Vidalia Vikings

Josh West's first official act as the 10th head football coach at Vidalia? To implement a plan of better understanding of the game in order to play with an improved level of motivation.

That is the battle cry moving forward for the first-year head coach as the Vikings return only eight starters from a year ago, including only seven total lettermen.

Nonetheless, West expects his squad to shift towards a youth movement with a freshman class that could help set the tone for years to come. Reliability of the upperclassman will serve as key in helping to transition the team mindset into that of championship aspirations.

Offensively, Vidalia returns only four starters but senior tailback Kabari Davis will be looked upon to help mentor a group of underclassmen that will see significant playing time in 2023. Sophomore Elmari "Juice" Lewis, a sophomore, will take over at quarterback while the likes of Kaden Trahern, Louis Jordan and Matthew Long will provide experience at the skill positions as well as on the line.

Davis, who turned in 125 total tackles and two sacks last season, will also serve as the anchor for the Viking defense. The senior linebacker brings a physical presence that can liven up the secondary while senior John Jones, who also totaled over 100 tackles in 2022, will provide a 1-2 knockout punch for threatening opponents.