FOOTBALL '24: Wildcats again loaded for bear

RAMSEUR — Last season was one to remember for the Eastern Randolph High School Wildcats. 

From winning the Piedmont Athletic Conference championship to advancing to the fourth round of the state 1-A playoffs to five straight shutouts to incredible individual performances and to recording its third straight double-digit win season, 2023 will go down as one of the most exciting in the rich tradition of ERHS football.

But veteran coach Burton Cates said he realizes last year was last year and this year’s edition of the Wildcats hasn’t won anything — yet.

“Our philosophy is always leave it better than you found it,” said the veteran coach, who is 57-13 since he began his second stint with the Wildcats in 2018. “We strive for these kids to leave it better. There are great expectations.”

After one of the most historic campaigns in which ER dropped its first and last games of the season, fashioning a 12-game winning streak in between, improving on those numbers will be difficult. But the Wildcats have the talent to at least reach for those stars.

Sophomore quarterback Cade McCallum is set to begin his reign at quarterback after leading the jayvee team and seeing some action on Friday nights. A gifted athlete, McCallum isn’t as big as the graduated Carter Revelle, but McCallum’s arm strength and pinpoint accuracy are strengths.

“He has a great understanding of our offense,” Cates said. “The middle school runs the same thing we do and even our youth program uses the same terminology. We are going to play to his strengths. He has an uncanny ability to throw the ball to open spots. He has a great understanding of where the receiver will be.”

There are plenty of options at receiver. Rayden West and DaSean Shamberger are returning all-league receivers and they’ll be joined by Caden Revelle, Octavius Maynard, Mason Carson, Donnell Watson and tight end Julian Brooks, a four-year starter. Aidan Goodman is set for a breakout season and will act as backup quarterback as well.

However, when the running game features who the Wildcats return, the ball may never have to go into the air. Lucas Smith and Kobe Walker spearhead a running attack that was incredible last year, with Smith breaking the 1,600-yard barrier, even though he missed time early in the season, and Walker simply projected to be a two-way star and one of the top talents in the state.

“Lucas really came into his own last season and Kobe rushed for more than 900 yards and averaged 12.6 yards a carry,” Cates said.

Of course, it all starts up front and the Wildcats have been blessed with talented, hard-working offensive linemen. This year is no different as Will Stalker, Maddox Carson, Eber Castanon, Peyton DeWitt and Jackson Bare will be counted on.

“We feel this group is young in some areas, but we have good size and they have been working out by themselves, something that never happened before,” Cates said. “We had our team workouts at 7:30 in the morning and the line would work at 6 p.m. that night by themselves. I think it brought that group together.” 

The five straight shutouts recorded last year are going to be difficult to match, but there is no question, Cates said, the defense could be just as good or better.

“The strength of this year’s defense is going to be overall speed,” Cates said. “They are going to be faster than last year. We’ve got some people who can run and they got stronger. Whenever it’s said and done, if we can keep people healthy, defensively we can be a pretty good unit.”

Brooks, who recently committed to Wofford, will lead the DL with Stalker and Trey Headen, a transfer who was all-league at Southeast Alamance during his freshman season, joining the Wildcats. Zuri Francis will also play a big role.

Walker, who had an outstanding season as a freshman on defense, will be at linebacker and along with sophomore James Combs, the two underclassmen should enjoy outstanding seasons. Smith will also be there and Shamberger, West, Watson and Day’Veion Ford will be in the secondary.

“Our kids are excited for the challenge,” Cates said. “Leave it better than you found it.”