Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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28 UCW APRIL 26 - MAY 2, 2017 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM After one sub-.500 season in his first year back at his alma mater, Duran McLaurin has been the picture of consistency leading the Seventy-First football program. Over the last three seasons, his Falcons haven't finished lower than second place in the Mid-South 4-A Conference and have made it to the second round of the state playoffs two of the last three years. But things are about to get real for the Falcons, as they say, as they join Cumberland County rival Jack Britt in moving to the revamped Sandhills Conference with traditional football powers Scotland and Richmond Senior and dramatically improved Pinecrest. McLaurin respects the rich tradition of some of the members of the new league, but he is mindful of the fact that Seventy-First has won more football state titles than any other Cumberland County school, three, plus an Eastern 3-A title in the 1970s when no state championship was played for in that classification. "Seventy-First has some tradition as well,'' McLaurin said. "Pinecrest, Scotland and Richmond are all going to be big games for us just like everybody else. I hope our kids do what they do and stay focused.'' McLaurin was glad to have the option this spring of working with 21 players per practice, starting in April. "We're breaking in new receivers and getting a mesh in with some new things on offense,'' he said. "I couldn't wait until May. I wanted to get out here and see what it looks like.'' McLaurin said he's missing a few players who are playing spring sports, but the big thing this year is all of his assistant coaches are available for spring practice and not tied up coaching a spring sport. "We're doing okay with the numbers,'' he said. Despite the tough competition expected in the Sandhills Conference, McLaurin said he still expects to finish in the top echelon of the league. "We can't worry about what everyone else is doing,'' he said. Reggie Bryant, a wide receiver who will be a senior this fall, agrees with his coach. "The guys are a little scared and nervous, but I think we should do good,'' he said. "I like the competition.'' Bryant feels confident because of the return of Falcon quarterback Kyler Davis, who threw for 1,716 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. "He led the team well,'' Bryant said. "If somebody messed up, he picked them up.'' Bryant is hopeful that attitude will spread. "We've got to be confident in ourselves,'' he said. "If we can be confident, I think we should do it.'' The rebound at South View continued last season during Rodney Brewington's second season as the Tigers' head football coach. South View topped the .500 mark with a 7-5 record and earned the Mid-South 4-A Conference's third qualifying berth in the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs. But the 2017 Tigers, as well as all of the Cumberland County schools, face new challenges. Realignment puts South View in the new Patriot 4-A/3-A Conference that mixes members of the old Mid-South and the defunct Cape Fear Valley 3-A. Overhills, Pine Forest and South View will be the lone 4-A schools in a league that will include Cape Fear, Douglas Byrd, E.E. Smith, Gray's Creek, Terry Sanford and Westover. Cape Fear and Smith will be newcomers to the 3-A ranks next season. "We've been stressing to our kids we've got to work as hard as any team in the conference,'' Brewington said. "The standard is high and we want to find our place in it.'' Coaches had two choices this year on how to handle the spring workout session. Brewington opted for the one that let him meet with up to 21 players per day and hold practice in April. "Doing the 21 players allows us to get new kids that we feel can impact our program hands-on training,'' he said. "Really it's just understanding the plays and the formations.'' At the end of the workouts, Brewington wants his players to know all their offensive formations, base plays and check- offs. On defense, he wants them to know the base defense and how to react to the different formations they'll see this season. Jaquan Span, who will be a senior linebacker and running back this fall, said the team is focusing on unity this spring, along with staying on top of work in the classroom. "I don't feel there's a team we can't beat unless we don't feel like playing,'' Span said as he looked to the season ahead. "I want to be able to earn my team's respect and trust. "We've got to trust ourselves first. If we trust ourselves, it will be able to work.'' South View Preview: Tigers Aim to Continue Rebound Under Brewington by EARL VAUGHAN JR. Seventy-First Preview: Falcons Brace for Challenge by EARL VAUGHAN JR. EARL VAUGHAN JR., Sports Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. 910-987-5311 HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS Duran McLaurin Jaquan Span Reggie Bryant Attention Students: Do you have a story or idea to share with High School Highligts? Email us at highschoolhighlights@upandcomingweekly.com Rodney Brewington