Everybody’s so big and everybody’s ready to go.”

“We’re starting off on the right foot,” Pierce added.