Tunstall's Wimbush to Bluefield College

[DanvilleSportsHead]

Congrats to Tunstall linebacker Demarcus Wimbush on committing to Bluefield College. Kid is a winner as he anchored Tunstall's defense to the state semi's as a freshman in 2012 and helped them make the playoffs every year after. Dealt with an injury plagued senior season in which THS did not make the playoffs but he was still All Piedmont and First Team Danville All Metro on defense. Congrats to this young man as not only is he a great football player but an even better person.For those not familiar with Wimbush here's his highlights from the 2014 season

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Pretty good looking athlete. What kind of injuries plagued him in his senior season? Enough to dissuade more college interest? I liked his nose for the ball carrier, and his effort after impact when on offense. Protected the ball well, too.

 

[DanvilleSportsHead]

Pretty good looking athlete. What kind of injuries plagued him in his senior season? Enough to dissuade more college interest? I liked his nose for the ball carrier, and his effort after impact when on offense. Protected the ball well, too.

DP, he sustained a bad foot or leg injury in preseason, I could be wrong but I think in the Hidden Valley scrimmage. He came back for the GW game and played the game of his life as he shut their offense down the first half. If he was 6 feet tall, he'd definitely be going to a high major D-1 school such as Tech or UVA. Him and current Cincinatti Bearcat linebacker Caleb Ashworth thrived together in the 2014 season as it was very difficult to block both. His size at 5'9 really hurt his major college chances but he's a fast strong country boy and I'd take him on my team anyday. He's one of those yes sir, no sir, yes ma'am, no ma'am type of guys. Very respectful and humble. Great young man to build a program around. Very proud of him.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Great to hear that. The kind of kid you always want "your" kids to be associated with. Like you say, the perfect nucleus for any team to have. I hope his injuries have completely healed and he can get a good education and enjoy his college football career.

 

[DanvilleSportsHead]

Great to hear that. The kind of kid you always want "your" kids to be associated with. Like you say, the perfect nucleus for any team to have. I hope his injuries have completely healed and he can get a good education and enjoy his college football career.

Thanks a lot for the kind words to this young man DP. I'm hoping the same.

 

[shauntclair]

Film shows a real nice player. Fast, aggressive, runs hard, hits hard. Senior year performance really doesn't matter to recruiters......unless you're a total failure.

But he has next level stuff, IMO. Wish I knew everything about him because I'm head scratching this one. The extent of the injury? Grades? Who knows.

Best of luck on his future.

 

[DanvilleSportsHead]

Film shows a real nice player. Fast, aggressive, runs hard, hits hard. Senior year performance really doesn't matter to recruiters......unless you're a total failure.

But he has next level stuff, IMO. Wish I knew everything about him because I'm head scratching this one. The extent of the injury? Grades? Who knows.

Best of luck on his future.

I met this young man when he was in the 8th grade when I was a senior at Tunstall. He was the first one in the weight room and the last out as an 8th grader. He started every game as a freshman and really was a big piece in them winning the Region 4 championship in 2012.That was probably one of the best defensive teams I've seen in Southside VA as they had Caleb Ashworth (Cincinnati), Evan Huffman (JMU, but is no longer in the program), Brad Hylton (big/strong linebacker who now plays baseball at Lynchburg College) and Wimbush, who was just a freshman at the time. He really showed up big in the state semi's against Brookville, but that Brookville team was just head and shoulders above every team in Division 3 that year (they even slaughtered James Monroe in the state championship). He just got better and better each year. His size at 5'9 (like Navy Jones and Claiborne from Salem) really hindered the bigger schools from looking at him. He's an old school hard nosed clean hitter. What's really impressive was how he played against the "Piedmont Powers", GW and Magna Vista:


Honestly, I don't know the extent of his injury but I do know he didn't play until the GW game this year which was week 6. He was considering Averett, Ferrum, and if I'm not mistaken, The Apprentice School in Newport News but he definitely made the right decision by choosing Bluefield.

 

[shauntclair]

I think about it this way. London Fletcher was one of the greatest linebackers of our era. He'll go to the Hall of Fame but played DIII ball and was only 5'10". This kid really reminds me of him but the reality is no one is going to recruit a 5'10" MLB. GL to him.

You also must have meant the 2012 Bees. They were 5 - 6 in 2013 and they did not slaughter JM. Final score was 24 - 14. Frankly, JM out gained Brookville in every offensive category. I watched the game. The Jackets were the better team but Brookville did s few very smart things that day. JMs star running back, Ethan Preston, always fought for extra yards. The Bees 2nd and 3rd man in on him was going for ball each time. Preston fumbled and lost the ball 4 times that day. All after long gains. All game changers. The Bees also executed some perfect screen passes against an overly aggressive Jacket defense. 14 easy points and 4 drive killing fumbles. Brookville was good but the Jackets gave it to them.

 

[DanvilleSportsHead]

I think about it this way. London Fletcher was one of the greatest linebackers of our era. He'll go to the Hall of Fame but played DIII ball and was only 5'10". This kid really reminds me of him but the reality is no one is going to recruit a 5'10" MLB. GL to him.

