Green Sea Floyds Trojans

Green Sea Floyds assistant coach Charles Elvington joked during the preseason that there is plenty of optimism in the community.

He admitted that most of it could be attributed to the construction of a new Family Dollar across from the high school. But the Trojans football program is surely a part of the hubbub as well.

Green Sea Floyds returns 16 starters from a team that finished 7-4 and made the Class A playoffs.

``The returning lettermen we have from last year, that's one of the strengths that we have,'' said head coach Wayne Williamson, who underwent surgery for melanoma late in the summer but will return for his second year at the helm.

The offense returns its leading rusher (Kentrell Dewitt), starting quarterback (Mitchell Dixon) and four members of the offensive line. The defense returns eight starters, including the team's leading tackler from 2007 (Fred McKivan).

Dewitt is a talented back with good speed and vision. He had three 100-yard games in 2007 and scored seven touchdowns.

``Kentrell will have to be our workhorse,'' Williamson said. ``He'll have to be the go-to man. I can guarantee you that. I think [Dixon] is going to improve on his skills because of being in there last year. He's going to be better at quarterback. It was a good move for moving him to quarterback last year.''

Dixon was 27-for-69 passing last year for 482 yards. He threw five touchdowns and eight interceptions, numbers that should improve after spending spring practice and the preseason as the starter.

The interest in the school's football program is high. This will be the first time in Williamson's six years as an assistant and head coach at Green Sea Floyds that the school has been able to field three separate football teams (varsity, junior varsity and B-team).

``We are headed in the direction of having three teams,'' Williamson said. ``Adding the B-team back will allow us to be special in the future.''

They might also be special in the present.