2022 Preview: Midland Valley Mustangs
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The last time Midland Valley took the field, the Mustangs were a huge underdog in a playoff game that many felt they didn’t deserve to make after going 1-9 in the regular season. They were summarily dismantled and sent packing into the offseason.
No one in coach Earl Chaptman’s proximity believes Midland Valley will back into the postseason in 2022.
On paper, Midland Valley looks to be one of the most improved teams in all of Class 4A heading into the season. And the Mustangs aren’t thinking gradual improvement.
“I think our ceiling is region champions. I think our bottom is No. 2 in the region,” Chaptman said. “Maybe I’m delusional. But I think we have that much talent. But it’s not necessarily that I believe that. It’s that I see that in them. I see they believe it."
Midland Valley had one of the biggest storylines of the offseason when running back [player_tooltip player_id="91348" first="Traevon" last="Dunbar"] transferred from Silver Bluff. The likely future Power 5 tailback put up 2,100 yards of offense for the Bulldogs last year while reaching the end zone nearly 30 times, so the move was certainly notable, even if he is rehabbing a knee injury and will likely miss at least some time this fall.
Regardless, Midland Valley has plenty of other reasons for optimism, too.
Offensively, Dunbar will be joining a loaded backfield that already includes running backs [player_tooltip player_id="231445" first="Joenathan" last="Peeples"] (614 yards, nine touchdowns last year) and [player_tooltip player_id="272712" first="Preston" last="McNair"] (256 yards, one touchdown), quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="262690" first="TJ" last="McElmurray Jr"] (1,309 yards, 10 touchdowns passing; 187 yards, two touchdowns rushing) and multifaceted slot and running back [player_tooltip player_id="267472" first="Antrone" last="Butler"] (214 yards and a touchdown rushing, 126 yards receiving).
Those players were as effective as they were - and expected to do much more this year - because of three linemen with the necessary tools to pave the way. Left tackle [player_tooltip player_id="267450" first="Braydn" last="Kesselring"] (6-foot-3, 260 pounds), right tackle [player_tooltip player_id="336152" first="Arian" last="Mozone"] (who is now 6-foot-3 and close to 340 pounds) and left guard <strong>Ashton Mozone</strong> (6-foot-3, 290 pounds) are among the biggest linemen in the entire CSRA.
The addition of <strong>Dez Evans</strong>, the school’s starting point guard, could also be key in adding another target on the outside.
Defensively, it starts with the talented linebacking corps of sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="272716" first="Andon" last="Hawkins"] and juniors <strong>Dominic Morgan</strong> and <strong>Garrett Miller</strong>. Those three put up 45, 55 and 58 tackles, respectively, in 2021 while covering large areas.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
Two other transfers, corner <strong>Jaydn Simpkins</strong> (also previously at Silver Bluff) and linebacker <strong>CJ Golphin</strong> (moved in from the Atlanta area) will see snaps galore while the likes of [player_tooltip player_id="263164" first="Calvin" last="Stokes"], <strong>Aimory Mozone</strong> (the youngest of the three Mozone brothers currently on the roster), <strong>Rashard Butler</strong> and <strong>Leon Robertson</strong> will lead the charge up front on a squad that might play as many as 10 people on the defensive line.
All that depth is another reason Chaptman is feeling good about this fall.
“That’s the thing that really has helped us,” the second-year coach said. “It’s good to have that for injuries, things like that. It’s almost like a security blanket. There might be a little drop-off, but it’s not playing a kid you’re trying to hide.”
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