Article on Mount View

[Bluefield_Rules 46]

http://www.bdtonline.com/articles/2005/08/20/sports/03satknights.txt

 

Catch these Knights if you can

Posted: Friday, Aug 19, 2005 - 11:14:56 pm EDT

By BRIAN WOODSON

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

 

WELCH - Some teams only wish they had speed. Mount View is loaded with it.

 

Adrian Thomas is the man who makes it go.A senior quarterback entering his second season as a starter for the Golden Knights, Thomas has a plethora of weapons, and now knows better what's expected of a signal-caller.

 

"I was kind of pleased, but it was a long year though with it being my first year," Thomas said. "There was a lot to learn and remember. It was a dream to be a quarterback, and I worked hard to get there.

 

"It was tough, learning all the plays, knowing where your receivers are supposed to be and knowing where the holes are for your backs."

 

Thomas, who played against Poca in the Class AA semifinals in 2003, can do a little bit of everything with the ball, an attribute that Mount View head coach Leon Gravely will seek to exploit this season.

 

"Adrian started all last year so he has some good experience," said Gravely, whose Knights have reached the postseason four years in a row. "He's got all the tools, he can run and he can throw the ball, and we feel like he'll step up this year and show what we can do."

 

It won't just be Thomas in the backfield. He has plenty of weapons and he knows what they all can do. His receivers, Eric Smith and Shannon Thomas are potential All-State performers, as his 6-foot-3, 287-pound offensive tackle Jason Martin. Gravely also added the "other" Thomas to that list.

 

"We have pretty good experience up front so we feel like we have some good possibilities this season," said Gravely, whose Knights host Chapmanville next Friday. "We feel good about it, we have good skill people with speed to the corner. We've got some nice football players, a good quarterback, solid receivers and nice backs so we think offensively we'll be pretty solid."

 

There's speed in tailbacks like Cory Hale, Deontae Baker, Phillip Spriggs and Antonio Horton, and then there's size, led by 207-pound fullback Brandon Cunningham and 260-pound William Hasty. Add three-year starter Bradley Blankenship on the line and it's little wonder the Knights could boast an explosive offense.

 

"We're going to be a strong line, we've got some big boys on the line, and we've got that speed," said Blankenship, who will also play linebacker this season for the first time. "This year we are way more dedicated than we were.

 

"This year if we keep doing what we're doing we can and get the pride built up, we've got it packed down. I believe we're going to be all right, we're going to do pretty good."

 

Mount View finished 6-4 last season, falling to Bluefield 58-0 in the state playoffs. What many have forgotten is that it was the Knights who nearly derailed the Beavers' perfect 14-0 season, dropping a heartbreaking 17-14 decision.

 

Thomas thinks this collection of Knights could be looking at a big season ahead. Thomas was pleased with what he saw in a scrimmage last Saturday against

 

"We looked real good today," Thomas said." I think we can make it all the way."

 

-Contact Brian Woodson

 

at bwoodson@bdtonline.com

[beaverball 10]

I'll go ahead and predict this will be the year MV finally lives up to their potential. They will go deep into the playoffs and may win the whole thing. I honestly don't see anyone on their schedule that can beat them, at least in the regular season.

[beaverbaseball 10]

[ QUOTE ]

I honestly don't see anyone on their schedule that can beat them, at least in the regular season.

 

[/ QUOTE ]

 

There is a team on there that CAN beat them..But will they beat them?? Time will only tell