Sports
Three-Point Stance: Belpre Nurtures Young Talent
By: Kelsi Steele
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Editor’s Note: Three-Point Stance is Gridiron Glory’s written preview series leading up to its 15th season on WOUB. Gridiron is visiting training camps for all 32 teams in the coverage area as they prepare for the 2013 football season. The series continues in the TVC-Hocking, where eight teams look to dethrone a defending state champ.
Coming off of a 4-6 season in 2012, it can be said that experience wasn’t quite on Belpre’s side. Despite a young core of players, coach Greg Adams is optimistic going into the 2013 campaign. “We are certainly looking forward to a better season this year,” Adams said. “We’ve put in a lot of hard work.”
Here are three things to know about the 2013 Belpre Golden Eagles:
1. A Game of Numbers
Belpre can expect to see a couple familiar faces on the field this season in sophomore quarterback Tavian Miller and junior tailback Manny Tullius. Both started last season and became impact players on the offense, earning Division V All-Southeast District honors.
That said, only five seniors and three juniors account for the upperclassmen this season, forcing the Golden Eagles to look to the sophomore class to fill out the roster. Adams is aware of the challenge arising this upcoming season with such a young and inexperienced squad. When asked about depth he simply said, “We are going to be outnumbered, but we are not going to be outplayed.”
2. The Fourth Quarter
With only 24 players filling out the roster this season, one may expect this Belpre team to run out of gas by the fourth quarter, but this mentality is not an option for Adams’ squad this year.
“We are going to have to be in excellent shape in order to compete and be successful,” said Adams. Eagles fans can expect a battle to the end, as this squad will look to pound its way through the fourth quarter in hopes of competing with powerhouse teams Wahama and Trimble. With those final 12 minutes on the minds of this young Belpre squad, the focus is there, and the determination is evident.
3. Building a Program
Greg Adams accepted the head-coaching job at Belpre High School just four years ago to guide a team that was 0-10 the previous year. He was looking to rebuild a program where he was once a standout player during his own years as a Belpre High student.
“When they hired me as coach, I knew this wasn’t something that was going to be able to turn around in a couple years,” Adams said. “I knew it would take three to four years.”
In his fourth year as head coach, Adams looks to keep moving in the right direction.
“We have a lot of really good athletes this year. I am hoping that they gel, they come together, as a team and a family, and believe in themselves, and grab ahold of the program we put in front of them and I think we will be able to be successful this year,” he said.
Belpre takes a stab at Bishop Rosecrans on Saturday, Aug. 31 to kick-start a season that could take a spin in any direction.
Follow @gridironglory on Twitter and Instagram and Like the Gridiron Glory Facebook page for continued coverage throughout the preseason. Gridiron Glory returns Friday, Aug. 23 at 11:30 p.m. on WOUB.