Keene Provides Senior Leadership For Emory & Henry Football Team

It was a typical performance for Jeremy Keene.

The senior tight end caught a pass, delivered several crunching blocks and directed his teammates. Thanks to the steady efforts of Keene, Emory & Henry opened the 2008 football season with a 26-21 victory at rival Ferrum last week.

“I take a lot of pride in doing whatever it takes to help my team win,” Keene said.

For the third straight year, the 6-foot-2, 223-pound Keene has helped Emory & Henry as the starting tight end. He will be among the most experienced players on the field Saturday when the Wasps host non-conference foe Greensboro. Game time is 1 p.m.

“Experience helps,” Keene said. “ We’ve had the same offensive line for two years, and I think we’re starting to come together as a unit.”

The Wasps collected 166 yards rushing Saturday at Ferrum, as three players rushed for at least 40 yards.

“The strength of our team is running the ball,” Keene said. “If we play well up front, we’re going to be able to do what we need to do on offense.”

And Keene does plenty.

“Jeremy is one of the best and most unselfish athletes on our team,” E&H sophomore tailback Caleb Jennings said. “Jeremy has great hands, he’s willing to block and he’s the smartest guy on the field.
“Jeremy actually knows more about our offense than every player except our quarterback.”

Jennings should know. He was a sophomore at Richlands when Keene helped guide the Blue Tornado to the Group AA, Division 4 state finals against Salem.
The E&H offense now includes junior tailback Cain Ringstaff along with Keene and Jennings in prominent roles. Freshman linebacker Shane Wicks is the starting long snapper. All four players starred at Richlands. 

“I’ve had a lot of fun in college, and playing with some of my best friends from high school makes it even better,” Keene said.

After finishing his prep career, Keene received interest from the likes of Ferrum, Morehead State and a couple of schools in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.
Keene settled on E&H, partly because his older brother Josh was a two-year regular at defensive back for the Wasps.

“I’m happy with the way everything has turned out,” Keene said. “The highlight of my career so far was beating (Old Dominion Athletic Conference rival) in our sophomore year. Hopefully we can run through the ODAC this year and get that title.”

Emory & Henry fans and players have been counting down the hours until today’s opening game at revamped Fred Selfe Athletic Stadium.

The Wasps hope to feed off the excitement of stadium improvements and the Ferrum win.

“We were right on the edge of being 9-1 or 10-0 last year,” said Keene, who earned All-ODAC honors as a sophomore. “We just have to close games out, that’s what the coaches were telling us at the end of the Ferrum game.”

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