Bulldogs reload, aim for fourth-straight

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — The Martinsburg Bulldogs head into 2013 looking for their fourth straight Class AAA title – something no other program has done in the state. Although the Bulldogs return only a handful of starters on both sides of the ball, there’s no reason to believe head coach Dave Walker’s club won’t simply reload.

“Winning is all this group of seniors know, so it’s what they expect,” said Walker. “It’s going to a big task for us with the kids that we’ve lost, but I know the work ethic of our team will be championship caliber.”

Walker has to replace his quarterback and receiver tandem of Justin ‘Cookie’ Clinton and Cedric Brown. Clinton totaled more than 1,000 yards both in the air and on the ground in 2012, while scoring over 40 total touchdowns. The talented wide receiver Brown moved on to play at Ohio University.

Another hole to fill is at running back where Trey Boyd’s status was one of the biggest questions in the state this summer. He totaled 832 yards and 14 touchdowns on 106 carries last year, despite an injury that kept him out for much of his sophomore season. Boyd and his family moved back to Florida earlier this year.

As for replacing Clinton, senior Malique Watkins will move from receiver to quarterback.

“Watkins is very talented and this year he has to do what Cookie (Clinton) did last year. He’s got to be able to carry that responsibility,” said Walker. “It’ll be a big adjustment for him taking on that leadership and being the guy everyone will count on.”

Junior Mitchell Henson will also be competing for snaps at quarterback as well.

Elsewhere offensively, Martinsburg is looking for tight end Troy Walker and wide receiver Tory Lee to serve as reliable targets for Watkins. Eric Brown, the younger brother of Cedric Brown, will start at running back. The anchor and center of the Bulldogs’ offensive line, Cody Jenkins, is back as well.

Unlike the offense, Walker’s defense has an established identity at the top. Linebacker Daiquon Everhart is the top returning player to the unit, standing in at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds. He’ll be joined by Eric Davis and Eric Brown on the defensive line, as the leaders of the Martinsburg defense.

“We have a really good nucleus of kids that played defense for us last year. I think that when we start out we’ll be a little ahead defensively than what we can do offensively,” added Walker.

As usual, Martinsburg’s schedule is loaded early with some difficult out of state opponents, along with tough instate test against Morgantown in late September.

— Greg Madia