Housatonic looking to improve on 6-4 season

09/07/2008

By: KEVIN D. ROBERTS , Register Citizen Staff

FALLS VILLAGE - What will the Housatonic football team do for an encore this season?
The Mountaineers, who co-op with Wamogo, surprised some with a 6-4 record last season, the first winning season for the school since 1993. Using a formidable running game, Housatonic raced out to a 3-1 start. Three consecutive losses in the middle of the season brought the record to 3-4, but the Mountaineers rallied for three straight wins, including a decisive 42-12 win over rival Gilbert in the Berkshire Bowl.

Housatonic lost several key players from last year's team, including running back/cornerback and all-league defensive player Tom Kennedy, all-league defensive end Jesse Backer (also an offensive guard) and Berkshire Bowl co-MVP Johnny Habacker, who played running back and outside linebacker.
"We lost some seniors to graduation that were team players," coach Deron Bayer said. "That happens."

Bayer is looking at the big picture, and part of that picture is the realization that Sept. 20 is the beginning of a new year for Housatonic football. The Mountaineers host last year's Class MM runner-up Tolland.

"As far as we're concerned, last year is over," Bayer said after practice Friday. "This is completely different season. This is a completely different team."

Bayer said the coaching staff has challenged this year's seniors to step up and be leaders like last year's seniors were. He said the team goal has not changed since he started as head coach.

"Our goal is to be as competitive as we can be and be more competitive than last year," Bayer said.

All-Pequot league and Berkshire Bowl co-MVP running back Will Kennedy (senior) leads the returning players, which also include senior offensive tackle/defensive end Ed Ustico, senior offensive/defensive tackle Jake Blass, offensive guard/defensive end Nick Cook, tight end/outside linebacker Pat Kelleher, center/defensive tackle Connor Johnson, running back/linebacker Sam Schwartz and kicker Gian Lovedole.

Newcomers Trevor Watts (senior running back/defensive tackle), Cole Liebrock (offensive/defensive line) and Tanner Brissett (running back/defensive back) will also look to contribute.

Bayer said his team will look to take advantage of its size and experience up front, though the team is lacking in depth. Bayer said that his team will need to scratch and claw every week against a tough league schedule.
"The Pequot League does not get enough respect around the state," Bayer said. "We have tremendous coaches in the Pequot League."

The tests begin immediately for Housatonic with the home opener against Tolland. The Eagles defeated the Mountaineers 34-6 last year on the way to an 8-2 season and a berth in the state playoffs. Tolland advanced to the Class MM state title game, where it nearly pulled off an upset before bowing to NVL power Seymour 44-34. The Eagles lost plenty of players to graduation, but still return good, experienced players this season.

"We're starting with a playoff game," Bayer said of the matchup. "We're hosting a state finalist."
After Tolland, Housatonic travels on the round for two tough road games in a row against Ellington/Somers (7-3 last season) and Avon, a 9-1 team that did not make the playoffs in Class M.

On the field, the single wing will still be run as the Mountaineers look to take advantage of their size. If the offense has the same kind of success it had last season, Housatonic could be in for another strong season.
Bayer cautioned that everyone is starting out "0-and-0" this season and that it's a different year with different players.

"Our goal is always the same," Bayer said. "To be more competitive week to week."
Another part of the experience at Housatonic is teaching life lessons through football, a point Bayer emphasized.

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Stone Bridge Bulldogs blow Rams away

Bulldogs blow Rams away
Sports
By Jamey Malcomb
Source: Special to the Loudoun Times-Mirror
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 2008

Senior running back Daniel Allen rushed for 108 yards and three touchdowns to lead host Stone Bridge to a 49-7 victory against Robinson Sept. 5 in Ashburn.

The blowout victory allowed the Bulldogs to avenge their only loss of 2007. The Rams defeated Stone Bridge 41-7 in the second week of last season before the Bulldogs ran off 13 straight victories to capture the Virginia Division 5 championship.

Stone Bridge (2-0) amassed 241 yards rushing and more than 450 yards of total offense Friday night in dominating Robinson (1-1) on both sides of the football.

“I think the thing that separates us is our ability to spread the field and make plays,” Stone Bridge coach Mickey Thompson said.

“In the past, we’ve been very single-wing oriented, and you have to spend the time to prepare for us in the single wing. But now you also have to prepare for us in the spread as well.”

