Season Preview: A new leader at the helm for Vinton County
By: Shane Scalfaro
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MCARTHUR, Ohio (WOUB) — The Vinton County Vikings are gearing up for a title defense after winning their first TVC-Ohio title since 1999. However, this team looks completely different than last year’s championship team.
The big news of the offseason was former Vikings head coach T.J. Carper leaving McArthur and heading to Zanesville to be the head coach of the Blue Devils.
This left Marcus Games to step into the position. Games was Carper’s offensive coordinator and Carper knows that he has the traits to get the job done.
“He’s a fiery guy man. He’s a fiery guy. High energy, a relationship kind of coach too man. So those are the things you need,” said Carper.
Continuity at the high school level is important for the development of the players, something Carper and Games both know.
“These kids deserve that you guys are there and it’s the same and the program can go on and the things that we have said over the past three years can stay in affect,” said Carper.
Games said, “We can hit the ground running with a system that we’ve been running for two to three years.”
Players on the team quickly began to rally behind their new head coach. Senior defensive lineman Hunter Hoyt said players have been there for Games since he got the job.
“Bunch of us went down to where they announced it at and congratulated him. It was about 10 players that knew about it,” said Hoyt.
Carper isn’t the only difference on the team. 18 seniors on last season’s team have graduated, but Coach Games has used that to motivate the team.
“We love that they helped take us to a championship. The way that we can show that honor and that love is by how we play, how we commit, how we prepare,” said Games.
Despite all the noise about what the team has lost, senior safety Clayton Lester has confidence the team will be good.
Lester said, “I know a lot of people are thinking that we ain’t gonna be like last year. We ain’t gonna be as good last year cause all those seniors we lost but I guess we’ll see. They’re going to find out.”
Vinton County will kick off their season at Unioto on August 23rd.