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Eastern Guilford

Last year: 5-7, 1-4 North State 2-A (4th place), advanced to first round of playoffs

-The Wildcats have made the postseason in each of head coach Scott Loosemore’s first two seasons, but it’s still been almost a decade since they had a winning season. This could be the team that breaks the streak. Eastern brings back eight offensive starters including senior quarterback Jason Davis, who gained more than 1,000 yards both rushing and passing in the Wildcats’ option attack last season. “He is definitely exactly what you’d be looking for in the offense we’re running,” Loosemore said. Senior tailback Gerrod Herbin, who ran for 14 touchdowns and almost 1,300 yards last season, also returns. “If we’re ever going to make some noise,” Loosemore said, “this would be the year.”
-The Wildcats return six defensive starters, including 215-pounder Richard Wilson, whom Loosemore called the strongest guy on the team. But they lack size, so Loosemore abandoned the eight-man front he’s used most of his career in favor of a 3-4 scheme. He got a crash course on the system from the coaching staff at Wofford, which has run it effectively for years. Wilson, who played inside linebacker last year, moves to the defensive line in the new system. “We do seem to be a whole lot faster than in years past,” Loosemore said.
-Taking Wilson’s place at linebacker is junior Cedrick Johnson, who was called up to the varsity squad as a freshman two seasons ago but missed all of last year for disciplinary reasons. Loosemore called Johnson “one of the best athletes at the school” and said he’s been a leader in workouts this summer.
-The Wildcats started last season 4-2 but lost five of their last six games, largely because of turnovers. “I think it was young players having a little lack of focus in the second half of the season,” Loosemore said. The coaching staff is hoping another year of maturity and an added emphasis on detail in practice will help the team maintain success. “Just like any coach, I don’t feel like there’s a game we can’t win,” Loosemore said. “But on the same note, if we don’t play well, we could lose every game, too.”