Colonels run over Patriots

By Robert Stocks
The Winchester Star

Charles Town, W.Va. — James Wood senior running back Brock Lockhart took his final hand-off from Colonels coach Mike Bolin during the team’s postgame huddle.

That didn’t count as Lockhart’s 36th carry, but it was a well deserved game ball for the Colonels 6-foot-1, 180-pound senior.

Lockhart finished with 35 carries for 302 yards and four touchdowns in James Wood’s season-opening 35-19 victory over Washington.

“Brock Lockhart carried the ball 35 times tonight and that’s a school record,” said Bolin, in his postgame remarks to his team before handing the game ball to Lockhart.

With three second half touchdowns, Lockhart gashed through Washington’s defense at will, helping the Colonels pull away from the Patriots after both teams played to a 7-7 tie at the half.

Lockhart, who had small scrapes on his forearms, looked surprisingly fresh after the game even though he accounted for 35 of the Colonel’s 46 carries and 302 of his team’s 347 rushing yards. “It’s unbelievable,” Lockhart said. “Trae [Tinsman] came up and said ‘you’ve got 300 yards’ and I was like, ‘There’s no way.’”

The Colonels scored on all four possessions in the second half, relying on their veteran line to open gaping holes for Lockhart.

He broke free for 27 yards on the first play of the second half, and scored from 19 yards out on the next play to put James Wood ahead 14-7 with 10:12 left in the third quarter.

After forcing Washington to punt on its first series of the second half, Colonels senior quarterback Trae Tinsman, who completed 7 of 16 attempts for 145 yards, connected with tight end David Alaniz for a 28-yard play to give the Colonels a fresh set of downs at the Patriots’ 26. Two plays later, Lockhart scored from 19-yards out to push James Wood’s lead to 21-7.

Washington senior quarterback Bradley Jackson, who threw for 292 yards, kept the Patriots in the game.

Jackson’s 59-yard pass to Cody Diehl gave Washington a first down at James Wood’s 14. Five plays later, Jackson connected with Tyrek Collier on a six-yard score. Collier’s touchdown cut James Wood’s lead to 21-13 with 2 :03 left, but Patriots kicker Tanner Robinson missed the extra point.

The Patriots, however, never had an answer for the Colonels’ ground game.

James Wood put together a 13-play drive that bridged the third and fourth quarters to extend its lead once again.

On third-and-9 from the Patriots’ 21, Brandon Shiley broke free for 16 yards to give the Colonels a fresh set of downs at the Washington 5. Two plays later, Tinsman scored from a yard out to put the Colonels ahead 28-13 with 9:12 left.

“We came out in the second half fired up,” Tinsman said. “We were ready to go. We ran it right down their throat.”

The Colonels ground game gave the Patriots trouble throughout, but Jackson made it tough for Wood to put the game away.

He connected with Diehl on a 27-yard pass play to give Washington a first down at the Colonel 48. Diehl’s catch sparked a 12-play drive, including Jackson connecting with Collier to convert on a fourth-and-8 at the Wood 18.

Three plays later, Jackson, who rushed for 26 yards, scored on a sweep around the left edge. The Patriots attempted a two-point conversion, but Harlan Robinson broke up the pass intended for Malcolm Newman in the right corner of the end zone. Robinson’s deflection kept James Wood ahead 28-19 with 5:24 left.

Washington tried an onside kick, but it went right at James Wood’s Devin Stonier, who caught it and fell to the turf at the Wood 43.

With just over five minutes left, James Wood marched down the field on a nine-play drive (running the ball each time) before Lockhart sealed the game, scoring from two yards out to put James Wood ahead 35-19 with 49 seconds left.

Washington coach Mark Hash said his team couldn’t handle the Colonels’ offensive line.

“We still have a long way to go strength-wise and that showed tonight,” Hash said. “We’re giving away a lot of pounds. [Lockhart] was a load last year, and we knew he was going to be tough.”

Lockhart, who only had one carry for no gain and none for negative yardage, said his huge night couldn’t have been possible without a total team effort on offense.

“I couldn’t do it without my line,” Lockhart said. “My big center Stephen Spence, he’s going to be a heck of a ball player, and Corey Schrock came in [at fullback] for Ryan Abdelhalim and he blocked awesome. I think Jeff Martin came in for Jesse [Barnes] and they all blocked so good.”

Barnes, the Colonels’ 6-0, 279-pound senior, injured his right knee midway through the fourth quarter on defense, and did not return. Barnes walked off the field with ice on his knee after the game.

James Wood went 7 for 11 on third-down conversions and 1 for 2 on fourth-down conversions.

Bolin said that efficiency came from the team’s veteran offensive line.

“They did a great job tonight moving people off the football,” Bolin said. “We were establishing the line of scrimmage and that’s what we have to do. We have four starters returning — Spence, Jesse Barnes, Brandon Sinecoff, Austin Woodall and throw Cody Winstead in there — that’s a pretty solid line. They had some push.”

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