Bulldog quarterback Patrick Thompson started the scoring with a 7-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the game. Stone Bridge took the ball 46 yards, after being set up in excellent field position by a 49-yard kickoff return by Marcus Harris.

Field position defined the first quarter, with the Bulldog offense taking over after a three-and-out series by Robinson at the Rams’ 42-yard line. Allen carried the ball six times for 24 yards on the drive and scored the first of his three touchdowns on a one-yard carry.

After another Robinson punt, the Bulldogs faced the longest field they would see all evening, taking over at their own seven. The situation got even worse when Patrick Thompson was picked off by the Rams’ Xavier Duncan at the Bulldog 41.

On the second play of the drive, Rams quarterback Timmy Meier found Duncan behind the Bulldogs' secondary for a 37-yard touchdown strike and cut the Stone Bridge lead to 14-7 early in the second quarter.

The Bulldogs quickly snuffed out any momentum Robinson had gained by driving right back down the field for another Thompson touchdown run, this time from the eight-yard line. The defense did its part as well, not allowing another first down for the remainder of the half and only one more first down in the final three quarters of play.

The Bulldogs took a 28-7 lead into the locker room and didn’t look back in the second half. Stone Bridge added three more touchdowns, and the defense did not allow the Rams a chance to get into a rhythm.

Stone Bridge will travel to Marshall High School Sept. 12 to open Liberty District play against the Statesmen.

Bulldog stat leaders
Passing: Thompson (14 of 24 for 201 yards)
Rushing: Allen (19 for 108 yards, 3 TD); Thompson (9 for 53 yards, 3 TD)
Receiving: Sheehan (4 for 30 yards); Prince (3 for 64 yards)


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Stone Bridge - 43100 Hay Road -Ashburn, Virginia 20147

Single-Wing Payback

Not the season opener Indians had hoped for

By Greg Taylor
Contributing writer
Sep 10, 2008

You know what they say about payback.

Well, Powhatan’s football team got theirs last Thursday as Louisa roared into town and shutout the Indians 21-0, exacting a measure of revenge for the 40-0 blowout last year by the Indians.

Friday also marked the first time Powhatan had been shut out in 83 regular and post-season games.

The game was moved to Thursday because of the impending Tropical Storm Hanna. With the storm bearing down on the Eastern Seaboard, the hot, humid tropical air would have an effect on the players throughout the game

After a scoreless first quarter, Louisa jumped on the scoreboard early in the second quarter when Anthony Hunter (16 carries for 102 yards) capped off an eight-play, 73-yard drive by plowing up the middle of the Indians’ defense for a six-yard touchdown.

Powhatan’s offense, which had only two yards rushing in the first quarter, could not seem to get on track throughout the night. After the touchdown, their next series ended abruptly when Christian Higuchi coughed up the ball and Louisa recovered. The Indians had only 72 total yards of offense at halftime.

Despite giving up the touchdown, the Indians’ defense maintained a” bend but don’t break” approach for the first half against the single wing offense employed by Louisa.

While Louisa had three straight shots at the end zone near halftime, they came up empty and the teams headed to the locker room with the score Louisa 7, Powhatan 0.


The third quarter was all Louisa as Powhatan came out of the locker room flat. The Lions took the opening kickoff of the half and needed only seven plays to cover 71 yards for their next score.

Anthony Hunter had two big gains on the drive as the Indians’ defense could not stop the run. Quarterback Dillon Hollins scored from three yards out to push the Lions to a 13-0 lead.

The hot, muggy air began to take a toll on some players. Both Shawn Minor (7-14, 57 yards, 1 Int) and Shawn Henderson (15 carries for 47 yards) left on consecutive plays on Powhatan’s next possession because of cramping. Minor’s replacement, Phillip Schoeffel, dropped back to pass with Powhatan on Louisa’s 31-yard line and threw a perfect strike that hit the player right between the numbers. Too bad it was Louisa middle linebacker Kerry Wynn, who raced 73 yards for a touchdown and a commanding 21-0 lead.

The rest of the game saw Louisa run a ball-control offense to take time off the clock. Powhatan had a few more drives left but had one end on an interception and the other on downs.

