Storylines and Players to Watch in the 757 in 2019

As the High School Football season beckons in Virginia, everyone has a list of what they are most anticipating. Here are a few, along with my 25 most exciting players - Names to Know if you will - around the fertile '757' area code...

Last season the Titans came up short against Woodgrove in the VHSL Class 4 State Championship game at Liberty, losing 38-33. This year the Titans will be without WR Javon Harvey, who has graduated and will be playing for Old Dominion. The Titans also will be missing a plethora of other players that made their mark during the 2018 season.

Nonetheless, don't count out Hank Sawyer's group with a running back returning that nearly piled up 2000 yards as a sophomore, a seasoned QB in Jeff Foster, reliable members in the trenches and one of the fiercest linebackers playing in the Commonwealth by the name of Ikeem Wright.

The Springers are four-time defending State Champions and Loren Johnson has a nationally-ranked program with an unblemished mark (8-0) against teams from the '757' area code during that stretch. In the second week of the season, they will visit Oscar Smith in what is expected to be a Game of the Year contender.

There is plenty of intrigue around the Tigers, who appear to have most of their talent in the sophomore and junior classes. New Head Coach Chris Scott has a winning background, leading Ocean Lakes to a state title in 2014, and didn't run from big, spotlight matchups during his three-year stint at private school Catholic High (then Bishop Sullivan Catholic).

Last season, the Tigers were doomed by turnovers in a Region 6A Championship loss, ending their quest to reach the Class 6 State Final for a fourth consecutive year. They know taking care of the ball will be of the highest order when the Springers venture into Beard-DeLong-Easley Field.

Kempsville enters the season on an 0-56 slump, but new coach Daryl Cherry aims to end the drought. Will he get it done? Chiefs fans and players can only hope,.

There aren't any big-name recruits or marquee All-Region level talent on the roster. Yet, Cherry is fine with that and looking to build a lunch-pail mentality for a program that has shown signs of progress throughout the off-season at various summer camps, passing league and even during their scrimmages against Eastern District schools Churchland and Norview.

If the Chiefs don't get a win this season, then they could be in position to pass George Wythe of Richmond for the longest losing skid in state history come 2020.

This will be a storyline we at VirginiaPreps follow all season.

Yes, you read that right. Not 11. Eight-man football, which has become a reality for some private school programs around Virginia, and it may not be too far off in the distance for schools of smaller classifications at the public school sector. Many are hoping that doesn't end up being the case and participation numbers grow.

Last year, Greenbrier Christian Academy was the No. 5 seed in the VISFL eight-man football playoffs and lost to Brunswick Academy in a play-in game by one point.

The Gators - who changed coaches in the off-season when Tommy Austin left for Catholic and hired Kevin Washington - have their work cut out for them, no doubt.

Can the Gators advance further this season?

Aside from these storylines, my eyes are on 25 different players from the 757 in no particular order.

Princess Anne DB Tony Grimes is one of the hottest names in the class of 2021 and is ranked as the top 2021 prospect in the state by Rivals.com. Grimes currently holds offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, UNC, Ohio State, Oklahoma, ODU, Oregon, Penn State, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, UVA, Virginia Tech, Florida State, and more.

Ocean Lakes DE Naquan Brown is the second-ranked 2021 prospect by Rivals and is coming off a successful trip to UNC and is poised to attack in a loaded Beach District as the Dolphins look to win two more games than they did in 2018 after falling to Manchester in the VHSL Class 6 State Semis, 42-3. Brown has offers from LSU, Michigan, Penn State, ODU, Liberty, TCU, UVA, Virginia Tech, and a plethora of others.

Another Ocean Lakes player to watch is 2021 WR Myles Alston, someone that will also flip over to the defensive side of the ball and get some reps in the secondary. Alston will look to break his brother Mike’s single-game receiving record in 2019 and win their family bet, but will also be a key cog in the Dolphins’ offense this season. Alston holds offers from Maryland, East Carolina, Liberty, ODU, UVA, Virginia Tech, South Carolina and more.

2022 DL Seven Warren is a newcomer at Menchville this season after playing at Hampton Roads Academy last season. Warren looks to be one of the top prospects in the 2022 class in the state, but the question remains how he will play at Menchville versus Hampton Roads Academy? He'll get try to help the Monarchs get things turned around under new Head Coach Rodney Taylor.

Another DT to watch this season is Maury’s stopper Paul Hutson III. The sophomore lineman is going to be one of the top recruits out of the area in the Class of 2022 with his size, strength and upside. Hutson III already holds offers from Virginia Tech, Pitt, ECU, and Southern Miss just to name a few.

Catholic (formerly Bishop Sullivan) 2021 QB Colt Minson isn’t getting the attention he deserves in recruiting due to his 5’10” frame, but that won’t stop him and the Crusaders in their quest to win a VISAA title this season as they search for their first since 2013. Minson has verbal offers from Southern Miss and William and Mary currently.

2020 WR KeAndre Lambert is Rivals top-ranked 2020 prospect to not commit yet. Talented enough to play quarterback or receiver for the Commodores, Lambert looks to have a monster season this year and is looking to humble some of the defenders daring enough to be talking smack to him on social media, in pregame or on the field.. Lambert holds offers from Clemson, UVA, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Georgia, Florida, Miami, Notre Dame and a long list of others. No longer known as just the nephew of former Maury star and Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowler Kam Chancellr, Lambert is the 5th ranked 2020 prospect in the state.

2020 ATH LaMareon James is committed to UNC and the Tar Heels have gotten a special player in James. The 9th ranked 2020 recruit in the state can play anywhere. For Indian River, he'll likely get the football on jet sweeps, screens and line up at wide receiver, running back, maybe even some Wildcat quarterback. UNC with assistant Dre Bly, formerly a standout in Tidewater at Western Branch High, covets him as a defensive back. Much as the case is with former Hampton High star Dazz Newsome, James is gifted enough to dazzle on special teams in the return game, too.

Here are the rest of the 25 players in the 757 I most look forward to watching this season, in no order.

2020 Oscar Smith LB Malcolm Britt (ODU, Navy, Liberty, Air Force, Army, ++)

2020 Maury RB CJ Beasley (Committed to VT)

2020 Salem RB Kaelon Black (VT, Wake Forest, W&M, ++)

2020 Catholic S Nehki Meredith (Committed to NC St.)

2020 Norfolk Academy RB Jacob Saffold (Committed to Yale)

2021 Lake Taylor RB Malik Newton (Clemson, Tenn, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, ++)

2021 Booker T RB Rodney Hammond (Duke, Michigan, UNC, UVA, Virginia Tech, ++)

2020 Indian River DE Antwaun Powell (Committed to Florida)

2020 Cox DB Keontae Jenkins (Committed to TCU)

2020 Catholic OL Altrique Barlow (Committed to TCU)

2022 Green Run CB Tayon Holloway (ODU, Tenn, VT)

2022 Nansemond-Suffolk RB George Pettaway (Pitt, UVA, VT, +)

2022 Princess Anne WR JaVawn Burton Jr (Liberty, UVA, VT, +)

2022 Norview CB Daylen Everette

2021 Salem OLB Zemarion Harrell (Auburn, FAU, Tenn., ++)

2021 Cox ATH Nate Evans (Baylor, FSU, Tenn., VT, UVA, ++)

2021 Great Bridge TE Nathan Boerboom (VT, ECU, ODU)

There are countless more exciting players to name, but you will need to keep reading VirginiaPreps for those.