FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Diverse PH football team ready to reload

The Park Hill Football team finds itself in a tough, but familiar position coming into the 2010 season. With conference and district titles along with a 9-2 record in 2009, the Trojans hope to reload once again. After losing a highly talented and experienced senior class to graduation, they only return a handful of starters. A class of only 17 seniors means the Trojans will rely heavily on experienced seniors and a large group of juniors.

Coach Greg Reynolds has been pleased with the team’s progress up to this point, but believes consistency, especially with a younger team, is what will determine a lot in this team’s success.

“I’ve seen some good things out of our kids, but consistently being able to do it against some of the good teams we play is something we have a long way to go on,” Reynolds said.

Senior Adam Vanderpool returns to anchor the offensive line with Nathan Wilson taking the snaps at quarterback. Fullback Jordan Wang will offer the Trojans flexibility in both the run and pass game. Beginning the season as a backup last year, 1,000 yard rusher Trace Norfleet will be a name for opposing defenses to reckon with.

“He’s doing a really good job of leading by example. He’s not really a big yeller, he just goes about it,” Reynolds said of Norfleet. “He’s starting to learn the offense better for someone who started a majority of last year. He’s really starting to see the passing game part of it.”

Traditionally a run-heavy offense, the Trojans may lean on the pass more this year with Norfleet coming out of the backfield and two-way starter De’Aris Flint at wide receiver. It’s one thing Reynolds says is an advantage to this year’s team, the amount of options they have available.

“That’s something we have this year we haven’t had in a while,” Reynolds said. “Trace is more comfortable as a receiver now than last year and we can do some of the same things with Jordan who is more like a tailback at fullback.”

On defense, Flint will lead a strong group of young linebackers who have emerged so far in practice. DB Burt Taylor and safety Dylan Jones have stepped up as two of the more vocal leaders of the defense.

“We have the talent to be good, but until we play as a team and forget about individual stats we won’t be very good,” Reynolds said describing his team’s potential.

The Trojans will find out right away the progress they’ve made. They kick-off the season against Liberty. Park Hill won last year 20-11. Next, they’ll travel to play a Ruskin team no one is sure what to expect out of. The Trojans will then take on rival Park Hill South in week three.

“We’ll find out where we’re at real quick,” Reynolds said. “It’s the same thing I’ve told my teams for twelve years now. Until you give yourself up for someone else, then you’ll never reach your full potential.”