What to expect from the New Hampstead football team as Phoenix prepare for 2024 season

Kyle Hockman starts his sixth season leading the New Hampstead football program having transformed the Phoenix into one of the top teams in the Coastal Empire.

Last season, New Hampstead won its first playoff game under Hockman (and second in school history) as the Phoenix also hosted their first postseason contest — knocking off Westside Macon 42-12 in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs and closed out the season with a 6-5 record.

The Phoenix lost some talented players to graduation — including receiver Jaylen Hampton (Now at Western Kentucky), receiver Malachi Lonnon (Stetson), along with defensive linemen Kyron Anderson (Georgia Southern) and Aaziah Scott (Springfield College), along with four of five starters on the offensive line, but have a lot coming back.

Leading the way is senior Ra’Shawn Truell, who emerged as one of top quarterbacks in the state last season in his first year as a starter. He was named the All-Greater Savannah Offensive Player of the year after throwing for 38 touchdowns and 3,308 yards with six interceptions, while rushing for four more scores. He set a school record, passing for 533 yards with four touchdowns in a loss to Benedictine, and was named the co-winner of the Finocchiaro Award as the top player in Savannah with Calvary Day’s Jake Merklinger, now at Tennessee.

“Ra’Shawn can change the plays at the line of scrimmage whenever he wants to,” defensive coordinator/assistant head coach Rick Honaker said. “It’s great when your best players are your smartest players.”

Truell has offers including Bucknell, Arkansas State and Fort Valley State, and is looking forward to his senior campaign.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence coming into the season,” Truell said. “I had never started a game until last year, but we accomplished a lot of our goals — including hosting and winning that…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/expect-hampstead-football-team-phoenix-080617004.html

Author : Savannah Morning News

Publish date : 2024-07-29 08:06:17

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