Head coach: Jake Fonvielle, South Columbus (N.C.)
On key position battles for fall practice:
>>``As we go into the beginning of the season everything is up for grabs. I hope they all compete at every position -- it would make me happy.''
>>''We are replacing our quarterback this year, and Brian Riggins looks like he is going to be the guy.''
>>``We got 15 starters returning.''
On any changes that may be noticeable as he replaces Joey Price:
>>''I played here for four years and coached here for eight, and
we have always done the same thing and it has always worked. No reason
to change something that has worked for the past 15 or 16 years.''
>>``We always have the same kind of kids. Hard-working kids, country kids that refuse to lose. Year in and year out the kinds of kids we get don't change a lot.''
On realignment in the North Carolina that alters the makeup of the Stallions' conference:
``We will still be in the Waccamaw Conference, but with a few different teams. I feel like the conference is a lot stronger. I feel like it is going to be a lot tougher competition.''
>>``I feel like this conference that we are in and this non-conference season is going to prepare us for the playoffs.''
On the adjustment to being the boss instead of an assistant:
``Everything is going well. I have been here for eight years and I worked right beside coach Price and I had been preparing myself to take on this responsibility. It is business as usual.''
A LITTLE EXTRA:
The Stallions will hold a midnight practice, actually it will begin at 12:01 a.m., on Friday night/Saturday morning (Aug. 7/8). North Carolina teams can't begin full-pad practices until seven days after the start of helmets only practice, which begins Saturday. The midnight practice is nothing new to South Columbus, but West Brunswick is doing the same thing this year.
RECRUITING NEWS:
>>Senior tight end/defensive end Ethan Farmer (6-2, 255) is a major FBS recruit. He is rated the 12th best tight end in his class by Rivals.com.
``He said he is going to wait to make a decision until he takes some official visits,'' Fonvielle said. ``If he had to pick where those visits would be today, it would probably be Clemson, Alabama, Tennessee, Penn State and N.C. State.''
>>Senior linebacker/fullback Jonathan Buffkin (6-1, 195 pounds) is drawing interest as a linebacker.
``He is getting a lot of looks,'' Fonvielle said. ``He is getting looks from Clemson and a lot of [FCS] schools, places like Liberty, Coastal Carolina, Western Carolina and Elon.''
>>Junior athlete Brian Riggins (6-1, 180) can play multiple positions and runs in the 4.5 40 range.
``Virginia Tech and East Carolina said they would probably make an early offer,'' Fonvielle said.
>>Junior tailback Jamal Hemingway, sophomore middle linebacker Darquale Richardson and senior defensive lineman Robert Rhue all have a chance to play college football.
