Farmer, Cleveland aim for top of Two Rivers

The reigning Two Rivers champion Cleveland Rams will have to overcome the loss of head coach Marc Morris if they hope to continue their success in 2014.

Morris departed the school for a coaching position in South Carolina during the offseason, freeing up a spot for assistant Scott Riley to take over. In Riley’s first year, he’ll lean heavily on talented starting quarterback Aaron Farmer. The senior is a three-year starter who threw for 1,373 yards and eight touchdowns in 2013. He was also second on his team in rushing with 1,092 yards and 12 touchdowns.

The Ram defense is anchored by big defensive lineman Sterling Johnson. The 6-foot-5, 280 pound senior was the conference’s defensive player of the year in 2013 and is verbally committed to Clemson University.

Cleveland isn’t the only team dealing with a change at head coach. Triton lost Ashley Ennis to North Johnston and promoted assistant Ben Penny to take his place. Triton won nine games in 2013 and has some experience returning in the backfield. All-Conference rusher D-Angelo Harris will lead the way for the Hawks, and senior Juwan Thompson plays both ways at running back and defensive back.

Corinth Holders is a young team on the rise after winning 7 games last season. Head coach Barry Honeycutt will have a talented senior quarterback in Cole Sakowski, who had more than 2,500 yards through the air as a junior with 30 total touchdowns.

Western Harnett won four games last year but has 16 returning starters on the field, while South Johnston and Smithfield-Selma each won one conference game in 2013 and hope to improve moving forward.