Preseason Review Featuring East Central Hornets

East Central, led by Coach Joe Hubbard, finished 9-4 and 4-2 in district last year. In 2025, they're expected to compete for the district title again and make another deep playoff run, building on their strong foundation and returning talent. Here are some key players who will make some noice in 2025:    Jay is an athletic and versatile player making a promising transition from wide receiver to quarterback. His background as a WR gives him excellent field awareness, route knowledge, and an innate understanding of timing in the passing game, which translates well into his new role.   Jay shows natural leadership on the field, displaying confidence in his decision making and an ability to read defenses quickly. His mobility and agility allow him to extend plays outside the pocket, creating opportunities both through the air and on the ground.   While still developing his mechanics and footwork specific to quarterback play, Jay's strong arm and accurate throws stand out in practice and scrimmages. His ability to throw on the move and deliver catchable balls into tight windows shows potential for growth.   With continued work on pocket presence and progressing through his reads consistently, Jay could become a dynamic dual threat quarterback who keeps defenses off balance.     Ja'Tarius is a quick and reliable receiver with good hands and sharp route running. He creates separation well and makes tough catches in traffic. His speed and agility make him dangerous after the catch. With more experience, he can be a key playmaker.     Joseph is an elite wide receiver with a rare blend of speed, agility, and reliable hands. His route running is polished, showing great discipline in creating separation and reading defensive coverages. He consistently makes contested catches and is fearless going across the middle or in traffic.   Beyond his physical gifts, Joseph demonstrates strong leadership on and off the field, often rallying teammates and setting a high standard in practice. His work ethic is exceptional always pushing to improve technique and conditioning.   With multiple D1 offers, Joseph has proven he can perform at a high level against top competition. His ability to make big plays in crucial moments makes him a true game changer and a player to watch as he moves forward.     Deirrion is a dynamic and explosive wide receiver who is poised to make an immediate and lasting impact on any offense. His combination of speed, agility, and strong hands allows him to consistently create separation and make plays downfield. Deirrion runs precise routes with great technique, showing a natural ability to read defenses and adjust on the fly to find open windows.   He's not just a deep threat Deirrion is tough after the catch, using his quickness and strength to break tackles and gain extra yards. His competitiveness and physicality make him effective in contested catch situations, whether fighting through traffic or making tough grabs across the middle.   He approaches every practice with intensity and a desire to improve, constantly refining his footwork, release, and hands. His coachability and leadership qualities set him apart, as he pushes teammates to elevate their game and leads by example both on and off the field.     Braylon is a physical and instinctive linebacker who consistently reads plays quickly and fills gaps with aggression. He shows solid tackling technique and isn't afraid to take on blockers head on. His speed and athleticism allow him to cover ground sideline to sideline, making him effective in both run support and pass coverage. With his leadership and work ethic, Braylon is a key presence on defense and a player to watch.     Ray is a highly skilled wide receiver with excellent hands and sharp route. running ability. He consistently creates separation with quick, precise cuts and shows great awareness of defensive coverages. Ray's speed and agility make him a threat both on deep routes and in the short to intermediate game, where he excels at gaining yards after the catch.     Gabriel is a confident and instinctive defensive back with excellent ball skills and quick reactions. He reads the quarterback well and stays disciplined in coverage, making it difficult for receivers to get open. Gabriel is physical in run support, delivering solid tackles and showing good angles to the ball carrier.   His speed and agility allow him to stay with receivers in man coverage and break on the ball in zone schemes. Gabriel awareness and anticipation help him create turnovers and disrupt passing lanes consistently.     Trumaine is a physical and aggressive linebacker with a strong presence on the field. He reads plays quickly and attacks the ball carrier with good instincts and solid tackling fundamentals. Trumaine shows the speed and agility to cover tight ends and running backs in pass coverage, making him versatile in multiple defensive schemes.   His leadership and work ethic stand out, as he consistently pushes teammates and leads by example. Trumaine's ability to diagnose plays and flow sideline to sideline makes him a key contributor on defense.    East Central enters the 2025 season looking to build on last year's strong 9-4 campaign under Head Coach Joe Hubbard. With momentum on their side and a solid foundation in place, the Hornets aim to make another deep playoff run and contend for a district title. If key players step up and the team stays locked in, East Central could be one of the tougher teams to face in the region this fall.

East Central, led by Coach Joe Hubbard, finished 9-4 and 4-2 in district last year. In 2025, they're expected to compete for the district title again and make another deep playoff run, building on their strong foundation and returning talent. Here are some key players who will make some noice in 2025: