Coming into this season, the Miller Grove football team had seven wins in its school’s four-year history. Thus far this season, the Wolverines have yet to win their first game, but that has not dampened the outlook for the Lithonia-based school. “We’re trying to make the playoffs this year,” said defensive end Devonte Phillips.
Head coach Jasper Jewell does not think his team is far away from reaching the next level. He has seen his Wolverines open their season with a 12-12 tie against Redan and a 15-9 loss in overtime last week against Southwest DeKalb. “Both games we fought hard,” Jewell said. “We’re right there; we’re right on the brink.”
BUILDING SUCCESS
Jewell led Stone Mountain to the first round of the playoffs back in 2004 before taking the job at Miller Grove. In coming to Miller Grove, he saw the opportunity to work with an administration that he thought extremely high of in then-assistant principal and now current principal Dr. S. Carol Thedford and former principal Dr. Ralph Simpson.
Another member of the Wolverine administration, athletic director and head basketball coach Sharman White, knows what it is like to build a program. White led the school’s basketball team to the State semifinals last season. He also believes the football team is on the verge of breaking through and says Jewell is committed “to putting the program on the map.”
“With the caliber of coaching that we have, all our programs, if they are not in the door, they’re knocking at the door,” White said.
One of the key players on White’s basketball team, Stephen Hill, also stars for the football team. Hill is the Wolverines’ go-to-receiver and punter.
“He’s a joy,” Jewell said. “He’s always smiling and always upbeat and he’s a competitor on Friday and Saturday nights.”
PIECING TOGETHER THE PUZZLE
Hill is a part of the Wolverines’ first true senior class. They had high expectations going into the season and still are looking to break through even after the 0-1-1 start.
“Our No. 1 goal was […] to go undefeated, we wanted make it to state,” said Miller Grove quarterback Mydrikus Ealey. “We have the talent, we’ve just got to execute.”
A key part of that senior class is a guy that Ealey shares some of the quarterback duties with, quarterback/cornerback Kendrick Ings. Ings missed the first two games of the season due to injury, but is expected to be back for Miller Grove’s game this Friday against Stone Mountain.
“He lights us up on both sides of the ball,” Jewell explained. “He’s our emotional leader on the field. We still will play a two-quarterback system, but Kendrick will come back and primarily get the reps.”
After the Wolverines play Stone Mountain this Friday, they will play the favorite to win their tough Region 6-AAAA, the Tucker Tigers. Still, Jewell is undaunted by their region, which also includes Chamblee and Marist.
“If we stay healthy and stay on task, we’re going to be just fine and we’re going to sneak up on some people,” he said.
Come November, Jewell hopes his Wolverines will be sneaking into the playoffs.
Butler can be reached at jbutler@scoreatl.com.
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