Remember the Vikings

TRENTON - Coming off its first conference championship in more 30 years, the Jones Senior football team is looking even stronger in 2008.

The Trojans have 12 seniors, hungry to get past the third round of the 1-A state playoffs.

Last season's 54-0 loss to Plymouth in the playoffs is still engrained in the back of the player's minds. It marked the second-consecutive season the Trojans were bounced in the third round.

"That is our battle cry, we remember that," Jones Senior coach Greg Hampton said. "We have got to figure out a way to get past the third round."

Following up a 9-5 2007 season that included a Coastal Plains Conference title, the senior leaders will not be satisfied unless they win another championship.

"We still have to prove that just because people are gone, we can pull it together and play as a team and do our assignments and get what we have to get done," senior quarterback Covair Frost said.

Jones Senior's first game is slated for Friday against a traditionally tough opponent - Southwest Onslow, a team the Trojans lost to last season. By the time kickoff rolls around, Hampton is expecting to see a competitive team on the field once again.

"I am expecting to see a well-disciplined football team with a lot of speed to the ball, a good solid offensive unit and an aggressive defense," he said. "We want to make sure we do the small things right."

Hampton said the current seniors have been leading the team for several years. With this being their final year together, they are stepping it up another level, following the departure of a couple key performers.

The biggest void for the Trojans is on the defensive side of the ball, where they lost Kamar Frost, Taimak Willis and Jamel Meadows in the offseason.

Frost was second in the area with 11 sacks, while Willis and Meadows combined for 10 sacks.

"Those were outstanding players, but we did have some players behind them that are going to be able to fill in and step up to the plate," Hampton said.

OFFENSE

The Trojans are going to go as far as their experienced offensive line takes them this season.

Sherkan Smart is the lone junior for the Trojans up front, joining seniors Erik Gawlowski, Jonathan Abney, Darius Andrews and Donald Lee.

Behind the offensive line, Frost returns at quarterback, hoping to follow up a 1,418-yard, 21-touchdown passing performance last year.

"I know it is important for me to daggone be on everybody," Frost said. "We have got a lot of goals to accomplish and we have got some high standards."

The other offensive weapons for the Trojans will be wide receivers Josh Brown and Robbie Scott, along with junior Thomas Fryar.

Fryar hauled in 702 yards last season with 11 touchdowns, while Brown added 390 receiving yards and eight scores.

At running back, senior Robert Williams is slated as the starter. Kevin Kinsay and Vataughan Foy will also be vying for time at the position.

"We want to control the ball and the time, so we've been really working on our running game this year," Hampton said.

DEFENSE

The Jones Senior defense is seeing a new look by adopting the 3-5-3 formation. With the 3-5-3 defense, the Trojans will play three on the line, five at linebacker and three in the secondary.

Smart, Josh Ward and Shawheli Meadows are xpected to start on the defensive line. Brown, Scott, Darius Andrews, Kevin Kinsay, Kevin Strayhorn and Williams will fill the linebacker roles.

"We want to get to the ball a lot more," Hampton said. "We want our athletes on the field to make plays. We want to put pressure on the ball. We still have some things to work out, but we are getting there."

Kickoff against Southwest Onslow on Friday is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.