By By PETER WILLIAMS, Staff Writer
On paper, Plymouth High School should be the team to beat in the Atlantic Conference.
But after 28 years, head coach Robert Cody knows you don’t play football on paper.
The Vikings have 15 starters returning from last year’s 10-3 team. The list includes nine all conference players, including Andre Mitchell, the Washington Daily News Player of the Year.
The Vikings are drawing between 55 and 60 players to practice each evening this week. That includes varsity and jayvee players.
The Vikings lost their starting quarterback from last year, and Cody is moving Dashween Perry to that position. Perry, a 5-foot-9, 185-pound senior, played fullback and linebacker last year.
Wood was one of the other all-conference players.
Mitchell, at 5-foot-5, 165 pounds, averaged 11 yards a carry and 25 yards a catch for the Vikings last year. He had 1,514 rushing yards for the year and 22 touchdowns.
Cody also welcomes back Angelo Sharpless and a split end, Tobias Clagon. On the line, Reginald James, a tight end and nose guard returns along with center, William Hunt, and offensive tackle Blake Bryan.
The Vikings run a version of the Wing-T offense.
The public will get its first look at the Vikings on Aug. 10 during a jamboree at Washington High School.
The season starts Aug. 17 at Farmville Central, a team that bested the Vikings 27-7 in last year’s opener. Home games this season include Jamesville, Northampton-West, Southside, Williamston and Perquimans. There will be road games against Edenton Holmes, Northside, Roanoke, Camden and Manteo.
Last year the Manteo Redskins won a 24-22 heartbreaker in Plymouth. The Vikings found themselves down 17-0 at halftime, but Mitchell fought back with a 65-yard-yard touchdown run and a 71-yard run that fell just a few yards from the end zone.
Cody admits the loss hurt.