recruitNoVA Top 30 (2019) - #25 Romy MIner - Broad Run

recruitNoVA Fab 30: Romello Miner WR #25
by Jim McGrath, recruitNoVA

It is the rare football player who stands out equally well on both sides of the ball. Over the past years, several have made their mark as offensive and defensive standouts – most notably Eugene Asante and Taylor Morin of Westfield, and South Lakes’ Spencer Alston.

Heading into the regular season, we recognize the top 30 senior prospects in and around Northern Virginia. Continuing our countdown at number 25 is Broad Run High School wide receiver Romello Miner.

#25 Romello Miner (2020 WR 6-2 186) – Broad Run High School

Yet as the Broad Run Spartans aim to avenge last year’s painful home playoff loss to Stone Bridge, they will be looking closely at their star wide receiver and cornerback to help them to get over the hump and into the state semifinals. In Romy Miner, they have that player.

Miner, who transferred into the Ashburn school from the Bullis School in Maryland (same
school which produced new Redskins QB Dwayne Haskins, Jr.), made an immediate impact on the Spartans. At wide receiver he shared first-team all-Potomac District and Region 5C honors with Tai Felton of Stone Bridge and Tyler Savage from John Champe. Miner, whose full first name is Romello, also snatched up second-team All-District honors at cornerback.

Look for more this year. Miner has filled out, carrying 186 pounds on his six-foot-one frame, yet his 4.54 40-yard speed should not be affected, allowing for his speed game to take over as he catches passes, either from Mitch Griffis, his quarterback with the Spartans, or another opposing quarterback. In Miner’s perfect world, he will catch a pass from most of the QB’s in Loudoun County.

Last year, the senior picked off three balls, but his strength was in his ability to get in the way of oncoming passes, as noted by his 13 breakups, which tied a Broad Run team record. Offensively, Miner led the Spartans with 54 receptions, which totaled 619 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns.

His contributions helped both ways as Broad Run ran off to an 11-2 record, with the defense allowing only ten points per game. However, the season came to an abrupt and shocking end as Stone Bridge toppled the Spartans 35-6 in an all-Ashburn region final.

To date, Central Michigan and Fordham have been the leading two suitors for Miner, but with the loss of Tim Baldwin, who transferred, Miner should be the focal point of Griffis’ receiving corps, with big numbers to follow. The Spartans open play at home on August 29 against Tuscarora.

Recruit NoVA Top 30 Seniors - #30 - Jared Cole (Stone Bridge)

As Stone Bridge prepares to make yet another state championship run at the Class 5 level, their
star running back is ready to cap his successful prep career before heading north to don the dark red, gray, and black of the Massachusetts Minutemen.

But Jared Cole knows there is still unfinished business to take care of in Ashburn.

On the heels of last year’s disheartening 37-26 state final loss to four-time defending champion Highland Springs, the rising senior and his teammates are ready for the challenge of winning states.

“I think we have a good shot. Obviously we need to grow as a team over the season but we have play makers all over field on offense, and a strong defense this year,” said Cole, who will return to his tailback position this year as the featured back. “I think we also have a lot more experience from the season last year and know what it takes to get to the (state final) game and to win it.”

Last season saw the emergence of the 5-9, 180-pound Cole as a quick threat and added weapon to a backfield that also included Nick Mell and his 1,200 yards of rushing. Cole, however, made his own mark, rushing for over 1,000 yards on just 87 carries for an eye-popping 12-yard per carry average. His hands were also a benefit for the Bulldogs out of the backfield as the junior grabbed 20 catches for 306 yards. In all, Cole accounted for 1,426 total yards and 18 touchdowns, as Stone Bridge marched to a 12-3 record, stunning Broad Run in the 5C Region championship before falling to the Springers in the Class 5 state championship.

In the Broad Run game, it was Cole’s 30-yard rushing touchdown that gave the Bulldogs a 21-6 lead just before halftime and took all of the home field momentum away from the Spartans.

