Dynamite Dozen: LaVallee ready to lead Whitefield into new region

Before moving on to North Carolina, Caleb LaVallee is returning for his senior year at Whitefield Academy, following what was one of the most productive 2021 seasons in Cobb County.

LaVallee, who was featured at linebacker and running back, finished 2021 with 106 tackles (65 solo) and six sacks in nine games. He also tallied 11 touchdowns and 695 yards at running back, with an average of 6.7 yards per touch.

LaVallee said he plans to remain a two-way player this fall, but once he arrives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and suits up for coach Mack Brown and the Tar Heels, he will try his hand solely at linebacker.

First, LaVallee said he is committed to help Whitefield turn the page in a new-look Region 6A and contend in the postseason. He highlighted areas where he thinks he and the Wolfpack have improved entering the season.

“Last year, I had a good year, but again, I’m still focused on what we can do this year as a team,” LaVallee said. “We need to finish this year. That’s one thing we’ve really been focusing and harping on. We could have made it a whole lot farther last year if we had finished some games, and so it’s just a reminder that we need to finish each and every game.”

LaVallee said he thinks his physical play style is what helps give the team a spark on the field, but he can constantly sharpen his build.

LaVallee said he wanted to add 10-15 pounds of muscle this summer while continuing to become “bigger, faster and stronger.” He said those traits have always been crucial to his success, and that he will not change those goals this fall.

Scheme-wise, LaVallee also said his endurance level allows him to remain on the field for the majority of the game, serving as an every-down linebacker and integral third-down piece for Whiteield defense.

That level of versatility, LaVallee said, helps give the defense depth in the middle of the field.

“I’m a very fast, violent and physical player. I can play in the box and out of the box, and I’m a three-down linebacker,” LaVallee said. “I’m someone that doesn’t come off on third down, and I’m someone who is comfortable playing in space.”

LaValee said North Carolina’s program offered a defensive scheme well-tailored to his athletic style and that the university’s academic reputation helped sway his decision. He also said he thinks playing on both sides of the ball in high school helped him showcase his all-around abilities during his recruitment.

“It can be really tiring at times, but I think it’s something that has really helped my game and has helped me become a better athlete and football player,” LaVallee said. “It’s allowed me to see things from both sides, and that really helped me in the recruiting process because people could really see how athletic I was.”

When focusing on goals this year, LaVallee said he expects to see a Whitefield team with heightened expectations. As a leader, he said he and other returners figure into an algorithm designed to establish the program as perennial winners.

The 2022 season, LaVallee said, is an opportunity for the next step.

“It’s really just shifting our mindset to give everything we’ve got in everything that we do,” LaVallee said. “I’m not going to hold anything back or save anything. Our goal this year is to play in a state championship.”