2024 Preview: Spring Valley Vikings

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 23 cannot arrive soon enough for Spring Valley linebacker <strong>Zakery Burelson</strong> (pictured). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's not only a district rivalry matchup with Richland Northeast for the Vikings. For Burelson, the game marks what he hopes is a new, positive beginning for a team that went 0-10 last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“You don't win a game, it can't really get any worse,” he said. “Just the feeling of not wanting that to happen again is really motivating a lot of players on the team.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Having the sympathetic ear of coaching legend Buddy Pough this summer gave second-year Spring Valley head coach Nygel Pearson some encouragement. His former head coach at South Carolina State underwent a similarly frustrating first season at Keenan before turning things around.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Entering Year Two, Pearson sees players he believe can create such a turnaround. New starting quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='477819' first='Dylan' last='Redden']</strong> has the mobility and throwing skills to implement Pearson's offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Running back <strong>Elijha Dillard</strong> is a returning starter. In front of him will be a mix of youth at guard and center and experience at tackle with senior <strong>Aguib Dramera</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Joel Amos</strong> will move to tight end this season, providing another fast target for Redden along with wide receiver <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1574044' first='Kellen' last='Dimes']</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pearson is excited about his defensive line where tackles <strong>Demarion-kalub Green</strong> and <strong>Kelvin Griffin</strong> should led a relatively young group upfront. <strong>Daniel Jenkins</strong> and Burelson will team up at linebacker and the secondary is experienced with <strong>Kingston Lucas</strong>, <strong>Will Alexander</strong> and <strong>Ethan Clarke</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>STARS SET TO SHINE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='477819' first='Dylan' last='Redden'] </strong>QB 2026 – The junior showed glimpses of his playmaking ability in two games as a starter last season. This year, the ball is being placed in his hands full time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1574044' first='Kellen' last='Dimes'] </strong>WR 2025 – The 5-foot-9, 150-pound senior is a three-year letterman. A state qualifier in the triple jump, he finds openings in the defense for receptions and is difficult to bring down after a catch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kelvin Griffin DL</strong> 2025 – At 5-foot-11 and 265 pounds, he plays an aggressive style at tackle and puts his full force in making a hit on a ball carrier,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FILM REVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zakery Burelson </strong>LB 2025 – After two seasons on the defensive line, the junior will move to linebacker this season. He has quick hands which he utilizes to force turnovers. He's also a verbal leader who looks to keep his teammates pointed in the right direction.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19409682/64fcf2f13dea820a10dd8618' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66ab0f8ee9095"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>BIGGEST LOSS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Aden Jones </strong>QB – The Vikings' starter the last two seasons is now at Lower Richland.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>Devan Crumpton </u></strong>DB 2024 – One of Spring Valley's leading defenders in the secondary.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Demarion-kalub Green </strong>DL 2026 –. Whether at tackle or guard, the 5-foot-11, 270-pound junior is always moving the pile. He uses his upper body strength to gain an advantage over the defender and exhibits a  burst of speed off the line of scrimmage following the snap.</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":"Kingston Lucas","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_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_weight":"156","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Spring Valley ","_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":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66ab0f8eec131"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">As a freshman, he played with a fierce intensity in the secondary. He showed an ability to out physical wide receivers as they left the line of scrimmage as well as showing a quick instinct for the football. Spring Valley also utilizes Lucas on offense where he can turn short catches into long yardage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19409682/64fcf2f13dea820a10dd8618' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66ab0f8eec179"} /--> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->