Senior Trio Locks Down Opposing QBs
The skies over the Dinwiddie Generals defense this year have very much been a “No Fly Zone” for opposing offenses. A senior trio of hard-hitting, hard working, ball-hawking defensive backs can take credit for that success.
Seniors Pierre Hawkes, Terron Adams, and Brandon Parson have come together this season to give the Generals toughness and stability on the back end of their defense, passing against these guys isn’t just difficult for opposing teams, it’s a nightmare.
So far this season the Dinwiddie secondary has limited opposing passing attacks to just 74.3 yards per game while allowing only 34.2% of opposing passing attempts to be completed. The secondary is also responsible for 6 interceptions so far this season.
While the group excels in coverage, it may just be their physical style of play that sets them apart from other defensive backfields in the area. Hawkes and Parson are known not just for their lockdown abilities on the outside, but for their knockout abilities as well. Both players bring a physical presence to the cornerback position not seen on many teams. Meanwhile, Adams has quickly developed a reputation as an aggressive tackler for the way he flies up to make tackles near the line of scrimmage.
After some early-season question marks, Dinwiddie Coach Billy Mills has been impressed with the play of his secondary, “Our secondary has gotten better and better every week. It’s really helped solidify our defense.”
Even though each of these seniors now finds himself as a member of this talented trio, the paths they took to get here are all very different.
Hawkes (2 INTs 6 pass defs), the only returning starter, quietly established himself last season as a leader on the Dinwiddie defense. His consistent play and work ethic made him a “rock” the Dinwiddie coaching staff knew they could count on.
“He’s always been a great kid”, said Coach Mills, “He’s worked his tail off to get where he is. He’s gotten better each and every game…he’s a scrapper.” Coach Mills also stressed how important Hawkes’ role as a leader is on this team, “His hard work and attitude carries over to the rest of his teammates.”
For Brandon Parson (6 pass defs, 1 INT) his path to the cornerback position has been more of a winding one. Parson spent last season as the Generals backup QB behind Adam Morgan, a role where playing time doesn’t come often. But Parson took on the role and found other ways to contribute, especially on special teams, where he showed flashes of football instincts and toughness.
This offseason Parson was asked to step into this new role in the secondary and took the challenge on full-go. “Last year was a struggle for him as Adam’s backup and the limited playing time” said Coach Mills, “but he battled this pre-season and turned himself into a solid starter for us on defense.”
Starting from scratch is what Terron Adams (3 INTs 5 pass defs) found himself doing this offseason after not playing football for the Generals last season despite playing in previous years. “He had to basically start from ground zero this offseason and work himself all the way up”, said Coach Mills. “He showed a lot of maturity in the process.”
Adams wasn’t the coaching staff’s first choice to fill the safety position, but following the season-opening loss at Clover Hill the role was his. The move really solidified the secondary as Adams has stepped in, performed well, and become a leader in the process. “Terron has had a complete turnaround. He’s been a real surprise”, remarked Coach Mills.
The turnaround isn’t just limited to defense either as Terron has flashed his big play skills on the offensive side of the ball as well, making 19 catches this season for 441 yards and 7 TDs. Adams is currently the only player on the Generals roster to start on both sides of the football.
Make sure you keep an eye on this hard-hitting senior trio next week when they look to make the skies over Dinwiddie High School a “No Fly Zone” this Friday against Central District rival Petersburg. Kickoff is at 7:30 pm.
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