ROMNEY, W.Va. — Hampshire ended a 21-year playoff drought, but the goal remains the same in Donny Evans’ second year: Get better every day.
Evans admits it’s a cliche. The results speak for themselves.
The Trojans laid the groundwork for a winning culture and finished the regular season 5-5 — their most wins in 10 years — and, more importantly, they punched their ticket to the Class AAA playoffs for the first time since 2003.
Hampshire was routed by Princeton, 63-9, in the first round, but it was an important first step under Evans for the Trojans, who are still in search of their first playoff win.
“It was a really good season last year, just for the guys to understand what we’re trying to do here and where we want to go,” Evans said. “As the season went on, we had a little three-game winning streak there, and it gave the guys confidence, some motivation.
“They know that they can do some things if they just put the work in.”
Hampshire last won five games in 2014 under Darren Grace, and its last winning season came a year prior.
Last season marked Hampshire’s fourth playoff berth and first since 2003, which was the Trojans’ third in four years under Sean Biser, who is now at Morgantown High after a stop at his alma mater Keyser.
According to Evans, the turnaround began long before the football was snapped in Week 1.
“We really challenged them early on to do the right things, do the right things in our practices,” he said. “Our first practice last year in the summer time, we probably went over our stretch lines and how we’re supposed to act 10 times. It was very lackadaisical. … I’m really all about high energy and having fun. Celebrate with your teammates.
“When we end practice, we always try to score. Whether it’s a 40-yard pass or a run, everybody on the team runs down and celebrates in the end zone. Practices should be fun for the guys.”
The early success led 80 players to sign up for football this year, though that number is down to 65 as the season draws near.
The next steps for the program? According to Evans, its have a winning season, host a playoff game and win a playoff game.
“I really believe with how our guys have been working in the offseason (we’ll be successful),” he said. “We had close to 55 guys every day during the summer, we had a lot of guys going to camps, we had a lot of 7-on-7s at Shepherd, went down to Musselman.
“The guys put a lot of time and effort into this season.”
One of those players who has put in the is senior Landon Eversole (5-foot-10, 180 pounds), an All-Area honorable mention quarterback last year after completing 139 of 256 passes for 2,232 yards, 24 touchdowns to just seven interceptions.
His aerial yardage was the fifth-most in area history, and his touchdown total is tied for seventh all-time in a single season.
“It felt like he was at a camp every day. Landon loves to work, he loves to get better. His accuracy is there in practice,” Evans said. “That’s one of the great things I noticed about him last year. In practice, we’re throwing the football, we don’t waste a lot of time running plays again because he’s so accurate and he puts the ball right there and our guys have no option but to catch it.”
In 2024, Hampshire’s offense scored at least 20 points in nine of 11 games and its 284 points overall were the program’s second-best mark since the team recorded a record 417 in 2001.
The Trojans will again field a spread offense, but they’ve been working more with no-huddle this offseason.
“We’ve been running no-huddle since the first practice of the summer,” Evans said. “We do all no-huddle in 7-on-7s, scrimmages, so we do get a lot of plays in during the week, a lot of reps.
“I think we’re right where we need to be, but there are still some improvements we need, small things on the line, getting route running right.”
Hampshire graduated its top route runner from 2024 in first-team All-Area wideout Vinny Greear, who caught 54 balls for 1,040 yards and 10 TDs.
However, it returns its No. 2 receiver in senior Andrew Loy (5-7, 160), who caught 26 passes for 404 yards and seven TDs.
Senior Colten Fleming (5-11, 165) is also back after catching 18 passes for 167 yards.
Evans sees Fleming as a possible breakout candidate this year.
“He caught some big passes last year on fourth down, but we’re going to move him around this year where he’ll have some more opportunities to catch the football,” Evans said.
The second-year head man also highlighted senior Blane Billmeyer, who could be a weapon given his 6-foot-4 frame.
Jefferson transfer Brant Hamrick, a senior, senior Matt Medina and junior Tanner Netzer (5-8, 155) will also see time at receiver.
