Skyline Snaps Skid With 22-13 Win Over Colonels

Posted: October 19, 2013
By GREG BRILL
Special to The Winchester Star

FRONT ROYAL — A Skyline offense that has struggled mightily in recent weeks finally got a boost Friday night against a James Wood defense that has rarely stopped anyone this season.

The two first-quarter touchdowns the Hawks scored against the Colonels was one more than they had compiled during a three-game losing streak heading into the Northwestern District game, and Skyline rode out its early momentum to earn a 22-13 win on Homecoming.

“We wanted to come out and score first because usually when we don’t score, then we know we’re going to be down and everybody’s not going to be too confident about [getting a] win,” said Skyline junior running back Jerrius Baltimore, who ran for a game-high 207 yards on 23 carries. “So we wanted to come out scoring and get the [home] crowd hyped.”

The Hawks (4-4, 1-1 Northwestern) had not won since defeating Manassas Park 14-8 on Sept. 20, but they put themselves in position to break their losing skid by scoring on two of three first-quarter possessions, then adding a third score on a nice drive to start the second half.

After holding the Colonels (0-8, 0-2) to a three and out to start the game, Skyline drove to the James Wood 40 before back-to-back penalties left the Hawks facing first-and-20 from the 50. The Hawks then went with some trickery, with senior Marcus Turner pitching on a wingback reverse to junior Jamal Parker. Swinging right then suddenly shooting up the middle, Parker sprinted to the end zone.

A two-point conversion run by sophomore quarterback Corban Ruch made it 8-0 Hawks with 7:19 left.

“It was just something where we were trying to get our kids that can run and give them some space,” Skyline coach Heath Gilbert said.

Skyline’s next series did not go as well, and pinned back near its end zone, a poor punt allowed the Colonels to start an offensive series from the Hawks 20. It then took junior quarterback Brady Hepner only one play to get James Wood on the board. Junior running back Landon Rutherford caught a middle screen out of the backfield and went in untouched. The extra point cut Skyline’s lead to 8-7 with 1:40 left.

To its credit, Skyline answered right back. Skyline needed just four plays to cover 65 yards, and Baltimore had two huge runs to spark the drive. On first down, Baltimore bumped outside and gained 41 yards to the James Wood 24, then gained another 20 on the next play, with a facemask tacked on, to bring first and goal for the Hawks at the 2.

Two plays later, Turner took a direct snap up the middle from the 1 for the touchdown. Senior Dustin Weir added the extra point to send the Hawks up 15-7 with 31 seconds left.

James Wood, which has had trouble all season stopping the run, found itself in a tough spot trying to slow down the Hawks ground game on Friday.

“We were missing our [inside] linebacker, [junior] Trent McCarty, he broke his leg this week,” James Wood coach Mark McHale said. “We keep losing players [to injury] and they hurt us up the middle. That’s where we’re weak a little bit. We had a hard time containing [Baltimore].”

Being able to block better and give their top running back, Baltimore, some space to make plays went a long way in helping the Hawks earn not only their first home win since beating arch-rival Warren County 14-13 on Aug. 30 but also stay in contention for a spot in the 3A East Region playoffs.

Skyline gave James Wood lots of different looks through its variety of offensive formations, and Baltimore balanced his yards well, rushing for over 100 yards in each half.

“It was nice to get some kids out in space so they could do some things,” said Gilbert, whose squad ended up with 271 rushing yards in the win. “It was really important for our kids confidence and to get that edge back and to have a little swagger. We’re going to have a heck of a run with these last two games with Handley and Sherando.

“We needed to have some confidence heading into those last two. I’m really happy for the kids and we got a victory on Homecoming. So it’s sweet.”

Another big gain by Baltimore sparked the third touchdown scored by the Hawks, this one on a 68-yard drive to start the second half. A nice catch near the Skyline sideline by Turner for a gain of 29 put the Hawks in James Wood territory at the 35, and Baltimore followed his blockers on a trap play off the left side two plays later for a gain of 26 to bring first and goal from the 9.

Two plays later, Ruch rolled right and found sophomore Jay Roy open on a corner route for a 5-yard touchdown pass and 22-7 lead with 8:06 left.

Baltimore, who had gains of 41, 20, 30, 26, and 35 on a night that saw him rush for over 200 yards for the first time since the Manassas Park game, said he had confidence his blockers would open holes and allow him to make plays happen.

“I was slipping a little bit [on the wet surface, from Thursday’s rainfall] but I knew I had to get north and south down field,” Baltimore said. “The line was blocking well and that opened some lanes to get some good rushing yards.”

The Colonels had a hard time moving the football until the fourth quarter. James Wood again failed to get out of the gates well, having its second two first-down first-half of the week, and totaling just 73 first-half yards against Skyline after throwing just one pass (the touchdown) on 22 first-half plays from scrimmage.

Perhaps holding back a bit after the loss of senior two-year starter Cam Butler for the season with an injury, the Colonels gradually released the reigns on Hepner and allowed him to create plays late.

Their last two offensive series of the game offered some promise for the Colonels. Hepner would produce 114 of his 160 yards through the air in the two drives, and he completed passes to six different receivers in the loss.

Well into the fourth and down 15 points, James Wood went from its 14 to the Skyline 28. But on third-and-one, Hepner was called for intentional grounding, meaning a loss off down. After a five-yard delay of game penalty, Hepner’s rollout completion to senior Daniel Funkhouser netted just two yards and turned over possession.

The Colonels got a break after Baltimore lost a fumble at midfield on Skyline’s first play and junior Nick Manuel recovered for James Wood.

With just 3:40 left, the Colonels got themselves closer this time, and Hepner’s passing made it happen. Hepner went 20 yards to Manuel, 10 to sophomore Tyler Bishop, and junior tight end Colin Benner outwrestled Skyline’s Darryl Jordan for a pass at the Skyline 2 for a gain of 23 and first-and-goal.

Two runs by Bishop left the Colonels backed up at the 6, but Hepner tucked it in from there and went up the middle off a read option to score with 42 seconds left in the game.

Down nine, the Colonels decided to go for two points. It wasn’t meant to be, as Skyline junior lineman Ronnie Clifton shot through and swarmed Hepner to clinch the outcome for the Hawks.

“I had a freshman tackle in there and he just got whipped by their player,” McHale said.

Hepner finished up 11 of 19 for 160 passing yards. Benner (three catches for 49 yards) and Bishop (three catches for 33 yards) were his favorite targets in the loss. The Colonels had just a net of 68 yards rushing (2.2 yards a carry). Hepner also had an interception on defense.