By Billy G. Baker
Publisher
Denmark — Denmark-Olar head football coach Jarvis Littlejohn informs the HSSR that 31 varsity football candidates participated in Spring football drills at his school in rural Bamberg County in anticipation of the upcoming 2023 football season.
Last year the Vikings were 8-4 and finished third in their region.
“We are starting our third season and each year we have improved,” said Coach Littlejohn. “We went into our region game against Wagner-Salley last year with a chance to win the region had we beat them. We lost the game by four points and it put us back to third in the region.
“We have three starters back on offense and seven back on defense so we are spending a lot of time in Spring drills working out with a lot of new starters on offense,” said Coach Littlejohn. “We are inexperienced but talented over-all. Our focus is working hard and winning a region title this season.”
Coach Littlejohn went looking on defense to find the Vikings new quarterback after former Region Player of the Year Keithan Washington graduated last year after a solid four-year career that landed him a scholarship to Carson Newman. Trey Hinton (6-0,165) who had 9 interceptions as a defensive back last year at another school, will the team’s new field general.
“When you have 9 picks as a defensive back you know how to read coverages, so moving him over to quarterback made sense to us,” said Coach Littlejohn. “He has a high football I-Q with a strong arm. He is also a basketball player with good feet and good hands.”
Senior Jacques Donaldson (5-7, 180) has been a three-year starter in the secondary and he is moving to running back for his senior year. Trevic Whaley (5-9,170,4.4) is a transfer from O-W who is versatile and he will see action at running back, corner back, and wide receiver.
The offensive line will include three-year starter junior Reginald Youmans (5-11, 268) at a guard, and he will flip to nose guard on defense. Charleston Brown (6-0,250) is back as a two-year starter at center. Two other offensive linemen newcomers are freshman Rajahener Singleton (6-2, 270) up from the jayvee team, along with rising senior TJ Moody (6-0,245) who will see time at guard.
Rising junior tight end prospect Tykeem Ross (6-3, 235, 4.7) will once again be playing both ways. As an outside linebacker last year, Ross was named all-region, after making 84 tackles including, 14 TFL.
The receiving group will be led by junior Terrence Hinton (5-7,175,4.6) who had 18 catches for 195 yards last season. Hinton was an all-region basketball player. Hinton will play some corner back as well. Newcomer sophomore Geontae Staley will vie for a wide receiver slot also.
In the defensive line, Youmans is the nose and Kelveon Adams (5-10, 240) returns to a defensive end slot after earning all-region honors last year. Adams will also see time in the offensive line. Junior Shamarion Palmer (5-9,180) is returning for his third year at outside linebacker. Palmer will also handle punting duties. Jamarion Wise (6-1, 205) will move to tight end on offense and linebacker on defense after starting at defensive end last season.
“With some of our recent players like Keithan Washington getting a scholarship to play at Carson Newman, Jaquari Williams going to Newberry College, and TJ Willimas going on to SC State, their success has helped set a foundation for goal setting and focus among our current players,” said Coach Littlejohn. “We hope to make great strides during the 2023 season.”
Coach Littlejohn has 10 varsity assistants working him at Denmark-Olar. They are defensive coordinator/DL Matt Raysor, OC Terance Jones, OLB Kenneth McMillian, 0L Isiah Cann, RB Keyshawn Jenkins, DB Clifton Holman, TE Levticus Bell, QB Rico Tarler, and DL Charles Manigault, Cann has a son playing in the NFL with the Texans.
The Vikings will start the 2023 season hosting Baptist Hill before playing country rival Bamberg-Ehrhardt in week two.
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