Sports
PREVIEW: Playoff Goal Driving Belpre Through The 2014 Season
By: Emily Rorris
Posted on:
Editor's Note: Over the next two weeks our reporters will be bringing you team previews for each team in the SEOAL, TVC-Ohio, TVC-Hocking, and our West Virginia teams. We continue in the TVC-Hocking, where Trimble and Wahama are still the top teams.
Over the last three years, the Belpre Golden Eagles under coach Greg Adams have seen steady improvement.
In 2011, the Golden Eagles were at rock bottom after an 0-10 season, and then in 2012 the Golden Eagles managed a 4-6 season. Belpre took another step in 2013, finishing 5-5 overall and fourth in the TVC-Hocking, leaving the Golden Eagles ready to take the next step.
Heading into his fifth year at Belpre, Adams is optimistic about the Golden Eagles’ chances at a making a playoff run this season.
The Golden Eagles lost only four seniors from the 2013 team, including leading tackler DJ Leftwich to graduation as well as Jaime Barrett and Dakota McDaniel.
But the Golden Eagles return their starting quarterback in junior Tavian Miller, which will be Miller’s third year as the starting quarterback. With two years experience under his helmet, Belpre’s offense should be a strongpoint throughout the season.
Senior tailback Manney Tullius will also return this season. Tullius missed part of the beginning of the 2013 season due to injury, but still managed to rush for over 1,000 yards over the last part of the season.
There will be some new players hitting the field this season for the Golden Eagles who bring a lot of potential to the table. Offensive and defensive lineman Eric Worstell and linebacker Andrew Klinger have shined early throughout practice and could be key factors this season for the Golden Eagles.
The Golden Eagles had some tough losses last season, including losing to Trimble and Wahama by a combined score of 114-8. However, the Golden Eagles finished the season with back-to-back wins over Miller and Waterford by a combined score of 58-0, and overall ended the season winning four of the last five games.
The start of the 2014 season will not be easy for the Golden Eagles, as they travel to Trimble in week two and Wahama in week four, and then return home for a game against the Southern Tornadoes. Those three teams had a combined record of 31-5 from the 2013 season.
But before those games are played, Belpre has Fort Frye to worry about, as the two teams go head-to-head on Aug. 29 to kick-off the 2014 season in Belpre.
'Gridiron Glory' airs every Friday night at 11:30 p.m. on WOUB. You can follow the show on Twitter @gridironglory, like the Gridiron Glory page on Facebook, and follow along on Instagram @woubsports. You can also join the conversation throughout the season by using the hashtag #GridGlory.