Coach : James

Gilbert, 8^th season

 

: 7-4

(lost regional semifinals)

: 3-8

(lost regional first round)

4-7 (lost regional first round)

 

Rewind : Bassett

made it seven consecutive seasons with a postseason berth, but lost in the first

round for the second straight year.  Last season started out well as the Bengals

beat Carroll County 17-14 in their opener.  A four-game losing streak in the

middle of the year against strong competition nearly derailed any playoff hopes,

but district wins against Tunstall and Patrick County earned the Bengals the

five seed in region IV, division 4.  They were unable to repeat their

season-opening win, though, as Carroll County beat them 39-21.

 

Dashaun Valentine, jr, 6-0, 208, QB

Daniel Martin, jr, 5-6, 163, WR/DB

Eddie Bowman, jr, 6-0, 205, RB/LB

Zach

Atwood, sr, 6-0, 148, P/K*

Bryor

Daniels, sr, 5-10, 167, WR/LB

 

 

Click Here to view this Link.Outlook

: Bassett

has become a perennial playoff team under coach Gilbert's watch and with the

expanded playoffs in region IV, the Bengals should be aiming for an eighth

straight appearance this fall.  Bassett will be a young team this year, but

returns plenty of experience on both sides of the ball.  Coaches expect just one

senior, Bryor Daniels, to start on both offense and defense this season, with a

large group of juniors expected to fill most starting positions.  Coach Gilbert

is hopeful that his team "has developed into a competitive team and will in the

hunt come playoff time."

 

Bassett must replace Shaq Finney, their most explosive player from 2010 and one

of the only Bengals to earn first-team all-district last fall.  Look for the

Bengals to rely heavily on junior quarterback Dashaun Valentine, who took over

the starting job early last fall and accounted for almost 900 yards and eight

touchdowns.  Juniors Eddie Bowman and Tra Ross are the leading returning rushers

(Bowman was third on the team in carries last year) and Daniel Martin is the

leading returning receiver.  Sophomore TE Ryan Wilkerson (6-3, 195) could be a

nice addition to Bassett's passing attack.  The Bengals have a young offensive

line, with three juniors and two sophomores expected to start.  Tackle Roger

Woody, at 6-3, 248, is the biggest of the bunch.

 

As

with the offense, Bassett's defense will be young, but will also have experience

returning.  Linebackers Bowman, Daniels, Patrick Moran and Zach Frame, will be

key.  Bowman and Moran both played quite a bit as sophomores last season, but

Frame and Daniels will be counted on to step into positions vacated by

graduation and the loss of all-district linebacker Mason Maples, who transferred

to Franklin County.  The defensive line will be equally young, but has a player

to watch in freshman Desmon Hairston (6-0, 341).  In the secondary, Daniel

Martin is the leader, after picking off five passes last year.

 

The

Bengals make one change to their schedule this year, replacing a game with

Amherst with a matchup against Hidden Valley.  The rest of the non-district

slate is tough with home games with Carroll County, Jefferson Forest and Hidden

Valley and road trips to Christiansburg and AAA schools Franklin County and

Patrick Henry.  In Piedmont District play, Martinsville and Patrick County will

come calling to Bassett late in the season.

 

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Photos provided by

Ray Reynolds Photography!