Gridiron Football Preview-Elizabethton Star 2020 | Page 4

The expectation has not changed… Cyclones looking to repeat as State Champs in 2020 BY IVAN SANDERS STAR SPORTS EDITOR [email protected] Winning a state football championship could be compared to going to one of the best seafood restaurants at the beach and leaving with a full stomach of the best fish that the restaurant has to offer. Once you get a taste, you are even more anxious to go back and get another round, and its all you can think about until your next vacation. Much can be said about how the Elizabethton Cyclones are heading into the 2020 season after running a demanding gauntlet last season in finishing 15-0 and as the 2019 Class 4-A State Champs with a convincing win over Springfield in Cookeville. Even though the team lost some key players such as Cade Maupin, Jaxton Holly, Carson Stresemann, and Zach Hartman to name a few, there are even more standout players that return this season. Wide receiver Parker Hughes, quarterback Bryson Rollins, wide receiver Braden Holly, offensive linemen Cole Morganstern, Wes Shawn Witten Head Coach Erwin, and Owen Slagle to name a few. Pages couldn’t contain all that head coach Shawn Witten would have to say about his returners and the hard work that each member of the 85 players on the roster have put into putting themselves into position for another run at the gold ball. But obviously, these players just didn’t walk into the halls of Elizabethton and become overnight state champs. There are many factors that go into developing a state championship team and it starts with the 4 coaches. “Football takes an army. This year we have 85 kids on our roster and 55 kids that are ninth and tenth graders,” said Witten. “You have to have coaches that can coach those kids. You don’t know when it’s going to click for a kid, you don’t know when a kid is going to develop, and you don’t know when he’s going to develop self-esteem and self-confidence. “He’s just one play away from turning it on.” Witten should know as he enters his 14th season at the helm of the Cyclones and having to not only get buy-in from his coaching staff but each player that has aspirations of putting on the orange and black. “In high school football, you never know what you are going to lose from one year to the next, Witten stated. “You may graduate linemen, you may graduate people with skill, you may graduate a big class or a small class. “If you don’t develop kids when they first get on campus and if you don’t coach every kid - from one to 88 we coach every kid. “Every kid goes through the same workout and we define those kid’s rolls. Carson Stresemann is a 2020 Elizabethton Schedule September 4—Open 11—at Daniel Boone 18—at Grainger County* 25—at Cherokee October 2—WILLIAM BLOUNT 9—UNION COUNTY* **Homecoming** 16— at Greeneville* 22—at Sullivan South* **Thursday** 30—SULLIVAN CENTRAL* **Senior Night**Home November 6—Playoffs begin. The season result will determine the location. ALL CAPS denotes home games * denotes region games