Skyland – The Rams are back-to-back 4A state champions in baseball. “It helps your mental state to win at the highest level” and confidence carries over to other Roberson team sports, veteran head coach Jason “J.D.” Dinwiddie reasons. Ram football has similarly high “expectations,” following a 9-3 season with the program’s most wins in a full decade.
Senior Zeb Swangim, a wingback, epitomizes the Rams’ fiery competitive spirit. He leads off the baseball batting order. The state baseball titles “give me a lot of confidence” in football, too, he said. “I can help push my teammates. I know what it takes to get there, to be as great as we can.”
He calls Coach Dinwiddie a “hard-working coach,” in practice, during games, and in the weight room. “He pushes us to do the best of our abilities. He keeps us on our toes.”
Roberson (2-1) smoked Smoky Mountain 49-7 in week three. The Rams were off last Friday. They start their MAC slate as a decisive favorite hosting McDowell on Sept. 20. MHS and Asheville are the league’s other 4A league schools. TCR’s clash at AHS on Oct. 11 inevitably decides the MAC’s top 4A seed. The game’s loser should also make playoffs, but start on the road.
Flexing Muscles
Roberson deploys a Flexbone double-wing triple option with two wingbacks and a fullback. Quick, muscular Zeb Swangim (5-7, 175) leads Ram rushers with 215 yards (12 YPC) in three games. The left wingback often crosses rightward on “jet” handoff runs, then sprints down the sideline. Gutsy Swangim also breaks tackles well. He squatted 450 pounds and benched 275 pounds starting two years ago. “Zeb’s a strong runner,” Dinwiddie said. “All of our kids, pound for pound, are strong.”
He said that WR-WB Cohen Bohanon (5-10, 170 sr.) also “is a tremendous athlete, with good (field) vision.” “‘Bo’ is a one-cut guy. He sticks his nose in there.” Kenari Finley (5-8, 160 sr.) has “dynamic speed.”
Powerful fullback Ty Credle (5-11, 185 sr.) also plays wingback. “Ty’s our fastest in the backfield. He’s a long-strider. He can go 60” yards in a hurry, Dinwiddie said. Credle and Swangim each ran for a TD against SMHS. Credle returned a kickoff for a TD. Swangim’s punt return score also went nearly 80 yards. Bohanon ran for a TD. Credle is averaging 4.7 rushing yards, backup FB Tian Avery (5-7, 165 sr.) 4.8, Mills 3.7, and Bohanon 6.3 yards.
‘LaRun’ Mills
Shifty new quarterback LaRon Mills (6-0, 170 jr.) succeeds gritty 2024 grad Lex Dinwiddie, who led TCR to nearly 5,000 yards of total offense in 2023. Mills “has quick feet. He’s laterally fast,” Coach Dinwiddie said. “LaRon’s accelerating his reads. Our coaches put him into tough situations. He’s progressing nicely.” Mills has the team’s most carries. He often follows the fullback’s straight-ahead block, and can find defensive seams.
Main receivers are swift Joemar Darity (5-9, 150 sr.), who caught a TD pass in week three, and Ben Oian (5-10, 170 jr.). Dinwiddie said, “When our running softens the defense, we’ll take ‘home run shots.’” Credle and Swangim often break free on receptions for 30 yards.
A Ramming rod blocker is third-year starter Cardia “Day-Day” Boyd (5-10, 240 sr.) at right guard. He is joined by jumbo left guard Sammy Cornelius (6-0, 270 jr.), center Carson Thompson (5-9, 190 jr.), and LT Cruz Dawkins (6-2, 260 jr.). Jaden Stallings (5-10, 170 sr.) and Kydan Trimnal-Tucker (6-1, 245 so.) share right tackle duties. “We’re tough up front,” Dinwiddie said.
Hanson Garcia (5-8, 150 so.) is again the placekicker.
Roberson returns eight starters on its swift 3-4 defense — twice as many as on offense. Inside linebackers Bohanon and Greg Schell (5-10, 210 sr.) return. The OLBs are Credle and Isaac Simms (5-9, 170 jr.). “Bohanon leads us,” Swangim saiid. “He calls everything right” in reading offenses. The defensive front has nose guard Boyd, and DEs Tarik Sibert (5-9, 195 so.) and Deandre Frost (6-1, 205 sr.). The secondary has CBs Swangim and Joemar Darity, and safeties Shamar Darity (5-8, 190 sr.) and Sherard Gilliland (6-0, 180 sr.).
Overall, Coach Dinwiddie said, “we’re just not there yet. But we’re making progress.” The Rams will make 4A playoffs and cause havoc in foes.