Returning starters (from left to right): Peter Petties, Khalil Norris, Glen Ashe, Michael Daniel, Adam Reed. Not pictured: Gage Ealey and Michael Hockaday.
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Howard County Football SportsCentralFacts: Class 2A South; Howard County
Last Year: 3-7 overall; 3-7 Howard County
Last Playoff Appearance: 2003, Class1A South semifinals
Highest State Poll Ranking: 10, Week 9, 1990
Coach: Jim Riss, 1st season
Offense: Spread/Jet
Defense: Flex 3-5
Returning Starters: Offense 2; Defense 4
Players to Watch: Adam Reed (So., WR/DB, 5-9, 155), Glen Ashe (Sr., OL/DL, 6-0, 175), Gage Ealey (Jr., OL/DL, 6-1, 160), Khalil Norris (Sr., WR/DB, 5-9, 150), Greg Price (Sr., RB/LB, 5-9, 175), Maurice Hockaday (Sr., WR/DB, 6-0, 160), Damien Gero (Jr., TE/LB, 5-11, 185).
Breakdown: The Scorpions are sporting a different look this season with new head coach Jim Riss. Riss has moved up from being the junior varsity coach to take the helm at Oakland Mills from Seth Willingham.
Oakland Mills is one of the youngest teams in Howard County in terms of returning starters and senior depth but will have a very talented team nonetheless.
Last season, the Scorpions ended a 24-games losing streak and finished the year with three wins. Unfortunately, most of the players who helped turn the program around have graduated, including six-foot-three quarterback Justin Sottilare.
Sottilare completed 206 passes last season for over 2700 yards and 14 touchdowns. This season, junior Neko Rynn-Mason steps into the quarterback position to lead the Scorpions.
Despite being shorter than Sottilare, the five-foot-nine Rynn-Mason brings escapability from the pocket and looks to make plays with his feet as well as his arm. Sottilare was around a bit during the off-season working out with Rynn-Mason.
This time last season, Oakland Mills sported 18 returning starters while this year Riss has seven back. On offense, senior Maurice Hockaday and sophomore Adam Reed return as offensive starters at the wide receiver position.
Glen Ashe, Gage Ealey and Seung Han will be the big guys on the offensive line providing space for Rynn-Mason and the Scorpions backs.
Ashe, Ealey, Khalil Norris and Peter Petties return as starters on the defensive side of the ball at the linebacker and defensive back positions.
From 1994 through 2003, the Scorpions made playoff appearances which included a Class 1A state championship. No one is talking State Title this season but with a lot of talented youth, a playoff run could be possible.
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