Stormy skies for Cyclones

The Eastern View football team didn’t get to bask in its second straight Cannonball Classic trophy very long, as two key players have left the Cyclones mere days after their season-opening victory.

Backup quarterback Cody Jenkins and senior kicker/running back Kyle Schubert quit Wednesday because of concerns over playing time, according to EVHS coach Greg Hatfield.

“It’s always tough when you lose players,” Hatfield said. “But we have to focus on the guys that are here. We have to focus on getting them better and not worry about who isn’t here.”

A quarterback controversy has been brewing all summer between Jenkins (a junior) and sophomore Simon Pendleton. They shared equal snaps in preseason workouts and scrimmages, but Pendleton got the nod Saturday against Culpeper, and apparently that didn’t sit well with Jenkins, who was noticeably frustrated on the sidelines.

“Simon was just looking great out there Friday,” Hatfield said. “He was making reads and made some things happen, so I decided to stay with him.”

Jenkins – who led Eastern View’s junior varsity team to an 8-1 record last year – may be interested in playing elsewhere according to sources, but the Virginia High School League’s eligibility rules prohibit athletes from transferring during the school year unless the family moves.

Jenkins’ father, Town Councilman Steve Jenkins, wouldn’t comment on his son’s future plans and did not allow his son to be interviewed for this story.

“Cody has made a decision, and I support it,” Steve Jenkins said. “It was really hard for Cody to quit a program that he put so much work into, but we’re moving on and taking it one day at a time.”

Jenkins’ departure leaves the Cyclones pretty thin behind Pendleton, with freshman Brandon Settle being the only other quarterback on the roster who got any preseason playing time.

Brandon Scott now becomes the Cyclones’ No. 2 quarterback.

“Cody not being here does make us a little light,” Hatfield said. “But we’re confident in the guys we have. Every coach worries about their No. 1 guy going down, but we feel like we have guys athletic enough to put back there if something does happen.”

Schubert spent time at receiver and handled the kicking duties last season, but on Friday, he missed three extra points in a 26-12 victory over Culpeper.

During the season opener, he split time between running back and kicker but wasn’t happy sharing carries as part of the Cyclones’ crowded backfield that includes Moses Washington, Dominique Glascoe and V.J. Ivory.

“We certainly would like to have Kyle out there,” Hatfield said. “But we’re excited about our running backs. We have a lot of young guys who are strong runners, and we think they’re going to be exciting all season.”

Junior Josh Gardiner takes over as the Cyclones’ kicker. He has been handling the punting duties so far this season, and Hatfield said his leg strength has been impressive during practice.

The Cyclones host Louisa Friday, and Hatfield is determined not to let this become a distraction.

“It all goes back to working with the kids we have,” he said. “We have a big game Friday against a talented team, and we have to focus on that.”