Middle Creek, Green Hope in running for SWAC 'ship

The Middle Creek Mustangs played in the 4-AA eastern regional final game a season ago, and quarterback Brant Grisel is back for his senior season in hopes of taking the team even further.

Grisel threw for more than 3,000 yards with 35 touchdowns as a junior. Coach Mike Castellano will need to replace several receivers after the Mustangs lose Curtis Burston and Jay Shuler. If the team finds skill players on the receiving end of Grisel’s passes, the Mustang offense should be successful. On defense, five starters come back.

Green Hope has its own high-caliber quarterback in Luke Massei, who stepped in as a starter last season when Chris Tutwiler went down with an injury.

Massei is a senior now, coming off a year where he threw for 2,860 yards and 29 touchdowns. Wide receiver Bryce Dixon was all-conference as a sophomore and he’s back for his junior year, and all-conference defensive back Ridge Ford had 81 tackles and six interceptions as a sophomore. The Falcons’ experience should help them improve on last season’s five wins.

Panther Creek has just two offensive starters and three defensive starters back, but quarterback Brendan Magner and wide receiver Tre Sullivan are both third-year starters.

The Catamounts will also get help from Southern Durham transfer Toney Bass, who played at running back for the Spartans and won a state championship in 2013.

Holly Springs has a familiar face as their new head coach. Wayne Bragg, former Panther Creek coach and Green Hope athletic director, returns to coaching in hopes of improving the Golden Hawks’ .500 record from last year.

The team has many all-conference returners, including linebacker and tight end D.J. Cornish and junior running back Trey Staten. Holly Springs is still in search of a starting quarterback.

Fuquay-Varina lost in the first round of the playoffs in 2013, but most of the Bengal defense returns. The team played six sophomores and two freshman last season, and coach Jeb Hall hopes the experience given to younger players will pay off one year later.

Demarus Williams also returns for a senior year. He has more than 2,700 career rushing yards.

Apex won just one SWAC game last season, but the increased role of junior Ian Boyd should help the Cougars. Boyd is a basketball star but also has a football offer from East Carolina after being used as a running back and receiver in the Apex offense.

Athens Drive and Cary both play difficult non-conference schedules to start the year, hoping their teams will be able to respond to the challenge and rise in the ranks of the SWAC. Both teams finished in the bottom half of the conference standings last year.