Wood looking for third straight win

By ROBERT NIEDZWIECKI The Winchester Star

The James Wood football team has ample reason to feel good about itself after winning two straight games, including a 27-14 win over a Warren County team last week that it had not defeated since 2015.

The Colonels aren't satisfied though.

"We always have to battle against being complacent and being satisfied with what we have so far," James Wood coach Ryan Morgan said. "The kids are showing confidence, which is good, but we still need to keep scratching and clawing for everything that we can get."

James Wood (2-2) will have to give everything it has tonight when it travels to Hedgesville (W.Va.) to take on the 3-1 Eagles at Mumaw Stadium.

Hedgesville is averaging 46.7 points and 480.3 yards per game, with victories against West Virginia's Washington (68-8) and Jefferson (42-6) and Maryland's Mountain Ridge (42-7). Its only defeat came in the last minute to South Hagerstown (Md.) 38-33.

The Eagles have been balanced in their spread offense, averaging 255.5 yards on the ground and 224.8 through the air.

James Wood will have a big challenge ahead of it in defending 5-11, 196-pound junior Malikai Brown (22 catches for 501 yards and four TDs, 22 carries for 230 yards and one TD) and 6-0, 185-pound senior N'iyjere Smith (203 rushing/receiving yards and five TDs). Smith had three catches for 135 yards and two TDs in last year's 28-23 win over James Wood at Kelican Stadium.

"They can really run," Morgan said. "They're tough runners, and if they get out in open space, they can be trouble. Last week we had to worry about one receiver [Warren County's Logan DeHaven], but Hedgesville will spread the field from sideline to sideline. We've really got to be able to run to the ball and keep our footing. I'm not sure what the turf will be like over there because of all the rain.

"They'll line [Brown and Smith] up at tailback. They'll do some zone stuff and some tosses. They get those guys the ball in a lot of different ways. They're versatile enough to play outside receiver, slot receiver and running back. Smith has taken some direct snaps at quarterback. They're really just trying to get those guys the ball as much as they can."

James Wood will face a new quarterback this year in sophomore Owie Ash. He's completed 34 of 75 passes for 882 yards, 10 TDs and three interceptions, and he's rushed for 318 yards and four TDs on 39 carries.

"He's a little bit more mobile [than former Eagle quarterback Jason Plotner]," Morgan said. "He has a decent arm, and he's pretty accurate. He does a good job of getting the ball where it needs to go."

Hedgesville also features running back Keenan Smoot (27 carries, 250 yards, 2 TDs) and wide receiver Devin Heath (10 catches for 217 yards, 2 TDs).

James Wood is giving up only 18.7 points and 275.7 yards per game since the season-opening loss to Sherando. Morgan was pleased by his team's red zone play against Warren County to limit its point total.

The Colonels are led on offense by running back Jackson Turner (46 carries for 259 yards and four TDs) and quarterback Carson Hoberg (12 of 22 for 293 yards, one TD and two interceptions).

Morgan said Hedgesville will provide a test for his offensive line, which he felt performed significantly better against Warren County than it did against Skyline in the previous game.

"Defensively, they've run a 3-3 stack and a 3-4," Morgan said of Hedgesville. "They run a lot of man coverage. They like to blitz.

"When they run their 3-3 stack, we need to be able to adjust. Our offensive line has practiced against the 3-4 and we've practiced against even fronts, but we haven't seen a lot of the 3-3 season. Sherando ran a little bit of it, but they ran a lot of different fronts. The biggest thing for us offensively is for us to adjust to their defensive fronts, because it changes some of our blocking roles and some of our reads."