By David Esteppe
The senior classmen of the Greenbrier West High School (GWHS) football team, the Cavaliers, will begin their season on Aug. 30 against Nicholas County High School. They begin this year as a class with a 31-5 win/loss record. The school record for wins by senior class teammates currently stands at 37. With six wins this year the record will be tied; but all 58 players on the team have definitive plans to break that record.
With 12 seniors returning, the discussion surrounding the forthcoming season and breaking that record, was a strong component of the interview with Justin Hamrick, the Cavaliers 6’3”, 285 pound senior lineman who plays offensive right tackle. Hamrick explained how making the playoffs is a goal accomplished each of his past three seasons, and now it is “time for a state championship.” Last year the line had three sophomores; now there will be an experienced three juniors and two seniors back on offense.
Coach Lewis McClung says, “Our line averages 240 pounds this year and they will be a force to be reckoned with.”
Hamrick introduced one of his best friends since middle school, fellow teammate Corey Cox. Cox plays defensive tailback and agrees, “that making the playoffs and then taking it one step closer and on to a state championship,” is where they want to take this season.
Both Hamrick and Cox pointed out that they have a star quarterback in Malik Boatwright. And the Cavalier center, David Murphy expressed he has “confidence in the guard and tackle.” General discussion included that the team would be taking the season one game at a time and not taking any one team for granted.
“Experience is back and we are looking for the leadership to step up,” says Coach McClung just before stepping onto the practice field and signaling it was time to get onto the task at hand: conditioning. He quickly added that he was proud to hear how well the team had spoken of him during the interview. When asked for a final quote he just as quickly said, “Only three things can happen when you throw the ball, and two of ‘em are bad.”
Hamrick was asked if there was a common catch phrase heard from the coach, and nothing came to mind. After practice he sent word that Jeremy Tincher had thought of one from the coach that goes something like, “If you are walking, you are doing it wrong.” That does sound a propos. Here’s to this team reaching their season goals, Good Luck, Cavaliers!