2023 Spring Review: Cardinal Newman Cardinals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>COLUMBIA |</strong> Significant progress was made under first-year head coach Corey Helms at Cardinal Newman.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For openers, the Cardinals returned to the post-season after a two-year absence. And while the gap with SCISA champion Hammond remains, the team has a higher self-belief and progress toward the goal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This improved attitude is evident during spring practice. Despite a late start as players competed in other spring sports playoffs and took Advanced Placement exams, the rising seniors and newcomers have managed to quickly gel and displayed a higher focus and intensity on the field and in the weight room.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We're definitely in a lot better place because we had over a year with Coach Helms at this point,” quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='589049' first='Duncan' last='Skehan']</strong> said. “We have so many new pieces that I'm very excited about and we have a bunch of returning players who are going to make an impact on this league and this team.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Helms credits the seniors for serving as de facto assistant coaches in enforcing discipline and setting the tone. Among those leaders is Skehan (6-foot-2, 220 pounds), whom Helms called a “big-time quarterback” who possesses physical gifts and leadership skills to play at the next level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Skehan will have complementary players at his disposal. There's versatile running back <strong>Troy Seal</strong>, who provides both a rushing and receiving threat out of the backfield, and a bevy of wide receivers in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139303' first='Cortez' last='Lane']</strong> (who recently received an offer from Wofford), <strong>Darius Bailem, Emanuel Gerena, Tyler Wilson and Deandre Ham.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“He's going to make them look good, but they're also going to make him look good, too,” Helms said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The line play on both sides of the football, Helms said, will determine the team level of success. Rising seniors center <strong>Whenston McLeod</strong> and newcomer <strong>Carson Atkinson</strong> and rising junior tackle <strong>Jack Laird</strong> have set the workmanlike attitude pushed even further by the former offensive line coach at Gray Collegiate Academy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The linebacking unit will have a brotherly connection with twins <strong>Libby Rogers</strong> in the middle and <strong>Braxton Rogers</strong> on the outside. Both are described as “heat-seeking” missiles for their aggressive pursuit of tackles and big hits.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cardinal Newman is expected to conclude spring workouts May 25.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":832577,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Whenston McLeod","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2405","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Cardinal Newman","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cliu003eA 2-year letterman who plays bigger than his 5-foot 9, 262 pound frame.u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eUses experience, strong hands and technique to get an advantage at the line of scrimmage which run blockingu003c/liu003eu003cliu003eBench presses 275 pounds and squats 425 poundsu003c/liu003eu003cliu003eA reliable piece of the offensive line","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":832575,"_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Troy Seal","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Cardinal Newman","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"u003cliu003eArgubly the Cardinals' most versatile player. 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