Football Preview

WOOD FOCUSES ON FINISHING GAMES
August 20, 2012
By ROBERT NIEDZWIECKI

WINCHESTER — Before the question about what lessons the James Wood football team learned from the 2011 season was even done being asked, James Wood senior lineman Erik Bearer had started in with his answer.

“Finish. Finish games,” Bearer said. “Last year we lost a lot of games not finishing.”

The Colonels were a playoff team last year, but not in the way they would have liked.

Three of James Wood’s six regular season losses came in games in which they led by 13 points or more, and they had a chance to win each of those in the fourth quarter. James Wood also was stopped at Sherando’s 5-yard line on the final play of its 21-14 loss.

The bottom line was the Colonels (1-3 Northwestern) felt they should have done better than the 4-7 record that they finished with after losing to Powhatan in the Region II Division 4 quarterfinals.

Having the physical strength to finish out games will be key, but Bearer said the mental aspect plays just as big a role. And James Wood head coach Mike Bolin couldn’t ask for much more from his team in terms of attitude. “I think we have a much more mature group this year than we’ve had in the past,” Bolin said. “Not that our other groups were that bad, but these guys really understand what we’re asking of them, and really work hard to get their daily goals achieved.

“Finishing games was our biggest problem last year. We didn’t play 48 minutes. We might have played strong in the fourth quarter, but we’d have a lapse in the third quarter. We’ve just got to be consistent.”

The effort to do that will be led by the Colonels’ offensive line. It’s often said that everything on offense starts with what’s done there, but in James Wood’s case, that’s especially true. The unit boasts all of James Wood’s four returning offensive starters.

“We’re going win games up front this year,” Bolin said.

Senior Chris Alaniz (6-foot-4, 290 pounds), a three-year starter and a second-team All-Northwestern District selection last year, will play right tackle. Junior Logan Shiffler (5-10, 228) will play right guard, Bearer (5-11, 282), a second-team all-district pick, will play center, and senior Travis Sieber (6-2, 229) will play left tackle. Three players — senior Hunter Crane (6-1, 194), junior Marcus Lemley (6-0, 186) and junior Nick Floyd (6-0, 230) are competing at left guard. Senior Mason Longerbeam will play tight end.

“We’ve got good communication from playing with each other throughout the years,” Alaniz said.

The quarterback they’ll be blocking for is junior Cam Butler, who’ll be starting for the first time this season after backing up Jake Lewin last season. Bolin said Butler benefited from watching and learning.

“I like his leadership,” Bolin said. “He leads by example, and he has a way with the players. He can get on them without being negative or derogatory. He’s very positive.

“He leads by the way he plays. He’s the first one here, he’s the last guy to leave. He knows everything about the offense. He’s not the strongest guy, but he works like the strongest guy.”

James Wood lost players who combined for 438 of the team’s 451 rushing attempts last year.

At tailback, 5-5, 164-pound senior Dallas Corbin — who had a 60-yard run and a 50-yard touchdown run in a 160-yard day in James Wood’s first scrimmage, against Park View — and 6-0, 180-pound Joey Eubank have emerged as the team’s top two options.

“It’s almost like thunder and lightning,” Bolin said. “Dallas is a little scat-back who makes a lot of cuts. He’s quick. And Joey runs right at you and he’ll run you over. It’s a good one-two punch to have.”

Senior Bradley Skillman, who couldn’t compete in contact situations the first three weeks of practice because of a broken hand, will also play tailback. Senior Brett Lewin will play fullback.

James Wood will also turn to a new group of wide receivers after losing players who made 94 of its 103 receptions.

Junior Dakota Orndorff headlines the group that will also feature backup quarterbacks and sophomores Colin Benner and Brady Hepner. Skillman, who started on defense last year but will focus on offense and special teams this year, will also play receiver.

“Skillman’s like [New England Patriot] Wes Welker,” Bolin said. “He’s a guy who can get open and catch everything you throw at him.”

Though Bearer, a tackle, is the only player who will return to start on defense, James Wood has seven other players who saw extensive playing time rotating in as reserves. Alaniz, Shiffler, and Floyd will also play at tackle, and end will feature Longerbeam, senior Travis Dodson, Sieber, and junior Sean Ramsey.

Middle linebacker will feature Lewin, senior Matt Pridgen, a player that Bolin calls the team’s smartest linebacker, sophomore Trent McCarty and junior Daniel Funkhouser.

“He’s a big, physical strong kid who will stick his nose in there and make plays,” said Bolin of McCarty. “He’s done a phenomenal job, coming in as a sophomore and stepping up and taking on bigger guys.”

Outside linebacker will feature Eubank and senior Levi Roy.

Orndorff will play safety, and the cornerbacks will be Hepner and Corbin. Junior Matt Vitagliano should also be key. Bolin thinks the secondary could impress a lot of people.

“Dallas Corbin’s tough as nails,” Bolin said. “He’s short, but he plays like a 6-footer. He’s a great tackler, aggressive, and Dakota at safety is just a freak athlete. He’s sideline-to-sideline. And then Brady Hepner is a great athlete too.”

At special teams, senior Matt Rader has shown the most promise at placekicker, and junior Willi Spears will likely be the punter.

As James Wood’s season showed last year, there isn’t much that separates winning from losing.

And with solid execution in big spots the Colonels might be able to take a big step in a Northwestern District in which every team seems to have a chance. Millbrook and Handley shared the 2010 district title, and Sherando, Handley and Skyline shared the 2011 championship, leaving the Colonels as the only district squad without a recent championship.

“We’re going to definitely contend for a district title,” Bearer said.

“I really think if we stay consistent, and if we stay conservative, and we don’t try and play outside of ourselves, I think we’ll be very competitive and have a good team,” Bolin said.

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