East St. Louis looks ahead after strike-shortened ’15 season

By Dean Criddle

Updated August 24, 2016 1:08 PM

The East St. Louis Flyers enter the 2016 football season with their usual array of NCAA Division I football prospects.

In senior wide receiver Jeff Thomas, the Flyers have one of the top recruits in the Class of 2017 with offers from nearly every top 25 college program in the nation.

Quarterback Reyondous Estes has committed to play at the University of Missouri, while on the defensive side linebackers Terez Lagrone and William Keltee along with defensive backs James Knight and Markevion Darough could all be playing NCAA Division I football on Saturday afternoons next season.

The Flyers also enter the season will a little extra incentive after having their final four games wiped out by a teachers strike a year ago.

I wouldn’t say there is extra motivation because of what happened last year. I’m a competitive person and I know our kids are motivated after not playing for eight or nine months, to go out and play to the best of their ability week, week out.

Darren Sunkett

East St. Louis head coach

“It was tough on the kids, especially the seniors who didn’t have the opportunity to play a full season and get into the playoffs. We’re just glad that some of them got the opportunity to move on to play at the college level,” Flyers coach Darren Sunkett said. “I wouldn’t say there is extra motivation because of what happened last year. I’m a competitive person and I know our kids are motivated after not playing for eight or nine months, to go out and play to the best of their ability week, week out.”

Offense

On offense, the Flyers will be led by one of the top high school passing combinations in the nation in Estes and Thomas. The 6-1 173-pound Estes threw for more than 780 yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago after firing 20 touchdown passes as a sophomore two years ago. Thomas, one of the nation’s top recruits at any position, had 75 catches over the past two years, 25 of which have resulted in touchdowns.

“Those guys are three- and four-year starters for us. They know what its about and they are going to be two of our leaders on the offensive side of the football,” Sunkett said of Estes and Thomas. “We also have two quality running backs in Jarrell Anderson and Kevin Brown and so we’re going to have a solid running attack as well.”

Perez Hall will be the Flyers’ other wide receiver opposite Thomas while juniors McKinley Whitehead (6-3, 260) and Walter Baxter (6-2, 275) will be two of the mainstays on the offensive line.

Defense

Darough (6-2, 180), a top wide receiver a year a go and another one of the Flyers’ potential D-1 recruits, makes the switch to the defensive backfield while Terrion Williams (6-2, 255), LaMontre Harvey (6-3, 265) and Lagrone, will be keys on the defensive side of the football while in linebackers Kenneth Dixon (6-1, 210) and two-time all-Southwestern Conference player James Knight (6-2, 220), the Flyers have two athletes who cover the entire field.

Southwestern Conference

ALTON: Redbirds young, but looking to improve

BELLEVILLE EAST: Young Lancers looking to grow under Stephens

BELLEVILLE WEST: Maroons celebrating football centennial

COLLINSVILLE: Kahoks trying to take the next step

EAST ST. LOUIS: Flyers look forward from strike-shortened season

GRANITE CITY: Warriors looking for improvement

EDWARDSVILLE: Tigers, Epenesa ready for state run

O’FALLON: Panthers return plenty of depth, fire power

Cahokia Conference (Mississippi Division)

CARLYLE: Good depth of talent for Class 2A

CENTRAL: Cougars are primed to take a step up