The Warren County High School football team won’t have a shortage of people to catch passes this season.
The cupboard is stocked at wide receiver as the Pioneers prepare to spread the wealth on offense under first-year offensive coordinator Pedro Holiday.
Coach Holiday, who coached wide receivers the past two seasons, knows he has a group of playmakers on the outside and his hope is to take advantage of those Pioneers as much as possible.
“I’m pleased with what I see from the guys and how they’re doing in the offense we’re running,” said Holiday. “Guys are making plays, especially our seniors and juniors. We have lots of depth at receiver and tight end.”
Senior Mitchell Ashford and junior Lee Carden lead a group of Pioneer wide receivers who helped Hunter Mullican set passing records last fall.
Ashford enters his senior season ranked sixth all time in catches at Warren County with 48 receptions. Ashford had 28 catches last season, tying for the team lead with Carden. Ashford’s 356 yards led the team.
With 12 more catches, Ashford will become the program’s all-time leading receiver, topping the mark held currently by Matt McCarter.
Ashford, who had four catches in Saturday’s intersquad scrimmage, may have to set the bar high or Carden could be the record holder by the time he graduates.
Carden enters his junior year with 31 career grabs. Carden has been a standout this preseason, including catching a touchdown Saturday night in the “Blue and White” scrimmage.
Multi-purpose back D’Andre League will see his share of time at wide receiver as well. League caught 19 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown last year.
Senior Kendall Rutledge also caught 19 passes and a touchdown last year. Rutledge finished with 170 yards for the season, most coming against Cookeville when Rutledge caught 10 passes for 108 yards.
Seniors Maurkel Breedlove, Jeremiah Lance and Jacob Newby provide Mullican with three big targets as each stand over 6-foot-tall.
Sophomores Malik Ladet and Jordan Tidwell will each be trying to crack the rotation at receiver this fall.
The Pioneer offense will include tight ends this season and senior Aaron McKinley looks primed to have a breakout year at the position.
McKinley had three catches in the last three games of the 2011 season, proving the position could play a big role for Warren County. Senior Justin Crittenden is a solid blocker who has good hands. Sophomore Chayse Frye also has the size and speed to be a target this year for the Pioneers.
Freshmen Ethan Fliss, Evan Reynolds, Josh Clark and Robert Haywood could all play big roles in the Pioneer passing attack for the JV team.
Editor’s note: This is part four of a seven-part series breaking down the WCHS football roster. Friday’s edition will feature offensive and defensive linemen.