Jeff Cunningham
09-10-2007, 01:08 PM
A look back at week 2 in the Eastern District
By JEFF CUNNINGHAM | jcunningham@hrvarsity.com (j_cunningham_pbp@yahoo.com)
The defending Eastern District champs are 0-2.
Maury's season-opening loss to Phoebus wasn't all that shocking -- the Commodores were, after all, facing the defending Division 5 state champions. But Friday night's 28-16 loss to Woodside might prove a little unsettling.
Not because Maury scheduled another tough out-of-district game to follow the Phoebus game -- coach Dealton Cotton likes scheduling tough games out-of-district in the hopes of preparing his team for the district run -- but because of the way Maury lost that game.
The Commodores led the Wolverines 16-0 in the first half. Lorenzo Branche had done his part, running in a score from 17 yards, and it looked as if Maury would rebound from the Phoebus loss and move up to 1-1.
But Woodside came back, using a series of quick scores in the second half to take the win and drop Maury again.
This doesn't affect things in-district quite yet, but this Maury squad is decidedly younger than last year's. And if Maury plays like this once district play starts, Lake Taylor might be more of a factor that originally thought.
**********
Speaking of Lake Taylor, the Titans are 2-0 after a 24-13 win over Denbigh Friday night.
Granted, Lake Taylor's first two opponents -- Indian River and Denbigh -- aren't quite the Phoebus and Woodside that Maury has faced so far, but still ... 2-0 is 2-0. And let's not forget, Lake Taylor beat Indian River without star athlete Lenny Paiva, who was serving a suspension dating back to last season.
The Titans face C.D. Hylton this week in their last out-of-distrct contest. We'll know more once district play starts, but the fact remains:
Lake Taylor's off to a good start. Maury isn't.
**********
Where is Churchland's offense?
The Truckers picked up their first win, 14-13, Friday over Kecoughtan, but the offense coach Cedric Cradle promised in the preseason hasn't shown up yet. Granted, 14 points is better than the seven-point, minus-37 rushing yard effort Churchland gave in the season-opener against Western Branch, but still.
Churchland wants to contend for a district title, but with Maury and Lake Taylor both featuring studs on offense, the Truckers might need to find a creative way to put points on the board, because quarterback Craig Brooks has a lot of weapons around him -- especially at wide receiver.
The defense needs some work, too, but the offense has way too much talent for the Truckers to sit there barely at 1-1.
**********
Wilson's going to win two games this year. Write it down.
The Presidents lost 16-14 to Menchville Saturday, but in that one game Wilson more than doubled its point total for all of last season. Twenty-three points in 2006 ... 14 already here in 2007.
A David Haas field goal ended Menchville's 21-game losing streak and was the only thing keeping Wilson from ending its own skid of futility.
Quarterback Armonte Hart already has his first touchdown pass, a 13-yard strike to Jonathan Lewis, and with each snap he takes, he's going to get better. The defense, despite giving up 20 points to Norcom in the season-opener, showed signs of being able to stop teams and end drives.
Lewis also had a punt return for a touchdown against Menchville -- something that never came close to happening last season.
Carlton Thomas, who went 0-10 last year in his first season with the Presidents, is high on the progress his team's made, and that progress continues on a weekly basis. Getting better is really the only thing Wilson can do right now, and that win will come -- sooner rather than later.
Maybe this Friday against Nansemond River?
**********
I.C. Norcom and Norview came into the season looking to contend for playoff spots in the Eastern District. But with Norview sitting at 0-2 and Norcom at 1-1, things could get difficult for the two squads.
Norcom opened its season with a 20-0 win over Wilson, but got pounded 42-12 by Heritage. The Greyhounds gave up 233 rushing yards, but perhaps more importantly let quarterback Deandre Lamb get sacked five times. Coach Larry Archie said in the preseason his offensive line would be key in the team's success, and I'm fairly certain this isn't what he had in mind.
Minus-10 rushing yards also don't help the Greyhounds' cause.
Norview coach Robert Toran wanted his team to play consistently -- his Pilots got off to a great start in 2006, only to be derailed by a 37-6 loss to Hickory -- but so far this season, Norview lost to King's Fork in the last second and gave up 35 points in a loss to Gloucester.
The King's Fork loss was so bad -- a late touchdown by Bulldogs running back Raheem Artis -- it had Virginia commit Klinton Ruff in tears, and the Gloucester defeat came against a Dukes team not exactly renowned for its offense.
Norcom still has time to right the ship, fix the offensive line and still have a shot at contending within the Eastern District. Norview is in a little more trouble, having to take on Hickory on the road this week before starting the district slate on Sept. 21 -- against Norcom.
That game might determine who cans till make the playoffs and who can't.
**********
Granby coach Dave Hudak was high on his team in the preseason, talking up quarterback Joe Merrill and saying his team's experience would lead to better results in 2007.
Two games in, two shutout losses.
Bethel 34, Granby 0. Hampton 45, Granby 0.
It's not just the losses, it's how the Comets have lost. Against the Crabbers, Granby managed minus-12 total yards. I'll understand if you need to read that again.
The Bethel game wasn't much better, as Granby fell victim to a safety on the first play from scrimmage. And whenever the Comets managed a big play against the Bruins, a penalty brought the play back.
It's hard to pinpoint what exactly is wrong with Granby right now -- whether it's line play or a general lack of execution, but unless things change and soon, the Comets could wind up looking at a winless season.
The problem there being ... Granby went 4-6 in 2005, 2-8 last year. Going 1-9 or 0-10 this year would be the reverse of progress, certainly not the direction a struggling football team wants to go.
