Tyler Leinberger was angry and frustrated like many when COVID-19 forced the postponement of Virginia's 2020 high school football season until the spring. But the unplanned hiatus led to a breakthrough for the Thomas Dale High School offensive lineman that turned him into a major college prospect. "I think that time, honestly, was a blessing for me,'' said Leinberger, who … [Read more...]

When Zakye Barker would cry as an infant, his father Zach would flip on the TV and try to find a football game. "I'd cry all day, but when he'd turn on the TV and put on football I'd stop crying,'' Barker said. "It was like I knew what was going on. So once I turned four they were like, 'Well, we have to put you in football.' I was all for it even though I couldn't start … [Read more...]

Greg Greene was strolling through the hallways at Durham's Riverside (NC) High School in the spring of 2018 when he passed a very large freshman. Greene, an assistant coach for Riverside's football team, didn't immediately recognize the student who he'd actually worked with as an eight-year-old. But Greene knew the then-6-foot-4, 285-pounder looked like he belonged on the … [Read more...]

Being first paid off for the East Carolina Pirates when it came to recruiting one of North Carolina's top high school defensive line prospects. The Pirates were the first college football program to offer a scholarship to J.D. Lampley from Richmond Senior High School in Rockingham way back in May 2020 while he was just a sophomore. The 6-foot-3, 295-pounder, who has already … [Read more...]

Defending Virginia Class 6 champion South County High School found itself trailing 22-21 with 3:40 left in the COVID-19 delayed 2020 state football semifinals last April against Madison. The Stallions needed to cover 90 yards during that span to make a return trip to the state finals. South County coach Tynan Rolander knew for the Stallions to have a chance to win, they had … [Read more...]