Centennial Hopes to Improve on 5-5 Record in 2011

Coach Jeff Measor's Centennial Knights finished 5-5 last year and will have to find replacements for the 12 starters - four on offense and eight on defense - who graduated last year if they are to equal or better that mark in 2011.

The Knights offense should be a little ahead of their defense heading into a rugged Region 6-AAAAA season with seven experienced hands back on deck.

Senior quarterback Jimmy Meyer, who has already committed to Harvard, will return to lend experience to the position. He is a 57 percent passser, having thrown for 800 yards and four touchdowns a year ago. He also rushed for 140 yards and two more scores.

But Measor said Meyer was involved in spirited competition with Chase Rosenberg during spring practice for the starting position.

"It's very close," Meason said Monday. "It won't be decided until after the Marist scrimmage."

Centennial will also have two experienced ball carriers returning for the 2011 season in Zietrick Smith who accounted for 500 rushing yards and eight touchdowns last year, as well as Cameron Malone. The leading receiver returning is Wade Francis who had 20 receptions for 275 yards.

That group will operate behind a veteran offensive line that returns starters Vincent Calhoun, Mathias Hanna, Connor Riley and Juan Orozco.

Defensively, the Knights have a lot of mending to do with eight starting seniors having departed. The only starters returning include defensive back Amari Ross, linebacker Camrin Carty and Orozco, who plays on both sides of the ball.

Measor says he has a very young team but, "we have a talented group that hopes to be in contention to make the playoffs. If we stay healthy we can make the playoffs."