Cross ready to contend in Division II Class playoffs

By David Shelton

Senior Writer

Cross - With one game remaining in the regular season, the Cross High football team is looking forward to the upcoming Division II Class A state playoffs next week.

Cross enters its final game of the season, with Burke, with a 7-2 record overall and undefeated in region 6-A. The game with Burke will decide the region championship. A win would clinch the title outright.

Head coach Shaun Wright, now in his third season, feels the Trojans are prepared and ready for an extended playoff run.

 “We certainly have the potential to do great things but we still are a fairly young football team,” said Wright, a graduate and former player at Cross. “We are a work in progress but we are progressing every day. But, at times, we practice and we play like a young football team. We’re trying to become consistent in everything that we do, starting in practice. That’s our biggest challenge. We have the talent but we lack consistency right now. We talk a lot about the process of preparing every day and taking care of the little things.”

Wright says about five seniors have full-time starting roles this season, leaving most of the significant playing time to underclassmen. One senior that is crucial to the team’s success is quarterback Jalen Frazier.

Frazier is a third-year starter under center and leads an option offense that averages about 300 yards rushing per game.

“I’ve never been around a more competitive kid,” said Wright of Frazier. “His will to win and do what it takes to win is incredible. He knows our offense as well as the coaches do and he’s been a tremendous leader. With what we do, I don’t know of another player anywhere that can do what he can do. He is surrounded by a lot of youth but he knows they are talented. He knows how to get everyone involved to make this offense a success.”

Sophomore running backs Devontae Shepherd and Dionte Evans are the featured ball-carriers in the offense. Shepherd leads the team with nearly 900 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. Evans has gained more than 500 yards.

“Both started as freshmen and both are very talented young men,” said Wright. “We use several guys to run the football and I think that balance and depth is helping us a lot in terms of teams trying to key on one guy.”

The lone senior on the offensive line is left tackle Stephon Shepherd.

Frazier also is a key leader on defense at cornerback. Junior Brandford Halls has been solid at free safety and junior Olin Pinckney is a leader at linebacker. Senior end Bijaan Cole and junior tackle Malik Gooding are top performers up front.