FEEDING THE
MONSTER
VELMA-ALMA READY TO
SHOWOUT IN NEW CAMPAIGN
BY KELLY WRAY
To feed the monster , you have to be the monster . Especially up front . With every starting offensive lineman back from last season ’ s 11-1 team , Velma-Alma head coach Randy Norton expects the Comets to dish out another helping of smash-mouth football in 2022 . It ’ s not like they haven ’ t done it before . The offensive line paved the way for an average of 47 points per game on the way to perfect 10-0 regular season . The Comets scored 50 or more points in 8 of the 12 outings .
And three returning seniors – center Kaeden Abshire , and guards Bryan Ely ( 6-2 , 290 ) and Stetson Page ( 6-6 , 320 ) – aren ’ t done yet . They ’ re back for more .
“ We have six or seven kids on both sides of the ball who have reps in big time situations , but I think the offensive line will be the strength of our team , especially early ,” Norton said . “ That ’ s the nucleus of who we have returning .”
They ’ ve been a huge – pun intended – part of creating the 8-man football monster V-A has become . Since moving to Class B in 2019 , the Comets are 30-3 overall and 27-1 in the regular season . Velma-Alma has advanced to the second round of the playoffs in the two opportunities it ’ s had . The Comets were not eligible for the playoffs in 2019 because of the off-year switch from 11-man to 8-man .
The comets ’ only regular season loss came against Snyder on Sept . 25 , 2020 . V-A avenged that loss just weeks later , knocking Snyder from the playoffs with a 58-56 victory in its first-ever postseason 8-man game . How dominant have the Comets been ? They ’ ve not been held to fewer than
20 points in the past three years and have befuddled foes by finding different ways to win . They ’ ve won with offensive explosiveness – see , Velma-Alma 58 , Snyder 56 ( Nov . 20 , 2020 ) – and stifling defense – see , 12 times the Comets have held opponents to two touchdowns or less .
Velma-Alma , one hungry monster , enters this season with a 15-game regular-season winning streak .
“ We have guys coming up that work hard , and we ’ ll show that ,” Crue Garrett , team captain and returning wide receiver , said . “ To anyone who thinks we can ’ t get it done , I ’ d say , ‘ We ’ ll show it .’”
THE O-LINE : This is the deepest unit on the team . Not only do the Comets return all three starting offensive linemen and tight end Joseph Davis , they ’ re loaded with young players who could vie for playing time .
Cooper Paramore and Luke Pollock have both improved over the offseason , Norton said . And senior Dylan Davis , who ’ s battled injuries much of his career , appears ready to compete , he said .
THE O-BACKFIELD : This is the unit hit hardest by graduation and transfers . Starting quarterback Tristan Wainscott graduated and took his talents to Abilene Christian , a D1 school in the WAC .
The all-area selection dominated nearly every offensive category for the Comets last season , averaging 191 yards rushing and 104 passing per game . He finished with 3,258 yards from scrimmage , scored 39 touchdowns rushing , and threw for another 11 scores .
Running back Lane Jones transferred to Marlow . He gained 964 yards and scored 14 TDs on 113 carried in 2021 . He caught 19 passes for 207 yards and one
56 STEPHENS COUNTY GRIDIRON GUIDE | 2022