Cole’s versatility captured the eye of several schools, including Maryland and Georgetown. Yet in the end, it was running back Coach Fredi Knighten from UMass who made the winning pitch to earn the services of the Minutemen’s new running back. In fact, UMass may have extra plans for Cole, who has also returned a few punts and kickoffs for Coach Mickey Thompson.

Says Cole, “They (UMass) want me at running back, but see me able to catch balls out of the backfield, play in the slot a little, but primarily running back.”

In other words, a role similar to another favorite football son from New England – one Julian Edelman.

The Bulldogs will launch their regular season on August 30, with an away opener against Centreville.

Legendary T.C. Williams Football Coach Bill Yoast Passes at 94

One of the icons of Alexandria sports history is gone. Bill Yoast, former football coach at Francis C. Hammond and T.C. Williams High schools passed away on Friday. He was 94.

Yoast, who was born in 1924, grew up in Florence, Alabama, and was a star high school athlete. After high school, he served three years in the Air Force before settling on Georgia Military College and Mercer University, where he continued his athletic career, as well as earning a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education. He later earned a Masters, and Ed.S. degree from Peabody College in Nashville.

Yoast decided to devote his life to teaching and coaching. His initial foray as a football coach was not successful as his first team at Sparta High (GA) went 4-35-1 under his tutelage from 1949-1952. He had more success with his second team, Roswell High, posting a 25-33-1 record from 1954-59, including a region title in 1956.

However, Yoast and his family, which included wife Betty, and four daughters: Bonnie (1951–2003), Angela (born 1956), Sheryl (1962–1996), and Deidre (born 1968), moved to Alexandria in the late 1950’s, and Yoast found his greatest football success, coaching at Francis C. Hammond High. Under Yoast, the Admirals won the Northern Virginia regional championship in 1969.

Yet it would be Yoast’s next move that eventually made him famous. In 1971, in response to the Supreme Court ruling on the Swann vs. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education case, which legitimized busing as a method to achieve desegregation, the city of Alexandria adopted the K6-2-2-2 Plan (Kindergarten through sixth grade for Elementary school, two years in Middle school, two years in junior (Grades 9-10) high school and two years in Senior (Grades 11-12) high School). The plan was to bring racial and economic balance to the city school system. With the Alexandria school board voting to integrate schools, Hammond and George Washington High schools became the city junior high schools for 9^th and 10^th graders, leaving a newer school, T.C. Williams, built in 1965, as the only senior high school in the city.

In an effort to quash racial tension, Yoast accepted a position on the staff of newly hired T.C. football coach Herman Boone, who had moved from North Carolina to accept the head position. The bonding of Boone and Yoast, and the effect on the Titan team would form the storyline of Disney’s 2000 movie “Remember the Titans,” starring Denzel Washington as Boone, and Will Patton, as Yoast.

The 1971 team that formed the backbone of the movie, won the Virginia state championship while compiling a 13-0 record and #2 national ranking. Defense was the team’s calling card, and the Titans allowed just 45 points during the season, while pitching eight shutouts, including one in the 27-0 state final win over Andrew Lewis. (Note: The close game over Marshall which served as the movie’s “state final” was a 21-16 win for T.C. in Week 5).

Yoast also coached baseball and track in Alexandria, and he was named a Coach of the Year in both Georgia and Virginia. After retirement, Yoast moved to Fenwick Island, DE, where he was well known for his newfound fame, as well as his beachside residence, aptly named “The Coach House.”

Lake Braddock's Edwards Sees Early Recruiting Interest (as seen on RecruitNoVA.com)

For Lake Braddock quarterback Billy Edwards, the fire to get back into competition is as obvious as his fiery red hair.

“I just have to enjoy the (off-season) process and get ready to ball out with my brothers this year,” said Edwards, who enjoyed a breakthrough year with the Bruins in 2018. After a rough 1-2 start, Lake Braddock reeled off six wins in a row, only to drop a pair of close decisions to South County in the season finale and opening playoff round. One of the reasons for the turnaround was the maturation of their junior quarterback.

