The Dillon Football Staff Welcomed 100 Players To Spring Drills In May
Dillon rising senior receiver Zay Robertson who caught 63 passes for around 1,000 yards last season. Robertson ran a 4.4 forty at the South Carolina football camp on June, 7th.
By Billy G. Baker
Publisher
Dillon—There were over 100 junior varsity and varsity football candidates participating in Spring football drills at Dillon High School, during the recently completed Spring drills, and head coach Kelvin Roller feels like the Wildcats will have a lot more depth this season, especially at the skill positions.
Dillon finished 10-2 last season. In this tradition rich football community, the goals and expectations never change. “We always want to be playing our best football once the play-offs start,” said Coach Roller. “We always have a goal of playing in the final game and competing for a state championship.
“I have coached at both Dillon and Marlboro Counties and sometimes you win a state championship, not so much for having more talent, but for having focused hard-working players who play with unity and purpose,” said Coach Roller. “It’s all about getting everyone, coaches included, to work towards a goal of winning a championship.”
Coach Roller does not like to shine a lot of light on incoming freshman players, before they have an opportunity to prove themselves under the lights, but he is very high on freshman quarterback Khayel Sam Fonga-Talia (6-2, 208) who impressed everyone on the Dillon jayvee team last year.
In fact, Fonga-Talia was invited to the Next Level Under Armour All-American (comprised of rising freshmen) game that was held on December, 26 in Orlando, Florida. Fonga-Talia was raised in Hawaii and the family moved to the Dillion area two years ago from Utah.
“Aside from his physical size, Khayel is a quarterback who can make all the throws,” said Coach Roller. “No doubt he is a special player with a huge upside. The thing that has also impressed me is his leadership skills to be an incoming freshman. The guys on the team look up to him and follow him around everywhere. He’s a young man that leads by example.”
The arrival of Fonga-Talia to the varsity should help the numbers of rising senior receiver Zay Robertson who caught 63 passes for around 1,000 yards last season. Robertson ran a 4.4 forty at the South Carolina football camp on June, 7th. To date he has picked up offers from the Naval Academy, East Carolina, Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina with many other colleges interested.
“Zay is just a great natural athlete who is also a talented basketball player,” said Coach Roller. “When he faces press coverage is it similar to the defenses he sees as a point guard on the basketball team. He is long and lengthy and he catches a ball at high point. He is so fluid and a great route runner also. He is a very smart football player.
“We expect Khayel to help Zay and vice-versa this season,” said Coach Roller. “We will have some talent on the other side also.”
Depth at WR is expected to come from senior Rike Niyongabo and Jotavious McAlister who is being moved from FS to slot receiver.
Senior Dominick Felton returns as a key running back after nursing injures his sophomore and junior seasons. “We know that Dominick is a good football player, and he gives us great depth at running back, but we need for him to stay healthy,” said Coach Roller.
The offensive line returns left guard Kiele Pompey (6-0,270). “He’s the strongest kid on the team,” said Coach Roller. “He is built like a brick house and he is very coachable.” Pompey will flip to the defensive line this season and start both ways.
The OL should also add depth from Dillon Christian sophomore transfer Jasper McEntyre (6-4,245) who will start at one of the tackle slots. “Jasper is a big kid with good football genes,” said Coach Roller. “His father played at Wofford and his grandfather played at South Carolina.
“Last year we had low numbers in the offensive line but we have a lot of younger players moving up from the jayvee so it has allowed us to move some players around,” said Coach Roller. “We expect Nate Rowell to play center for us this season and Dylan Grimsley will also provide depth in our offensive line.”
Freshman Nibras Huggins, cousin to former Dillon WR Ahmari Bruce Huggins who played at Louisville, will be the team’s back-up quarterback and he will add depth at receiver.
Coach Roller also said that linebacker Daniel Capehart (6-1, 195) looked good in the play-offs last year when he got some carries at running back. “Capehart has had an extremely good off-season and he is locked up with more strength this season. He runs a legit 4.5 forty. He reminds me of some of those old school I formation running backs that run down hill right at you.” Capehart will still start at linebacker on defense where he had 120 tackles last year including three TFL and three sacks.
Noah Singletary also returns to provide depth at running back. Keyshawn Ray will see action as a tight end and linebacker.
Speaking of the Nasty Cats of defense, leading tackler linebacker Keriyon Brown returns bigger, stronger and faster and he will lead the linebacking group. Brown led the defense with 158 total tackles last season, including 9 TFL and three sacks.
“Keriyon is a three-year starter with great football instincts and he was just a tackling machine last year,” said Coach Roller. “He is also a good team leader. He is an outstanding linebacker who can also come down and play in the box.”
Kelvion Manning returns at FS where he 49 tackles and five TFL a year ago. Tristian Blue returns to play LB after having 49 tackles and three sacks last season. JJ McAlister is back at one corner after having four picks last season. Sophomore Lucas Butler (6-1, 180) will see action in the defensive front this season. Jamir Washington and Dan Rogers will provide depth in the defensive front also. Dontavious Tanksley should provide depth at LB and in the DL.
Dillon will have a new kicker with the same last name of last year’s place kicker. Steven Rojas has graduated but his brother Jose Rojas will take over place kicking this season. While punting duties are still up in the air, JJ Campbell is back after doing a good job in the play-offs last season.
Coach Roller said the Dillon varsity coaching staff remains intact with no new additions.
Dillon’s first scrimmage in August will be hosted by Carolina Forest and they will also be joined by teams form North Myrtle Beach and West Florence. On June, 19 Dillon will also compete in a 7-on-7 skills competition camp at USC. Last year they played in the championship finals against a highly regarded team from Atlanta.
Dillon will once against host the Dillon Jamboree on August, 15 and the Wildcats will play Darlington. Dillon will start the regular season on the road at Scotland County, NC on August, 22. There next two games are at home against Socastee and Wilson.
