2024 Preview: CA Johnson Hornets

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>COLUMBIA | </strong>Riding the game-changing play of dual threat quarterback <strong>CJ Pearson</strong> helped CA Johnson post three consecutive winning seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With Pearson gone, the Hornets find themselves relying upon a young squad to continue that success. They also move to Region II-A with more Pee Dee Region teams like McBee, Lamar, Lewisville and McBee to go with familiar foes Lewisville and Great Falls.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A big focus for head coach Scotty Dean is at quarterback as rising freshman <strong>Zion Thomas</strong> has worked to adjust to the speed of the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The backfield is experienced with returning rising seniors <strong>Emanuel Davis</strong>, <strong>Jadaelen Harper</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360178' first='Keivonte' last='Bates']</strong> (both pictured numbers 10 and 8). The Hornets return four starters in tackle <strong>Jeremiah Johnson</strong>, <strong>Chris Wilder</strong>, guard <strong>Kwame Brooks</strong> and junior center <strong>Zymir Petrie</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wide receivers senior <strong>Terrell Golson</strong> (pictured number 22) and freshman <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1467850' first='Elijah' last='Harper']</strong> have shown promise during 7-on-7 scrimmages. Dean has also faced the challenges of having two-sport athletes missing time with commitments to their other sports this summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As C.A. Johnson looks to develop depth, look for Davis and Brooks to also see time on the defensive line with Class A All-State rising senior <strong>Angel Velez-Vann</strong>. Team leading tackler Harper and <strong>Jeremiah Miller</strong> return at linebacker and rising senior free safety <strong>Tyshon Grimes</strong> is one of the leaders in the secondary.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“It's going to help,” said Davis about the team leadership. “We've got more leaders on the team being vocal and able to help the younger guys out.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>STARS SET TO SHINE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zion Thomas </strong>QB 2028 – The Hornets will turn the ball over to the 6-foot-1 rising freshman who replaces the one-man offensive show of CJ Pearson.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Angel Velez-Vann</strong> DL 2025 – A Class A All-State selection with 38 tackles and four sacks last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360178' first='Keivonte' last='Bates'] </strong>RB 2025 – The Hornets' second-highest receptions leader last season who's expected to get more carries out of the backfield.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FILM REVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jadaelen Harper </strong>LB 2025 – A four-year starter, the 5-foot-8, 215-pound rising senior led the team with 58 tackles at defensive end. Described by head coach Scotty Dean as a coach on the field who gets teammates in position, he's a relentless defender who should make more plays at his natural middle linebacker position.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/18161233/64762cfcff0d1c0aa81b69a1' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669f463a0be58"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>BIGGEST LOSS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CJ Pearson </strong>QB – The Lexington/Richland District Five Player of the Year and Class A All-State selection with nearly 2,400 total yards and 28 touchdowns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mayke Convington </strong>WR 2026 –. A rising junior who looks to translate the speed exhibited from track and field to the wide receiver and defensive back position.</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":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Terrell Golson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"160","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2410","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"CA Johnson ","_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669f463a0d432"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">As a freshman, he was utilized both at running back, wide receiver and defensive back. He's an athlete who takes a fearless approach on both sides of the football and looks to be utilized as more of a playmaker for the Hornets. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19957311/652326c2d468d80b78091e22' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669f463a0d468"} /--> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->