The Comets take on Great Bridge this week, and on Sept. 21 start the district schedule with a road game against Churchland.
By JEFF CUNNINGHAM | jcunningham@hrvarsity.com (j_cunningham_pbp@yahoo.com)
The defending Eastern District champs are 0-2.
Maury's season-opening loss to Phoebus wasn't all that shocking -- the Commodores were, after all, facing the defending Division 5 state champions. But Friday night's 28-16 loss to Woodside might prove a little unsettling.
Not because Maury scheduled another tough out-of-district game to follow the Phoebus game -- coach Dealton Cotton likes scheduling tough games out-of-district in the hopes of preparing his team for the district run -- but because of the way Maury lost that game.
The Commodores led the Wolverines 16-0 in the first half. Lorenzo Branche had done his part, running in a score from 17 yards, and it looked as if Maury would rebound from the Phoebus loss and move up to 1-1.
But Woodside came back, using a series of quick scores in the second half to take the win and drop Maury again.
This doesn't affect things in-district quite yet, but this Maury squad is decidedly younger than last year's. And if Maury plays like this once district play starts, Lake Taylor might be more of a factor that originally thought.
**********
Speaking of Lake Taylor, the Titans are 2-0 after a 24-13 win over Denbigh Friday night.
Granted, Lake Taylor's first two opponents -- Indian River and Denbigh -- aren't quite the Phoebus and Woodside that Maury has faced so far, but still ... 2-0 is 2-0. And let's not forget, Lake Taylor beat Indian River without star athlete Lenny Paiva, who was serving a suspension dating back to last season.
The Titans face C.D. Hylton this week in their last out-of-distrct contest. We'll know more once district play starts, but the fact remains:
Lake Taylor's off to a good start. Maury isn't.
**********
Where is Churchland's offense?
The Truckers picked up their first win, 14-13, Friday over Kecoughtan, but the offense coach Cedric Cradle promised in the preseason hasn't shown up yet. Granted, 14 points is better than the seven-point, minus-37 rushing yard effort Churchland gave in the season-opener against Western Branch, but still.
Churchland wants to contend for a district title, but with Maury and Lake Taylor both featuring studs on offense, the Truckers might need to find a creative way to put points on the board, because quarterback Craig Brooks has a lot of weapons around him -- especially at wide receiver.
The defense needs some work, too, but the offense has way too much talent for the Truckers to sit there barely at 1-1.
**********
Wilson's going to win two games this year. Write it down.
The Presidents lost 16-14 to Menchville Saturday, but in that one game Wilson more than doubled its point total for all of last season. Twenty-three points in 2006 ... 14 already here in 2007.
A David Haas field goal ended Menchville's 21-game losing streak and was the only thing keeping Wilson from ending its own skid of futility.
Quarterback Armonte Hart already has his first touchdown pass, a 13-yard strike to Jonathan Lewis, and with each snap he takes, he's going to get better. The defense, despite giving up 20 points to Norcom in the season-opener, showed signs of being able to stop teams and end drives.
Lewis also had a punt return for a touchdown against Menchville -- something that never came close to happening last season.
Carlton Thomas, who went 0-10 last year in his first season with the Presidents, is high on the progress his team's made, and that progress continues on a weekly basis. Getting better is really the only thing Wilson can do right now, and that win will come -- sooner rather than later.
Maybe this Friday against Nansemond River?
**********
I.C. Norcom and Norview came into the season looking to contend for playoff spots in the Eastern District. But with Norview sitting at 0-2 and Norcom at 1-1, things could get difficult for the two squads.
Norcom opened its season with a 20-0 win over Wilson, but got pounded 42-12 by Heritage. The Greyhounds gave up 233 rushing yards, but perhaps more importantly let quarterback Deandre Lamb get sacked five times. Coach Larry Archie said in the preseason his offensive line would be key in the team's success, and I'm fairly certain this isn't what he had in mind.
Minus-10 rushing yards also don't help the Greyhounds' cause.
Norview coach Robert Toran wanted his team to play consistently -- his Pilots got off to a great start in 2006, only to be derailed by a 37-6 loss to Hickory -- but so far this season, Norview lost to King's Fork in the last second and gave up 35 points in a loss to Gloucester.
The King's Fork loss was so bad -- a late touchdown by Bulldogs running back Raheem Artis -- it had Virginia commit Klinton Ruff in tears, and the Gloucester defeat came against a Dukes team not exactly renowned for its offense.
Norcom still has time to right the ship, fix the offensive line and still have a shot at contending within the Eastern District. Norview is in a little more trouble, having to take on Hickory on the road this week before starting the district slate on Sept. 21 -- against Norcom.
That game might determine who cans till make the playoffs and who can't.
**********
Granby coach Dave Hudak was high on his team in the preseason, talking up quarterback Joe Merrill and saying his team's experience would lead to better results in 2007.
Two games in, two shutout losses.
Bethel 34, Granby 0. Hampton 45, Granby 0.
It's not just the losses, it's how the Comets have lost. Against the Crabbers, Granby managed minus-12 total yards. I'll understand if you need to read that again.
The Bethel game wasn't much better, as Granby fell victim to a safety on the first play from scrimmage. And whenever the Comets managed a big play against the Bruins, a penalty brought the play back.
It's hard to pinpoint what exactly is wrong with Granby right now -- whether it's line play or a general lack of execution, but unless things change and soon, the Comets could wind up looking at a winless season.
The problem there being ... Granby went 4-6 in 2005, 2-8 last year. Going 1-9 or 0-10 this year would be the reverse of progress, certainly not the direction a struggling football team wants to go.
The Comets take on Great Bridge this week, and on Sept. 21 start the district schedule with a road game against Churchland.