GREENBRIER WEST
GREENBRIER WEST
Cavaliers looking to avoid injury bug
By Gary Fauber the register-herald
Kelly Vaughan has gone through two starkly different seasons as Greenbrier West’ s head football coach.
In his 2023 debut, the Cavaliers dominated through an undefeated regular season and rode that through to the Class A state championship game, ultimately falling to Williamstown.
Last season, the Cavs had to navigate through an injury-riddled campaign. They broke even at 5-5 but missed the playoffs after the runner-up finish.
From running back Isaac Agee to defensive end Colton Dunbar and linebacker C. W. Sturgell, the loses were many and meaningful.
“ We’ re not making excuses. I mean, last year was probably the worst I remember over the years I’ ve coached at Greenbrier West with the injury bug,” Vaughan said.“ I don’ t think we had a game where we had the full team. But that’ s part of the game, that’ s part of the adversity, part of the next-manup theory.
“ You just love seeing the kids having fun on Friday night, you see a couple were not being able to dress. It kind of hurts you as a coach, knowing the kids want to play.”
Moving on is what the Cavs plan on doing, and they will have to do so without the likes of Agee, Sturgell and nine other seniors.
“ We’ re going to be young coming out,” Vaughan conceded.“ We’ re still going to have 48, 49 kids. We’ re excited about that. We’ ve got a big freshman class, a big sophomore class, and I think those boys, with a little work and a little bit
Chris Jackson / For The Register-Herald
Greenbrier West’ s Kamden Sams( 12) breaks up a pass intended for Midland Trail’ s Will McGraw during a game in Hico.
of confidence building and being around the staff, hopefully we can muster something up this fall.”
Among the seniors who graduated is quarterback Evan Vandall, who impressed Vaughan in his only year playing the position.
“ I even told his parents, I said,‘ That boy, for never playing quarterback, did a heck of a job,’” Vaughan said.“ I was very proud of him.”
Those who have been working in the preseason to fill in are sophomore Mason Ward, junior Scott McClung and senior Kamden Sams.
Vandall was 66-of-133 passing for 745 yards, but he was also the team’ s leading rusher with 804 yards and 15 touchdowns. Brandon Poticher was next with 654 yards and three scores.
Both are gone, opening the door for several potential newcomers to the ground game.
Vaughan can see big things out of sophomore Ben Butler and senior Colton Chrisman. Junior Vinson Vaughan brings size and strength to the position.
Other candidates are junior Ty Pate, senior Kameron Parker and junior Shane Plogger.
Up front, the unquestioned leader is senior and four-year starter
Logan Berry( 6-foot-1, 220 pounds). Vaughan is pleased with the size across the line which will also include the likes of sophomore Colton Caruthers( 5-10, 220), senior Harry Vance, a Greenbrier East transfer( 6-0, 260), senior Lukas Dorsey( 6-4, 290) and sophomore Aiden Palmer( 5-8, 165).
Dunbar, a 6-4, 190-pound senior, will make his return from injury and play at either tight end or H-back.
“ He’ s one of those kids who can play multiple positions,” Vaughan said.
Sams is a candidate to catch the all if he’ s not passing it.
Other names of potential offensive contributors include newcomer junior Kaid Queen, sophomore Ryan Van Meter, sophomore Brenton Hodge and senior Emory Sanford.
On defense, Berry and Caruthers will play up front, along with Sanford and Dunbar. Also there will be Queen, sophomore twins Aaron Rodes and Andrew Rodes, as well as Van Meter.
Among the linebackers will be Pate, Parker and Vinson Vaughan.
In the secondary will be the likes of Plogger and Sams( six interceptions last season), Butler, Hodge and Chrisman.
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