From the East Side:
By Maurice Scott Jr.
East St.Louis Flyers head football coach Darren Sunkett and Cahokia coach Antwyne Golliday are expecting exiting seasons from their respective teams in 2006.
Cahokia was one game away from its first appearance in the state championship game last year, but the Comanches lost a heartbreaker to Rock Island Alleman in the Illinois Class 5A state semifinals 24 -20. A four-yard touchdown run by Alleman running back Matt Frutiger with just over two mintues remaining denied Cahokia a chance for an unprobable berth in the state finals..
After the game, I remember Golliday saying “I looked in the mirror, and the door closed on me.” That was referring to his team almost playing for its first state championship in football. If you think the 2005 Cahokia team was special, this may be Golliday’s best team yet.
Cahokia returns All-State candidate Martavis Hines at running back. The 5’11 senior rushed for 1,614 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Hines will provide leadership along with Exyabion Jackson as one of the top running back combinations in the South Seven.
Sophomore Darien “Doc” Donald returns at quarterback after guiding Cahokia’s offense last season as a freshman. In last season’s playoff game against Triad, Donald left no doubt who would be the quarterback of the future for the Camanches when he scored on a 44-yard run on fourth down to put Cahokia into the semifinals. The 5’10’ sophomore was also a standout on the Class AA State Championship track & field team.
The Comanches had one of the area’s top defensive units last season and several of those key players are back with another year of experience and maturity under their belts. They came up big in last year’s postseason, including a stunning 14-0 victory over South Seven Conference rival Althoff in the second round.
Cahokia will open the 2006 season with two road games in the first three weeks. They open the season on Saturday night in Indiana against Gary Lew Wallace. They return to Gary two weeks later to face Roosevelt. In between road trips, they will host Southwestern Conference foe Alton to open up the home season in a game that will be televised locally by Charter Communications.
“We will not look past anybody on our schedule,” Golliday said. “Teams dropped us from their schedule….we thought we had games scheduled and after they (the opponents) saw our team and…. Well, we had to scramble at the last minute which leads us to Gary, Indiana two out of the first three weeks of the season.
We don’t and won’t make any excuses, we will line -up and compete with who’s on the schedule and see what happens. I’m looking forward too the season and so are the kids.”
Other key games for the Comanches: October 13th, Althoff, October 20th, Springfield Sacred Heart Griffin. Both are home games.
Across the tracks, the East St. Louis Flyers will hope to challenge for another Southwestern Conference title. The Flyers again should be one of the area’s top teams with the one- two punch of quarterback Derrick Johnson and wide- out Jerrell McDaniel.
Johnson, who threw for 1,945 yards and 23 touchdowns, is considered one of the top five signal-callers in the state. During the summer months, a number of college recruiters were parked at East St. Louis Senior High lurking to get more film head coach Darren Sunkett’s prize quarterback.
Senior three-sport star Jerrell McDaniel is also highly regarded. The All- Metro selection and honorable mention All -State wide receiver is looking to put up numbers that last season put established him and teammate Derrick Johnson as the best pass/catch combination in the area.
McDaniel had over 1,000 yards receiving with 20 touchdowns. He is also one of the best defensive-backs in the area and a threat to take it to the house as a return man every time he touches the ball.
Defensively the Flyers will be tough with linebacker Tommie Liddell, the uncle of SLU basketball sensation Tommie Liddell Jr.
Key Games: September 1st, @ Columbia Hickman, September 22nd, @ Alton, October 6, Edwardsville
Here a look at some of the other teams on the East Side:
Belleville East: The Lancers were 5 -5 overall in 2005 losing to Chicago power Naperville Neuqua Valley 44 – 7 in the first round of the Class 8 -A play- offs. The Lancers return senior QB Jake Powell threw for 719 yards and six touchdowns last season Other returning player to watch: A.J. Martin, DJ Hendricks and Jamon Bester a transfer from Cahokia. Martin, a 6’4” 250-pound tight end/defensive lineman is being recruited by several Division I schools.
Althoff: The Crusaders finished 8 -3 last season losing to Cahokia in the second round of the Class 5 A playoffs. The Crusaders will go as far as tailback Jason Ford Jr. takes them. Ford rushed for 1,391yds and 20 touchdowns last season despite missing time with a number of nagging injury’s that kept him out of a lot of action. During his freshman campaign, Ford rushed for 1,702 and 16 touchdowns. Considered one of the top running backs in the country, Ford is already being courted by Notre Dame, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan among others. Ford is the son of former flyer stand-out tailback Jason Ford Sr.
If you haven’t seen this young man run, here are some dates that will be worth the price of gas to see him: Friday night against Triad @ Lindenwood (Belleville Campus) September 8th, St. Louis U. High, October 10th, Cahokia.
Here’s a look @ some of the other teams to watch:
Edwardsville Tigers: The Tigers must retool after finishing 13-1 and advancing to the Class 7A semifinals in ’05. They return quarterback Joe Allaria, a three-year starter. Also back is Nic Plato (DE/TE), who is.regarded as the best tight end prospects in the state. Daryl Hendrix, a junior, should be a standout at defensive back. Junjor David Young is also a capable offensive lineman after starting as a sophomore.
O’Fallon Panthers: The Panthers are primed for another playoff run. They return senior running back Duane Bennet, who may be the best running back in the metro-east. He rushed for 993 yards and 12 touchdowns despite missing part of the season with an injury. He also scored 26 on ACT. Illinois, Northwestern, Northern Illinois, and Purdue tip his list right now STAY TUNED TO THIS YOUNG MAN. Another talented back in the fold is Juston Curry, who also rushed for nearly 1,000 yards last season.
Alton Redbirds: Alton will compete for another playoff berth with the return of two-way standout Kavon Lacey at quarterback and defensive back. Lacey passed for 737 yards and six touchdowns. He is also a capable runner. Senior running back Marcus Clemmons is also back after rushing for 1,013 yards and 12 touchdowns.