You also must have meant the 2012 Bees. They were 5 - 6 in 2013 and they did not slaughter JM. Final score was 24 - 14. Frankly, JM out gained Brookville in every offensive category. I watched the game. The Jackets were the better team but Brookville did s few very smart things that day. JMs star running back, Ethan Preston, always fought for extra yards. The Bees 2nd and 3rd man in on him was going for ball each time. Preston fumbled and lost the ball 4 times that day. All after long gains. All game changers. The Bees also executed some perfect screen passes against an overly aggressive Jacket defense. 14 easy points and 4 drive killing fumbles. Brookville was good but the Jackets gave it to them.

My apologies, the 2012 Brookville team. And to be completely honest, JM should've won 2 of 3 state championships in 2011 against Brookville and 2013 against Northside. That 2012 Brookville team was that darn good. Not the best I've seen, but definitely a 15-0 team.

 

[shauntclair]

My apologies, the 2012 Brookville team. And to be completely honest, JM should've won 2 of 3 state championships in 2011 against Brookville and 2013 against Northside. That 2012 Brookville team was that darn good. Not the best I've seen, but definitely a 15-0 team.

Brookville was a 15 - 0 team. Agreed. Can't disparage an undefeated team.

But against Northside, it was their defense that dominated that game. The JM offensive line looked like slow motion against Northside and especially Chance Hall, who put in an incredible performance. QB Jay Scroggins led the JM offense that year. He was very fast, a terrific scrambler and accurate passer but he was running for his life all afternoon. He took more hits that day than a top 40 countdown.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Well DSH, it must be about 5 years since you put on the pads. Have you recovered from the withdraw symptons yet? I bet not. I don't think any former high school players ever get over missing their playing days. I know personally, I only played one season, and that was just JV, but I can remember almost every day of practice. I even remember with fondness getting the my brains beat in during scrimmages with the varsity. Oh how I regret not sticking with it. (If for no other reason, I might have something to blame my scrambled brain on!)

 

[DanvilleSportsHead]

Well DSH, it must be about 5 years since you put on the pads. Have you recovered from the withdraw symptons yet? I bet not. I don't think any former high school players ever get over missing their playing days. I know personally, I only played one season, and that was just JV, but I can remember almost every day of practice. I even remember with fondness getting the my brains beat in during scrimmages with the varsity. Oh how I regret not sticking with it. (If for no other reason, I might have something to blame my scrambled brain on!)

I was never any good at football DP lol.. I was given the "pretty boy" title. I played JV football & basketball at Tunstall and varsity football and basketball at Carlisle School in Martinsville and I transferred back to THS my senior year. I miss both sports, but basketball was definitely my best sport! If I could I'd definitely would've played football my senior year at THS. We made the playoffs that year only to lose by death in the hands of Richlands lol! Richlands was out of this world and I was surprised when Cave Spring upset them that year.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Back in 1968, I was in the 8th grade in Petersburg. We had not lost for 20 games. We went to Douglas Freeman for a playoff game. They won 7-0 if I remember correctly. I hate DF to this day! LOL!!! Man, I lost on both ends. I wasn't an athlete, and I damn sure was never called a pretty boy! Actually, I could have probably been a decent athelete. I had deeply buried self esteem issues. If I only knew then what I found out 10 years later. I may not have been any good, but they would have had to kill me to keep me from trying. But alas, you can't un-ring that bell. Speaking of Carlisle, I thought they had something special in the Maker (SP), brothers until the took off for FL. I was thinking the older brother might even be an ACC caliber player. But I guess they just faded away?

 

[DanvilleSportsHead]

Back in 1968, I was in the 8th grade in Petersburg. We had not lost for 20 games. We went to Douglas Freeman for a playoff game. They won 7-0 if I remember correctly. I hate DF to this day! LOL!!! Man, I lost on both ends. I wasn't an athlete, and I damn sure was never called a pretty boy! Actually, I could have probably been a decent athelete. I had deeply buried self esteem issues. If I only knew then what I found out 10 years later. I may not have been any good, but they would have had to kill me to keep me from trying. But alas, you can't un-ring that bell. Speaking of Carlisle, I thought they had something special in the Maker (SP), brothers until the took off for FL. I was thinking the older brother might even be an ACC caliber player. But I guess they just faded away?

Thon Maker actually declared for the NBA this year and the NBA let him forgo the college ranks since he was considered "international". Should be a lottery pick but we'll see. If I was 19 and could make millions to play basketball, I'd take it too lol...I wasn't impressed with Maker, but I can say the same about Ben Simmons, even though I haven't seen Simmons play in person.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

I thought I saw potential in Thon. But I questioned his dedication and coach-ability. He was so much better because of his size that I think it went to his head. I'll try to remember to see if or where he gets drafted, but drop me a line if you catch it. When is the draft? May?

 

[DanvilleSportsHead]

I thought I saw potential in Thon. But I questioned his dedication and coach-ability. He was so much better because of his size that I think it went to his head. I'll try to remember to see if or where he gets drafted, but drop me a line if you catch it. When is the draft? May?

June if I'm not mistaken..The Draft Lottery is in May. And he definitely has some talent, but totally not NBA ready. I think he would've benefitted at a program like Kansas or Syracuse just based off of his height and how he fits those particular systems. He'll be D-League bound until he fills out and develops!