In the backfield, Roscoe Dean (5-11, 175) is primed for a big season after rushing for 494 yards and six touchdowns on 106 carries as a sophomore last year. He also caught nine passes for 66 yards and a TD.
Senior Sean King (5-9, 175) also returns after rushing for 230 yards and four touchdowns, and junior Ayden Blomquist (5-8, 160) had 13 totes for 102 yards and a TD in 2024.
One of the keys for Hampshire this season is to establish the run.
“I think we’re going to have a lot better running game with Roscoe and Sean this year,” Evans said.
That starts up front, where there are still ongoing position battles.
Senior Carlos Chavez-Trejo (6-3, 300) got the nod at left tackle in the Trojans’ first scrimmage, alongside senior Wesley Boley (5-9, 188) at left guard, sophomore Cody Phelps (5-9, 190) at center, sophomore Blake Klavnau (5-8, 160) at right guard and senior Wyatt Adams (6-3, 215) at right tackle.
Sophomore Chrystian Helmick (5-9, 185), senior Trey Newman (5-7, 190) and freshman Walker Thorne (6-2, 185) are also fighting for playing time in the trenches.
“We moved some of our tight ends, H-back, bigger kids down on the line so we’re very mobile, athletic on the line this year,” Evans said.
Hampshire is making a philosophical change defensively from a 3-3 stack to a 4-2-5, a move that comes with Denver Riggleman taking over as defensive coordinator.
Riggleman headed Evans’ defense at Petersburg, where he stayed on last year after Evans departed and helped the Vikings win their first playoff game in the school’s 91-year history under first-year coach Shane Shockey.
Defensive improvement will be paramount for a Hampshire squad that gave up 374 points last year, an average of 34 per game — though that number is inflated by three blowout losses to Frankfort (56-21), Tucker County (60-21) and Princeton (63-9).
Adams (32 tackles), Billmeyer (33.5 tackles), Klavnau and Hamrick are the likely starters up front.
Dean (22 tackles) was also slated to start on the line, but an injury to junior Colson Kisner (5-8, 155) has moved him back to linebacker.
“Our D-Line is going to be really big and fast,” Evans said. “Our athleticism on the defensive line will show more than it did last year. We have some different guys that can cover, run to the football. Our overall speed is probably where we’re most improved.”
Dean will be partnered with senior Brent Evans (6-0, 190) at linebacker. Evans made 40 stops last year.
Loy (10 tackles), Fleming (31 tackles, one interception), Netzer and Medina will be defensive backs, with Blomquist (19 tackles) and King (40 tackles) starting at free and strong safety, respectively.
Hampshire graduated standout kicker Bryson Richardson, who made 3 of 5 field goals with a long of 49 last year.
Blomquist is his likely replacement.
“He does a good job on our squib kicks, onside kicks. He kicked a 41-yarder in practice the other day,” Donny Evans said.
Hampshire does have another kicker vying for the spot in multi-sport female star Della Knight, who Evans said kicked a 41-yard field goal in practice too.
Knight was 2 for 2 on extra points in the Trojans’ first scrimmage.
“She was very nervous before her first football game, but she got the confidence after that first extra point,” Evans said.
Another soccer player, Ben Whetzel, will also do some kicking.
Brent Evans is back as the punter after 21 boots for an average of 38.5 yards in 2024.
Hampshire has a nearly identical schedule this year with one exception, as Rock Ridge, Virginia, replaces East Hardy in Week 7.
The Trojans begin their campaign at home against Preston on Friday and play on the road at Class AA state champ Frankfort and Moorefield before a two-game home-stand against Grafton and Keyser.
Hampshire then faces Northern (away), Rock Ridge (home), Berkeley Springs (away), Washington (home) and Tucker County (away) to finish out the second half.
Donny Evans says he’s cautioned his team about not taking opponents the Trojans beat last year lightly.
If Hampshire sticks to Evans’ principles, everything else will take care of itself.
“Our main goal we do every year is very simple, get better every day,” he said. “If we do that, our long-term goals will come.”