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The Ridge View Blazers enter the 2022 season with a lot of question marks and new faces. They lost 8 starters on offense and 9 starters on defense, though they do have some players returning with experience.
Offensively, the begin with a transfer quarterback from Heathwood Hall, Donald Tomlin (6’2,200). Tomlin is a big strong armed buy who stands tall in the pocket and can sling it. That will be good for the Blazers as they are strong at wide receiver with the Midlands 2nd and 4th ranked receivers in seniors Chris Lawson (6’1,170) and Zion Agnew (5’11,165). Another SCVarsity top wide reciever who transferred from AC Flora is Adonis McDaniel (5’10,160), who is a dangerous speciala teams guy too. Senior running back Marcus Kelly (5’10,170) is back and rushed for 600 yards in part time carreis in 2021. Senior tight end Tracy Stephens (6’4,200) is SCVarsity”s top tight end in 2023 class and gives Tomlin a big target.
Just one lone lineman returns and that is senior Jabari Gamble (6’0,200) so the rest will be new faces.
Defensively, one lone full time starter returns and that is senior Josh Saddler (6’3,220) at outside linebacker. He had 33 tackles, 3 sacks, 4 roced fumbles and 3 pass deflections as a junior. Look for cornerback Javon Gillespie to start after playing several games as a junior last season.
“We are so young,” said head coach Derek Howard, “it is vital that we learn how to play together early. We have a tough non region schedule with three 5A teams and a talented Lower Richland team and this should prepare us as a contender for our region crown.”
