2022 Season Preview: Clover Blue Eagles

Brandon Stockdale July 24, 2022 @ 07:45 PM

A mixed bag is probably the best way to sum up Clover's 2021 season. The Blue Eagles had two games canceled due to COVID-19, but still found a way to win four games. Now coach Brian Lane's squad hopes to grow on the strides made towards the back end of last season.    “The offseason has been good. We haven't had a real offseason in two years so now we're back to normalcy of the grind so it's been good for the coaches. I don't know how good it's been for the kids. It's been a little different for them getting back used to the daily grind but it's been good. We've had great attendance – our numbers, in our program, we've got about 157 kids so we're just trying to keep it going,” Lane said.   [player_tooltip player_id='202766' first='Joe' last='Boyd'] returns at quarterback for the Blue Eagles who can stretch the field with his arm and with his legs. Jaylon Hoover is the presumed backup to Boyd who Lane said has had a great summer, which should make for a solid duo in 2022.    “We're getting after it. Joe has done a great job through the summer. He's done a great job during 7 on 7s and like I was saying, we've got Jaylon Hoover (who) has been doing a good job as well so we've got two solid quarterbacks in there that's been doing really well so if Joe can't handle it, hopefully Jaylon can or vice versa so it's been a good offseason for both of them.”   On the offensive line, Hagan Smith has graduated and is off at Limestone University, which leaves a void to fill. Guard Connor Meade and AJ Mender, who has played both center and guard, will lead things up front. Clover will also have a few transfers that will play a role.   DeMarco Evans and Elijah Farmer return at running back, providing the Blue Eagles with a combo of speed and power at the position. Dion Brown, a Clemson baseball commit and Hunter Jaime will line up at wide receiver. Lane anticipates Jaime to be the number one guy to replace Darius Bowser, who is at Lenoir Rhyne University.   River Joye was a backup quarterback last year and you can expect him to see some action at receiver in 2022.   “When you put a quarterback at wide receiver who can move a little bit, he knows all the plays and he can catch so he's been a pleasant surprise this summer just seeing him just getting out there running around.”   Defensively, the Blue Eagles should be strong on the front seven with Omari Davis and [player_tooltip player_id='997351' first='Jayden' last='Bryant'] returning on the defensive line. Cooper Zohner was an All-Region linebacker in 2021 and finished with 90 tackles and 17 TFLs. Zohner will be accompanied by Emory Woodruff at linebacker.    [player_tooltip player_id='1575304' first='Ross' last='Brown'] is a sophomore defensive lineman who checks in at 6'4, 220 pounds and is a guy that no one knows about yet, but keep an eye on him heading into the 2022 season.   After a scrimmage against Providence Day out of Charlotte in the Bill Pate White Rose Classic at York Comprehensive High on August 12, Clover will open the 2022 season against Northwestern on August 26 followed by some tough non-region matchups on the road at Hillcrest and at home against York and Dorman before play in the modified 5A region begins, where nothing is guaranteed for anyone.   “You can't guarantee anything with 16, 17, 18-year olds and all you want to do is get out there and play ball and try to compete the best you can.”

A mixed bag is probably the best way to sum up Clover's 2021 season. The Blue Eagles had two games canceled due to COVID-19, but still found a way to win four games. Now coach Brian Lane's squad hopes to grow on the strides made towards the back end of last season.