Talented East Bladen football team needs to stay healthy

ELIZABETHTOWN – The number of players on the roster may be less than preferred, but the talent and experience of those players is expected to keep the East Bladen football team in the playoff chase in the newly formed Carolina Conference.

“We’re at 25 head on the varsity,” Eagles head coach Robby Priest said, “so, we’re going to have a lot of gentlemen going both ways, but we’re kind of deep as far as the kids that got some action last year. I think that’ll be a plus so we can rotate guys in and out. That’s good growth. We just can’t have anybody get injured.”

East Bladen was 5-7 last season, losing in the second round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A playoffs to North Duplin 35-8. It was the 11th trip to the postseason in Priest’s 12 years as head coach. The lone non-playoff season came in the COVID-shortened and delayed 2020-21 season when the Eagles went 5-2.

Offensively, East Bladen will rely on an experienced offensive line to open holes for its run-first attack. Senior Gereal Maye along with juniors Jaxon Hair, Justin Garrett and William Borza return. Newcomer Jacques Vereen, a 6-foot-3, 330-pound transfer student from Green Sea, South Carolina, will bring size and strength to the interior group.

The players on the offensive line are “definitely bigger and stronger this year,” Priest said. “They’re not like deer in headlights now. They got a really good taste of what it’s like last year. They busted their tails in the weight room. I like the way we’re headed with them.”

The quintet will be blocking for running backs Dashon Campbell, a senior who led the Eagles with 750 yards rushing last season and also scored eight touchdowns, junior Riley Collins and sophomore Jaden Lewis. The quarterback will be senior Keyshaun Kemp.

“I like the running back group,” said Priest, who is 88-55 as a head coach. “I like the quarterback situation. The offensive line is a year older and a year stronger. So, we have some positive stuff to build off of, but we’ve got to get in better shape and we have got to learn how to tackle a little bit better.”

Defensively, seniors Julio Murillo and Maye are expected to anchor the defensive front with juniors Braylan Johnson and Kaden Johnson on the outside. Campbell, who weighs 235 pounds, will play middle linebacker with seniors Xavier Potts and Julius Battle on the outside. The secondary will have seniors Braylon Cromartie, Raheem Lewis, Kemp and Jaden Lewis.

“We have a good group,” Priest said. “They all get along. A lot of them hang out together and that’s a plus as far as chemistry goes.”

With a limited roster, it comes down to avoiding injuries as much as possible for the Eagles to be in the conference race. North Duplin won the Carolina 1A Conference last season, beating Lakewood in the regular season, but losing to the Leopards in the second round of the playoffs.

The new Carolina Conference has 2A members East Bladen, Hobbton, Lakewood, North Duplin, Union and West Columbus along with 1A East Columbus.

Here is the East Bladen schedule:

August 22 – at Heide Trask; 29 – West Bladen

September 5 – at Whiteville; 12 – Clinton; 19 – West Columbus; 26 – Hobbton

October 3 – at North Duplin; 10 – at East Columbus; 17 – Lakewood; 24 – at Union