September 11, 2010

By Robert Niedzwiecki
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER- Members of the James Wood High School football could tell they were playing a good game Friday night at Kelican Stadium.

They just didn't know how good until a few minutes after it was over.

"I'm so pleased I gave them the day off [today]. We never do that," said third-year James Wood coach Mike Bolin of the reward that prompted a huge roar during the Colonels' post-game congregation. "I think they were more happy about that than winning the game."

James Wood's 28-7 victory over Musselman (W.Va.) was indeed impressive because the Colonels were significantly more efficient on offense than they were in their season opener and they were just as suffocating on defense.

The Colonels (2-0) scored touchdowns on four of their six possessions inside the Musselman 30 and converted both of the Applemen's lost fumbles into touchdowns.

Against Washington last week, the Colonels managed just 13 points despite rushing for 221 yards because of their inability to convert in the red zone.

"We worked all week sustaining our blocks, and we came out here and executed," said senior fullback Cory Schrock, who led the Colonels' 184-yard rushing effort with 66 yards and a touchdown. "Our linemen were laying on their blocks enough so we could get past them, and we just lowered our shoulders and picked up the yards."

None were bigger than the 35 yards they got on the drive that put them up two touchdowns in the third quarter.

After trailing 14-0 at halftime, the Applemen (0-3) made a brief surge to get back into the game. Korey Jackson threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Tanner Madigan on Musselman's opening possession of the second half, and then the defense forced a three-and-out.

James Wood's Peyton Hottel then kicked a 35-yard punt to Maverick Keller, who was waiting at the Musselman 30. Just after the ball arrived, Tripp Lewis flew into Keller and dislodged the ball, which was recovered by Joel McGreevy (14 carries for 53 yards and a touchdown) at the Applemen 35.

Lewis came off the field getting smacked on the helmet and back by players and coaches alike, and then the Colonels proceeded to smack the Applemen.

Five straight runs set up a 3rd-and-5 at the 16 that quarterback Matt Copley (5 of 10 for 84 yards and a touchdown) converted with a 6-yard pass to Chad Potter (four catches for 63 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown from Copley and an interception).

The last 10 yards were taken care of by Schrock, who shook off a tackle attempt at the line and leveled a defender at the 4 for the touchdown that put James Wood up 21-7 with 4:54 left in the third.

"That might have been where the momentum really kind of came our way, and we kept it the rest of the game," Bolin said.

By running through a couple defenders, Schrock's touchdown looked a lot like McGreevy's 3-yard touchdown run that opened the scoring in the first quarter.

And it looked nothing like Chris Skinner's 28-yard touchdown run in the second, when Skinner (51 yards on eight carries) used his explosiveness to run in untouched to the right after Copley faked a handoff to Schrock to the left.

"We've got Chris, who's fast and quick and elusive. Joel can run you over, and Cory's just not going to take no for an answer," Bolin said. "He's going to get the yards."

James Wood's defense stopped Musselman (230 total yards) from getting critical yards.

In addition to forcing three turnovers, the Colonels held the Applemen on downs at the Colonel 31 on their opening possession, and they also stopped Musselman on downs at the James Wood 11 in the second quarter, which launched an 89-yard Colonels' TD drive. "We knew we had to stop the trap and the buck sweep," Bolin said. "Those are the two base plays in the wing-T that Musselman really ran great.

"Our front eight played fundamentally sound. All eight of them did a great job. They shed blocks and they made their reads. If you make your reads and keep your shoulders square to the line of scrimmage against an offense like that, you're going to make plays."

Bolin said the Colonels are by no means a finished product yet. He thinks the offensive line can still do better, but all agree Friday was a good starting point.

"The running backs give it to the linemen every game, because they work hard," Skinner said. "They work hard in practice, and they know when they have to step up. They stepped up tonight."