Winton Woods' Everhart wants 'to get in the playoffs and let it roll'

Cincinnati Winton Woods (11-2)

* Players To Watch – QB Dominique Brown (6-2, 226, Sr.), RB Jeremiah Goins (5-10, 235, Sr.), DB Avery Cunningham (6-1, 185, Sr.), NG Cameron Brown (6-2, 278, Sr.), CB Corey Webber (6-0, 171, Jr.), ILB David Hampton (6-1, 175, Sr.), RB Thomas Owens (5-10 ½, 205, Jr.), DB Chuck Wynn (5-11, 185, Jr.)

* Outlook – The Warriors entered the 2008 playoffs as the No. 1 seed in Region 8 and advanced to the regional finals where they fell to eventual state runner-up Cincinnati Anderson in a tight 24-21 contest.

Brown runs the show at quarterback and he is a verbal commitment to Cincinnati. Brown is ranked as the No. 43 senior in the state by Ohio High and he was a second-team All-Ohio selection last year when he rushed for over 1,000 yards.

“He’s an explosive runner,” head coach Troy Everhart said. “Dominique was the unanimous player of the year in our league (Fort Ancient Valley Conference). No one put anyone else against him. When the coaches in the conference that you play against notice that (Brown is a special player), that’s the first time I’ve ever seen that where no one else is even nominated.

“He might play safety in college and I think he could play on Sundays (in the NFL) as a safety.”

Goins has rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons (over 1,300 yards last year) and is closing in on Winton Woods’ career rushing record. He was a second-team All-Ohio pick last season.

“He has unbelievable quickness inside of the box,” Everhart said. “People underestimate his movement. He’s better than (Mister) Simpson (from Cincinnati Colerain) that was Division I AP Player of the Year a few years ago.

“Jeremiah needs that next speed. He’s got the fifth gear; he needs the overdrive. He can get you that hard yard and he will block for Dominique. But (Goins) has great lateral moves. He’ll start off right, move left and he’s just an impressive kid. He doesn’t have any offers yet; it’s a matter if people want a true fullback. But people are interested.

Cunningham captains the defense from his safety spot and he is ranked as one of the top 150 seniors in the state by Ohio High.

“Avery is probably the best safety in Cincinnati,” Everhart said. “Just having looked at all the lists and where kids are ranked, people didn’t have enough film on him. He had great camp season this summer. He was banged up as junior and people were a little cautious of him. Every camp he goes to, people are singing his praises. Off his sophomore year, he was getting great rankings. He was a starter from day one as sophomore.

“We’ve got three secondary guys that could play D-I in college (including Webber and Wynn). We’ve also got three out of four linebackers that could be D-I players. We’ve got to find some down linemen defensively to help Cameron.”

Everhart calls Cameron Brown “a sleeper” and says he has the potential to be “one of the better defensive linemen in the state.”

Webber started as sophomore last year and had four interceptions.

As for Hampton, he will be a defensive back in college, but Everhart says he’s a very good high school linebacker even though he’s a bit light to be playing the position.

“Dave’s an explosive kid and we probably should be playing him in the secondary, but he just so active around ball and we like to keep him in the box,” Everhart said. “The first thing they do at these college football camps is run the 40 and he was running in the high 4.4s and low 4.5s. And those are legitimate times.”

Following several years of success and with plenty of standout players returning, the Warriors are very confident entering the 2009 campaign.

“I think our kids now understand we should be in playoffs and should have a chance to host a first-round game,” Everhart said. “Instead of hoping, it’s expected.

 “Expectation two is to play for championships – first the league, then the region then the state. When we were D-I a few years ago, we sold the kids on winning the league and we didn’t talk too much about the playoffs. Now being D-II, we have a fighting chance to get in the playoffs and hopefully do some damage.

“That first-round game is a dogfight. It doesn’t matter if it’s 8 versus 1, 7 versus 2. Our regional final against Anderson was a bloodbath, but that first round game is always a tough one too (Winton Woods defeated Dayton Dunbar – which has moved down to D-III – in the first round last year). I just want to get in the playoffs and let it roll. I would expect that our guys after getting in the playoffs the last two years and experiencing the joy of winning, I would expect they are hungrier this year and I would expect us to move down the road.”

Schedule

Aug. 28, at Cincinnati Moeller, 5:30 p.m.*

Sept. 4, Cincinnati Withrow, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, at Fairfield, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, at Columbus Watterson, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Kings Mills Kings, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, at Cincinnati Anderson, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, at Harrison, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Milford, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, at Loveland, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Glen Este, 7:30 p.m.

* Notes: Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown at Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium