Coach Sam Houston
Jeff Holt | The Easley Progress
Stone Turner takes a quick break at practice on Thursday for the Green Wave. Turner will be entering his senior year at EHS.
Jeff Holt | The Easley Progress
EASLEY — Just going to the weight room does not guarantee you great results. Cell phones can be a huge distraction or just chattin’ with your friends.
But there is good news for the Easley High School football fans … the off season chatter has been about the upgrade in the weightlifting program at EHS.
“It’s the first time for a year-round schedule of weight-lifting for returning players at EHS,” said Green Wave football coach Sam Houston. “I think we took some huge steps after the season. We looked back at areas that we needed to improve on and obviously we needed to get bigger, faster and stronger. We fully believe in the weight room and are going to live in there as much as we can.”
Houston said they have 60 in their “football lifting” class, which has led to almost 110 players taking part in their spring football practices (grades 9-11).
Jaxson Wilson, a rising senior, continues to be the clear-cut leader of the Easley lineman. He’s been getting a lot of work in at tackle and guard on the line and his versatility is key.
The quarterback situation for EHS starts and finishes with Jojo Coleman. Jay Stoker has transferred to a school in Georgia and that opens things up for Coleman as “the guy” to lead the Green Wave this season.
Coleman’s breakout game last season was in a 49-21 loss to Greenville. The talented Coleman completed 21-of-37 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown.
The interesting part, in the passing game, is that you have the 1-2 punch of Coleman to Matthew Hillstock returning this season. Hillstock had 5 catches in that Greenville game for 76 yards. Coleman can also break loose for those long runs at QB when none of his receivers are open.
Coleman will be a junior next season and Hillstock will return for his senior season. Hillstock has that breakaway speed, and it should be interesting to see how much the Coleman-to-Hillstock combination improves in the passing game.
I’m ready for that first game of the season when Easley takes on rival Pickens. You can bet it will be another great battle!
Reach Jeff Holt at 864-855-0355.