Western Branch DB on the Hunt for Greatness
One of the highlight reel plays for the Western Branch Bruins during the 2015 campaign came in their regular season finale against an Indian River team that reached the 5A-South Region Championship.
Following an Indian River touchdown, Zavion Hunt returned the ensuing kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown that proved to be the final score in the 35-14 win that helped his team secure their fourth straight playoff berth.
It was a signature moment for the 6-foot-tall, 200-pound safety from the Class of 2017 that has developed into a well-rounded football player for the Chesapeake program.
“He’s definitely grown as a player. We’re looking at expanding his role even more this year to where he’ll be playing on offense and playing in the slot along with playing safety and returning kicks and punts for us. That’ll be day from day one, not Week 10," declared Western Branch Head Football Coach Greg Gibson.
Over the past three seasons, Hunt has made 32 starts for the Bruins. He earned Second Team All-Monitor-Merrimac Conference recognition as a sophomore who recorded 57 total tackles during the 2014 campaign.
Last year, Hunt was named First Team All-Conference as an all-purpose player and Second Team All-Conference at defensive back with 50 tackles, 31 of the solo variety, seven seven stops for loss and three sacks.
What sticks out with Hunt are the 'spark plays,' as the coaches call them with four interceptions, three fumble recoveries and a blocked punt over the past two seasons.
“He’s got good instincts, a good nose for the ball," Gibson added. "Watching the draft, I know some of the analysts were concerned about guys selected in the first round who only had three picks in their entire career. One of the things I think attracts schools to him is that he has good ball skills on top of his instincts.”
Recruiting picked up for Hunt in the spring with his first scholarship offer from Army. There are several others that could make his list grow before the summer concludes.
“Army offered him and just about everybody that has come through has him on their radar and wants him to go their camp. He’s got interest from Richmond, William & Mary, Virginia Tech, VMI, Norfolk State, Hampton, Towson, Charlotte, Marshall," noted Gibson.
"It’s going to be up to him on which four or five camps he wants to choose and then go show out at those camps.”
While defense is what Hunt knows best and is most well-versed to at this point, Gibson said not to rule out the possibility of him playing on the offensive side of the ball.
“I think he could be a good slot receiver also because he has great hands," the Bruins' Head Coach remarked. "But I think most schools are probably projecting him as a safety.”
Western Branch has produced numerous defensive standouts over the years, going back to the early 2000's with linebacker Vince Hall (Virginia Tech). From the Class of 2016, linebacker Arman Jones and defensive back Nate Lewis signed with William & Mary.
With Jones and Lewis departing, that leaves the leadership void to returning upperclassmen like Hunt, who'll be counted on to be a playmaker in big games if the Bruins are to achieve the lofty goals they are setting.
“We’re just asking him to be more aggressive. Be one of those guys like Nate Lewis was towards the end of last year, where once he diagnosed a play he’s down at the line of scrimmage making a tackle. Nate was coming down hill, making plays in space and had 18 tackles in our last game against Ocean Lakes," Gibson commented.
“As Zavion goes forward, we want him to become that type of kid who can dominate a game and when you watch the game you walk away thinking, ‘That’s the best kid on the field.’ I’m looking at him to step in and be that leader like those guys were last year. The first three years he was definitely a lead by example type that you might not have known he was around, but he’s getting a little more vocal.”
Right out of the gate, Hunt and his Western Branch teammates will get a significant test in the season opener when they play host to Lake Taylor, which has played in the State Championship game three times since 2012, on September 2nd.
Matthew Hatfield has covered football and basketball since 2004 for VirginiaPreps.com, part of the Rivals.com Network, and is a staff writer for Tar Heel Illustrated. Check out Hatfield’s Twitter page for more sports related updates, and you can also read his work in the Suffolk News Herald. To contact Matthew, please e-mail hatfieldsports2k4@yahoo.com, and don’t forget to listen to him every Saturday at 10 AM on ESPN Radio 94.1, plus watch him on the Cox 11 Sports Report.