November 12, 2010
By Robert Stocks
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER- With a fire-breathing lion statue, fireworks, and smoke when the home team takes the field, Louisa football games are quite an experience.

But facing the 10-0 Lions hasn't been too much fun for opponents this season.

Eighth-seeded James Wood (6-4) travels to Mineral to face the top-seeded Jefferson District champions in a Region II Division 4 quarterfinal tonight at 7:30.

The odds might be stacked against the Colonels, but coach Mike Bolin said he's just told his players to relish the opportunity.

"We've got a long bus ride, it's going to be a crazy environment, and we're definitely the underdog - but it's a position that we like to be in," Bolin said. "We're excited for it. I told [our players] they're going to have the fire-breathing lion and everything. We've had a good year, and we told them to have fun with this and go play."

Louisa averages 35.1 points per game, and the Lions have three dynamic players in the backfield - junior quarterback Kire Worley, senior running back Anthony Hunter, and running back Rashawn Jackson.

Bolin was an assistant coach in 2007, the last time the Colonels opened the playoffs against a 10-0 team.
James Wood was the No. 4 seed and fell to top-seeded Sherando 21-14 in Stephens City. But, in that game, the Colonels played better than many expected, and Bolin hopes the same will be true tonight.

"We're just going to go out and play the best that we can," Bolin said. "You don't get to play 10-0 teams very often. The last time we did, we played really well."

Plus, as Louisa coach Mark Fischer noted, the seedings really don't mean much once the postseason begins.

"They look real disciplined and very physical, so you can throw the No. 1 seed and No. 8 seed garbage out the window," Fischer said. "They look like a strong team, and they're tough."

Louisa's offense features a single-wing, but Bolin said the Lions like to throw in a few wrinkles.

"They're a run-first team, and they're pretty similar to what Skyline likes to do," Bolin said. "But they do a whole lot of other things in the pistol, and they spread it out some, too."

Worley has thrown for 755 yards and nine touchdowns, and he's rushed for 542 yards and two scores. Hunter leads the Lions' ground game, rushing for 1,169 yards on 126 carries (9.2 per carry) and 20 touchdowns. Jackson ranks second with 889 yards rushing and 11 TDs.

Freshman wide receiver Raheem Johnson has just nine catches for 189 yards, but he's scored on five of those receptions.

"They have three dynamic playmakers, and you can't key on just one," Bolin said. "I haven't seen a team like this with that many playmakers across the offense since I've been down here.

"[Worley] is so fast. He likes to look down the field to one or two receivers, and if nothing's there, he'll run. He's the most dynamic quarterback we've seen."

Fischer said his team's objective offensively is to keep opposing teams off-balance with different looks.

"It's kind of a Heinz 57 - it's a little bit of everything," he said. "Our M.O. has been to try to get the ball in as many kids' hands as possible."

James Wood's defense, led by inside linebackers Mark Bean (100 tackles) and Cote Funkhouser (75 tackles), certainly faces a test against the speedy Louisa offense. But the Colonels' defense ranks second in the area, allowing 233 yards and 13.5 points per game.

Opposing teams have averaged just 129.7 yards rushing against the Colonels, and Bolin said relying on fundamentals will be critical.

"We're not the fastest team around, so we have to stay at home and stay with our reads," he said. "We can't make it easy for them. Each kid has to play their position like it's supposed to be played to eliminate some of their big-play threats."

The Lions use a 3-3-5 stack defense, led by senior linebackers Brandon Ornduff (86 tackles) and Chris Colvin (73 tackles), and they haven't allowed more than 21 points in a game all season.

Bolin said that front presents a new look for his offense, but he hopes his team can move the ball on the ground.

"We don't see the stack defense around this area very much, but they run it well," Bolin said. "They have big, strong kids up front and fast linebackers and that's what you need with that defense. It's a high risk, high reward defense. We've just got to stay fundamental. If we keep running the plays we should be able to run the ball, but they are very solid in what they're doing."

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