2021 FOOTBALL Preview
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S1 2021 FOOTBALL Preview Featuring EAST SURRY EAST WILKES ELKIN FORBUSH MOUNT AIRY NORTH STOKES NORTH SURRY SOUTH STOKES STARMOUNT SURRY CENTRAL WEST STOKES S2 Carolina Roofing & Construction Our Family Has Been Taking Care Of Your Roofing & Home Improvement Needs Since 1934 2019 Winner NT AIR OU Y N M E E W H S T #1 & BEST MOUNTIE AWARD OF THE BEST Winner2021 What we can provide for your service needs Vinyl Siding · Paint Interior & Exterior · Seamless Gutters • Residential & Commercial Roofing Single Ply Rubber Specialist for all your Flat Roof Roofing needs Asphalt Shingles · Metal Roofing Meet Our Newest Addition Our family continues with the 5th generation PREVIEW 2021 PREVIEW Thomas Alexander Cochrane Professionalism Over Profit Since 1934 FOOTBALL 1375 South Main St | Mount Airy, NC 27030 (336) 786-1260 | carolina-roofing.business.site/ 2 70052333 S3 Things don’t always go as planned. We’re here for you. FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021 PREVIEW FOOTBALL Choose Well. Choose Northern. 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Airy, NC 27030 2300 rockford st. mount airy, nc Phone: 336-786-8659 Service: 336-786-4442 4 336-789-9011 70052412 www.brannockandhiattfurniture.com 70052251 MTAS5 2021-22 VARSITY GRANITE BEARS FOOTBALL TEAM Cory Smith | The Mount Airy News GranitE City Strong 2021 PREVIEW FOOTBALL By Cory Smith 4-3 overall, 4-1 conference, Northwest Honors: quarterback Holden Poindexter, the Year for the spring ‘21 season. Moore [email protected] 1A Conference Runner-up, lost in the first running back Cameron Moore, Dalton led the Bears in yards rushing and rushing round of 1AA State Playoffs Nance – who was honored as both a wide touchdowns, while Nance was the team’s TEAM KEY LOSSES receiver and defensive back – and defensive leading receiver in yards receiving and re- Mount Airy Granite Bears Mount Airy only graduated seven seniors back William Mayfield. ceiving TDs. HEAD COACH in 2021, but many of those seniors played Poindexter graduated as Mount Airy’s On defense, Nance and Mayfield helped J.K. Adkins, 24-8 record at Mount Airy critical roles for the Granite Bears. Four all-time leading passer and was named Mount Airy hold conference opponents to 5 LAST SEASON graduating seniors received All-Conference NW1A Conference Co-Offensive Player of just 23 points across five games. Nance led S6 MOUNT AIRY BEARS Jimmy Kuhn | Special to the News the team in pass deflections, while May- tackles per game in the spring. Fellow line- ell are strong returning players expected to tions last season. Tyler Mason and Mario field led the Bears in forced fumbles. backers Isom and Taylor were recognized get reps on defense. He also noted Mason Revels add to Mount Airy’s speed in the DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS as All-Conference honorable mentions last Hill, who was an All-Conference selection secondary. The Mount Airy defense returns its top seasons and look to make the top squad in on the offensive line last season, and Sao Zeb Stroup is also joined by his brother six tacklers from the 2020-21 school year: the new-look NW1A Conference. The two Lennon will share some duties on defense. Walker, now a sophomore, in the second- Reece Deaton, Nic Isom, Kasen Taylor, De- were second and third on the team in total Zeb Stroup, a force on both sides of the ary. ric Dandy, Zeb Stroup and Jonah Bilyeu. tackles as juniors. ball, returns for his senior season. The ath- Walker Stroup is one of two players com- “We do return a lot of experience on that Dandy was an intimidating force on the letic cornerback had a pair of interceptions peting for placekicking duties. Adkins said side of the ball,” said coach J.K. Adkins. defensive line as a 6-foot 4-inch, 210-pound to go along with two pass deflections in he has two really good options with Walker PREVIEW 2021 PREVIEW “We have some tough, physical kids and freshman. He picked up four sacks and two 2020-21. and Dylan Tilley. Tilley kicked PATs for the they’ve got a good understanding of what tackles for a loss during his first season “Zeb is a plug-and-play kind of guy,” Bears last season, hitting 