As the final horn sounded, the Powhatan sideline seemed in shock at what the scoreboard showed. The players knew that this was an important game, a season opener and the first game without Tahliek Taliaferro roaming the middle.

Powhatan’s inability on the offensive line to provide protection for Minor and create holes for Henderson really put the Indians behind the eight ball early.

The line has the size to be dominant but does not have the practice and continuity of working together to be effective.

With three new players on the line, it will take time for the unit to gel. But that timetable may need to be accelerated as this offense needs to control the clock to be successful.

It became apparent in the second half that the Indians defense did not have either the intensity or the ability to make something happen as many a defender tried to arm tackle only to come up short.

Though this was a season opener, it was effectively played as a second scrimmage game since Prince George cancelled their Aug. 29 scrimmage with Powhatan.

So, the real season starts on Friday as Powhatan looks to rebound when they travel to Caroline, a team they have not lost to this decade.

Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.


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Powhatan Today - P.O. Box 10; Powhatan, Virginia 23139
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Edwardsville edges Alton with blocked extra-point kick in overtime

Posted on Sat, Sep. 13, 2008
BY STEVE KORTE
News-Democrat


The Edwardsville Tigers, playing without their starting quarterback and first-string kicker, had the odds stacked against them heading into overtime against the Alton Redbirds.



But the Tigers still managed to come away with a victory as senior Nick Griebel blocked an extra-point kick in overtime, enabling the Tigers to turn back the Redbirds 21-20 Friday in their Southwestern Conference opener.



The Tigers (3-0) scored the first touchdown of the overtime on a pass by sophomore quarterback Chase Westra that deflected off the hands of Alton defender Demarco Hodges to junior tight end Blair Henry.



"Blair Henry had the sense to adjust to the ball," Edwardsville coach Mark Bliss said. "He just had the frame of mind of catching it and getting himself into the end zone. They tried to bring him down at the 1, and he drug two of them into the end zone. It was just an incredible effort on Blair's part. It was a great effort on Chase Westra's part, being a sophomore. This was a huge game for a 15-year-old kid to play in."



Westra didn't know he was starting for the Tigers until two minutes before the game when senior quarterback Ishmiah Roundtree was scratched because of an ankle injury.



Sophomore Tyler Rujawitz, a replacement kicker filling in for Sam Fink, who was playing in a soccer tournament, booted the extra-point. Rujawitz had misfired on his only other extra-point kick in the game.



"We put a sophomore on the spot tonight, and you could see the silver-dollar eyeballs when he had the kick after we scored that first time," Bliss said. "Then we just tried to keep him poised the rest of the game, and at the end of game we just told him that he had to do his thing, and he really delivered in overtime."



The Redbirds (1-2) answered with a four-yard touchdown run by Dominique Robinson on third down of their possession in the overtime.



David Willings' extra-point kick was blocked by Griebel, a senior linebacker who had an all-around strong performance against the Redbirds.



"Nick Griebel was all over the field and did some great things," Bliss said. "He's as good a linebacker as I've had, and I've had four (Division I) linebackers. I think the young man has a shot if he just keeps working and doing what I think he can do."



For the Redbirds, who rallied back from a 14-0 halftime deficit, it was a disappointing loss.



"That ball is not round, and it's not always going to go the way you want it," Alton coach Joe Hook said of Henry's catch. "Tonight, it didn't go our way. The ball hit Hodges in the hands, and they were right there and made the catch."



The Redbirds lost four fumbles in the first half, including a fumble on a punt that Edwardsville's Bryan Reller picked up and returned 45 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.



"That was probably the worst half of football we've had in 10 years here from a capable team," Hook said. "I can't say we gave them 14 points, but we sure didn't help ourselves any."



The Tigers got on the scoreboard first after Reller recovered a fumble at the Alton 31.



Westra threw an 8-yard touchdown pass over the middle Will Triggs with 3:43 left in the first quarter.



The Tigers dominated the first half, but the Redbirds dominated the second half.



Alton quarterback Dylan Warren threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Colby Highlander streaking down left sideline to cut the Redbirds' deficit to 14-7 in the third quarter.



Conner Smith had a 33-yard touchdown run to cap a 59-yard drive that tied the game at 14-14 with 4:41 remaining in the fourth quarter.



Smith had 61 rushing yards during the drive. He finished with 109 rushing yards in the game.

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