In three games, against Oakton, Yorktown and Fairfax, the 6’2”, 180-pounder threw for four scores, and Edwards finished his junior season with 2,247 yards passing and 28 touchdowns.

So, how is he preparing for the encore?

recruitNoVA.com talked with Edwards at their showcase, held at Redskin Park in Ashburn, and co-headlined with Sparta Science, in March. At that camp, he spoke of the quality of the competition and looked forward to more opportunities.

He has not been shy about finding them. “I have the Nike Regional next weekend, so I’ve been preparing for that,” said Edwards. “I have been working a lot on my mechanics and tuning them up before camps and college workouts.”

The heat is also starting to rise with his recruitment process.

“I have started talking with a few new schools, such as Maryland, Syracuse and Virginia Tech,” he added. “I am currently deciding my camp schedule for the summer, and am planning on attending about 10-12 college one-day camps.”

Lake Braddock, coached by Mike Dougherty, will also be busy on the summer circuit, with 7-on-7 passing competitions at Falls Church and Mount Vernon on the menu. The expectation will be to develop the symmetry among the offensive players with the hope of improving from last year’s squad, which went 7-4. A deeper run into the Class 6 playoffs would also be a boost for the Bruin program.

Of course, there is one other detail to tend to.

“I’m hoping to come out with a few offers this summer after all the camps, but if not, I’ll just keep working until it’s my time,” said Edwards in a concluding thought.

Big Weekend For Hunter's As Loudoun Valley Boys and Drew Win Championships

While Marc and Joan Hunter's Loudoun Valley High boys
were winning the Virginia Class 4 title, their son Drew
(above) placed first in the USATF national
championship 2-mile in Staten Island, NY

A cursory glance at the boys Class 4 indoor track results reveals two things. First, Loudoun Valley is not giving up its stranglehold of the long-distance events anytime soon. And second, the Vikings are starting to find points in other places.

Granted, they weren’t needed last weekend as the boys racked up 31 points in the 1600 and 32 more in the 3200, en route to a championship winning 97-point total, which routed runner-up Blacksburg by 61.

Amazingly the event totals weren’t even a VHSL record, or Viking team record for that matter.

“Last year, our boys scored 37 points in the 1600, taking 1-6, and 8th. So this year was not quite as good, thanks to Omar's outstanding 2nd place effort,” said Viking co-coach Joan Hunter, referring to Dominion’s Omar Aougab, who trimmed seven seconds off his personal best to claim runner-up with a time of 4:21.30.

The Vikings did claim the first four spots in the 3200, with winner Jacob Hunter (9:26.49), second-place Carlos Shultz (9:27.89), Kellen Hasle (9:31.05) and Alec Venable (9:45.00) earning 29 points for the Valley, while Connor Wells (9:47.77) took sixth for the other three.

Sam Affolder (2:28.36) and Jacob Windle (2:34.28) went 2-4 in the 1000, and the 3200 relay of Windle, Wells, Hunter and Affolder won on Friday with an 8:00.36 effort.

Although LV didn’t score in the field, they did earn points in non-distance events. Akere Simms placed fourth in the 500 with a time of 1:07.87, and the 1600 relay quartet of Affolder, Windle, Simms and Essa Elhaji placed third in 3:31.55, a time which could have been better, according to Coach Hunter.

“Essa actually almost went down at the exchange, put his hand down on the track and bounced back up. It definitely cost us some time, so we were happy to run a season's best  (entry time of 3:33) given that.”

There was another reason for the weekend to be a family celebration for the Hunters. While Joan and Marc were coaching and Jacob was running in Salem, 460 miles away, at Staten Island’s Ocean Breeze track facility, the oldest Hunter son, Drew, won the Toyota USATF two-mile national championship. Hunter’s feat was more amazing because as he told NBC Sports’ Louis Johnson, “I didn’t have a seed time, so I had to run in the first heat.” His winning time of 8:25.29 in the “B’ race was good enough to earn the title as the “A” entries refused to push the pace and Eric Avila ended up winning in 8:32.41.

“It was a good weekend for our family,” said Joan Hunter on Monday.