24-of-27, and was their job is. It’s no secret that any time you with the varsity squad. Dandy had 40 tack- Adkins said. “He does a lot of good for us 2-of-3 on field goal attempts. have a good defense, you have a chance to les during the shortened 2020-21 season, wherever we need him.” “Dylan’s done a great job in the off-sea- FOOTBALL win football games.” and Bilyeu, a sophomore last season, had Mount Airy’s defensive backfield is filled son and has really strengthened his leg,” Deaton is a two-time All-Conference 31 tackles. with athletes. The Bears also return safety Atkins said. “Walker is a great kicker in his 6 linebacker that led the Bears with 11.0 Adkins said Caden Joyce and Logan Dow- Peyton Fonville, who had a pair of intercep- own right, too.” S7 MOUNT AIRY BEARS OFFENSE be a “ground-oriented, more option-based Mount Airy opens the season with games Wilkes on September 17. It will mark Ad- Mount Airy had a mix of rushing and offense.” against three county rivals. The Granite kins’ first game against his former team and passing offense in 2020-21 by averaging Of Mount Airy’s 31-total touchdowns in Bears played host in the latest edition of is the Bears’ first game in the new North- 212.0 yards on the ground and 141.2 in the 2020-21, 21 were scored by members of the the Sock Bowl against an improving North west 1A Conference. Elkin, East Wilkes and air. However, the Bears come into this sea- class of 2020. Of the 10 scored by returning Surry squad in week one, and came away Starmount join the NW1A Conference after son without their starting quarterback and players, Zeb Stroup and Tyler Mason each with a strong win, 43-0. Next, they will trav- leaving the Mountain Valley split confer- running back from last season. had three, and the following players each el down the road to face the defending 1AA ence. There are three candidates currently bat- had one: Deric Dandy, Peyton Fonville, Naz- West Regional Champs East Surry before “I’m far enough removed from that league tling for the job of starting QB: Zeb Stroup, rel Bell and Josh Penn. ending with a road game against Surry Cen- that I’m not quite sure what other people Ian Gallimore and Logan Fonville. Zeb is the Bell, Mason and Zeb Stroup each had tral, which makes the first meeting between have,” Adkins said. “I do think the new only QB with varsity experience. He served more than 100 yards rushing last season. the teams since 2018. conference makes sense in our area with as Mount Airy’s quarterback during the Bell and Stroup each had one rushing touch- Mount Airy’s schedule also includes enough 1A and 2A teams to split it up.” 2019-20 season and threw for 1,186 yards down, while Mason had three. games against the top two teams in the for- SCHEDULE and 16 touchdowns with a .531 completion Adkins highlighted Mason as one of the mer Mountain Valley 1A/2A Conference: Friday, 8/20 vs. North Surry 7:30 percentage. Zeb also served as backup QB Bears’ projected running backs. The coach Ashe County and Elkin. Ashe went unde- Friday, 8/27 @ East Surry 7:30 in Mount Airy’s playoff game against Pine also mentioned Reece Deaton, Traven feated during the spring 2021 regular sea- Friday, 9/3 @ Surry Central 7:30 Lake Prep in the spring. Thompson and Josh Penn as viable options. son before falling in the first round of the Friday, 9/10 vs. Ashe County 7:30 Fonville is a junior and Gallimore is a The Bears’ run game is boosted by its two 2AA State Playoffs. Friday, 9/17 @ East Wilkes* 7:30 sophomore. Fonville served as the Granite returning All-Conference linemen: Mason Elkin finished 6-2 last season. The Elks’ Friday, 9/24 vs. South Stokes* 7:30 Bears’ JV quarterback during the spring Hill and Kandon Davis. Both will be seniors only regular season loss was against Ashe Friday, 10/1 @ Starmount* 7:30 2021 season, while Gallimore was limited this season. Hill received his first All-Con- County, and the team reached the Elite Friday, 10/8 vs. North Stokes* 7:30 due to an injury. ference selection in the spring 2021 season, Eight of the 1A State Playoffs before losing Friday, 10/15 OPEN Adkins plans to use a “plethora of backs” while Davis has been honored the past two to the eventual state champion, Murphy.