Singleton, Village Christian eager for a return to the NCISAA playoffs
By Patrick Obley FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
Linebacker and running back Lee Singleton is a 'very verbal, very emotional' player, Knights coach Ray Stanifer said.
Posted: Friday, August 21, 2015 1:01 pm
By Patrick Obley Correspondent
Rabun Gap, Georgia, was a peculiar place for a North Carolina high school football team to make its first-ever state playoff appearance.
"It was a big shocker," Knights senior Lee Singleton said. "It was the state playoffs and we end up playing in Georgia. Not quite sure how that worked, but it was a 6-1/2-hour drive. We didn't give up but at the end of the day we lost, so that's that."
The work for the 2015 season began during the bus ride home following the 55-24 defeat.
"It's one word: Motivation," Singleton said. "We're a lot hungrier and I didn't really want to stop playing. We kept lifting and doing 7-on-7s, practicing one-on-one really from November until now."
Village Christian's playoff appearance will be the first of many, if Singleton has his way.
Singleton works his way, player by player, through practice offering his brand of old-school fire, said Village Christian coach Ray Stanifer.
"He's very verbal, very emotional," Stanifer said. "He takes everything seriously, but he has fun and he's just a ballplayer."
Stanifer harnesses that leadership by playing Singleton at middle linebacker where he is responsible for coverage calls.
Singleton's intangibles possibly are outstripped by his physical ability.
"He'll probably be our biggest college signee from here. His work ethic and motor . he's always around the football," Stanifer said. "He's a guy when I was in high school or college, I wouldn't want to have to line up against. He's going to get a lot of snaps at the running back position, too, and good luck to anyone trying to take him down in the open field."
The team motto this year is "11/16" - the date of this year's state championship. If Singleton and the Knights fulfill their promise, the road could go through Fayetteville, not Georgia.
"We're motivated," Singleton said. "There was a lot of pain, but a lot of motivation. We're hungry. I'm hungry."
By Patrick Obley FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
Linebacker and running back Lee Singleton is a 'very verbal, very emotional' player, Knights coach Ray Stanifer said.
Posted: Friday, August 21, 2015 1:01 pm
By Patrick Obley Correspondent
Rabun Gap, Georgia, was a peculiar place for a North Carolina high school football team to make its first-ever state playoff appearance.
"It was a big shocker," Knights senior Lee Singleton said. "It was the state playoffs and we end up playing in Georgia. Not quite sure how that worked, but it was a 6-1/2-hour drive. We didn't give up but at the end of the day we lost, so that's that."
The work for the 2015 season began during the bus ride home following the 55-24 defeat.
"It's one word: Motivation," Singleton said. "We're a lot hungrier and I didn't really want to stop playing. We kept lifting and doing 7-on-7s, practicing one-on-one really from November until now."
Village Christian's playoff appearance will be the first of many, if Singleton has his way.
Singleton works his way, player by player, through practice offering his brand of old-school fire, said Village Christian coach Ray Stanifer.
"He's very verbal, very emotional," Stanifer said. "He takes everything seriously, but he has fun and he's just a ballplayer."
Stanifer harnesses that leadership by playing Singleton at middle linebacker where he is responsible for coverage calls.
Singleton's intangibles possibly are outstripped by his physical ability.
"He'll probably be our biggest college signee from here. His work ethic and motor . he's always around the football," Stanifer said. "He's a guy when I was in high school or college, I wouldn't want to have to line up against. He's going to get a lot of snaps at the running back position, too, and good luck to anyone trying to take him down in the open field."
The team motto this year is "11/16" - the date of this year's state championship. If Singleton and the Knights fulfill their promise, the road could go through Fayetteville, not Georgia.
"We're motivated," Singleton said. "There was a lot of pain, but a lot of motivation. We're hungry. I'm hungry."
