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Williamston set to collide with Creswell
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By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
Many area football fans might be surprised to see Creswell make it all the way to the sectional round of the NCHSAA 1A playoffs and, to be honest, so was Creswell coach Wayne Rodgers.
Kind of.
After the second-seeded Tigers (10-1) knocked off the 10th seeded Perquimans Pirates (7-5) 20-18 last Friday, Rodgers said he is still relishing the win and that he is happy to see his team play to its potential.
“I’m a little surprised, but it’s been great. I’ve been smiling since Friday,” Rodgers said. “It’s been a little surprising that a little school like us could get this far, but I knew heading into the season that these guys were special. I’m just happy to see them play up to their abilities.”
Creswell hails from the often-overlooked Tideland Conference. Rodgers said that because his team plays in the Tideland, many teams have underestimated his club. However, he feels that by making it this far in the playoffs the element of surprise will be gone when Creswell hosts the third-seeded Williamston Tigers (8-5) tonight at 7:30.
“I think a lot of teams may not have taken us seriously, or given us the respect that we deserve,” Rodgers said. “We might have been able to take some teams by surprise, because we don’t get the respect that other teams from other conferences get. (But once you make it to the sectional round) that underdog card is lost. No one is going to underestimate us.”
Williamston heads into tonight’s match up having topped #11 Northampton-West 28-20 in the second round of the playoffs, and Tigers’ coach Asim McGill said he will not allow his team to underestimate its opponent.
“I’ve haven’t seen that much film on them, but I know they only lost one game and that they are a good team with good athletes,” McGill said. “I’ve been preaching all week that the biggest game we have is whoever we play next. So I don’t expect my players to be overlooking anybody.”
The key match up in tonight’s game will be the play of Creswell’s offensive line versus the blitzing, eight in the box defense of Williamston led by linebackers DeBrian and DeBriant Everett.
“We have played teams that have run similar a similar defense, but they were not as effective as Williamston’s,” Rodgers said. “The have a lot of speed and size, that’s what makes them so good. Our line is just going to have to hold up against them.”
Creswell likes to utilize featured sophomore running back Timmell Sawyer out of three primary formations, the wing-T, I and spread, but the Tigers will have to have a capable passing attack if they want to beat Williamston.
“Passing is going to be very important to us,” Rodgers said. “With them bringing so many people up to the line of scrimmage we will have to be able to complete a couple of passes.”
Williamston’s McGill said that containing Sawyer is a concern, but his team can not afford to shift all its attention to one person.
“Stopping 33 (Sawyer) will be important, he is a good player,” McGill said. “But we can’t just focus on one person. We have to concentrate on their entire offense, and make adjustments as the game goes on. I think whichever team makes the adjustments faster will have the advantage.”
Adjusting is nothing new to Williamston. The Tigers had to tweak their offense around after quarterback Cedric Moody got hurt early in the season.
McGill shifted running back Emery Griggs to the QB spot, and moved tight end Derek Everett to the vacant running back position.
That’s a tremendous change for a team to make during the season, but after an adjustment period, the Tigers’ offense has taken off.
Since its 40-0 loss to Plymouth in Week 9, Williamston has scored over 40 points in four of its last five games.
Griggs has proven that he is not only a threat to run at the QB position, but can hit receivers Kareem Bell and Kenny Brown, while the athletic Everett has adapted well to the running back position.
The offense has really jelled heading into the playoffs, and the team as a whole has been playing with a sense of urgency.
“Ever since that Plymouth loss I’ve told our kids to play with a one-and-done philosophy,” McGill said. “We have to treat each game like its March Madness, one loss and you are out.”
Like Williamston, Creswell likes to have a lot of defenders on the line of scrimmage, and it will be up to the Williamston offensive line to continue keep up its strong play.
“Our line has done a great job as the season has progressed,” McGill said. “They take a lot of pride in the fact that we have been able to run the ball. They have really done a good job of communicating with each other on blocking assignments.”
Stacking the line of scrimmage is a gamble, while it usually creates pressure and can stop the run, it also leaves a defense vulnerable to the big play.
Rogers said the key to victory is to control momentum and not let up the big play.
“We have to keep momentum on our side and not have any turnovers,” Rodgers said. “We have to keep (Griggs) from having a big game, and play field position football. If we can do that, we can hang around and be in this game.”
McGill agreed with his counterpart’s assignment on turnovers and the big play, and added that special teams could play a big role in tonight’s game as well.
“The big play will be a big factor, both teams have guys that can run the ball,” McGill said. “But I the kicking game will play a big part too. They have a guy who has a good leg on him (Ralphon Owens). It makes a big difference on kickoffs. If the team has a good kicker, now you are starting at the 20-yard line, instead of maybe the 35 or so.”
Kind of.
After the second-seeded Tigers (10-1) knocked off the 10th seeded Perquimans Pirates (7-5) 20-18 last Friday, Rodgers said he is still relishing the win and that he is happy to see his team play to its potential.
“I’m a little surprised, but it’s been great. I’ve been smiling since Friday,” Rodgers said. “It’s been a little surprising that a little school like us could get this far, but I knew heading into the season that these guys were special. I’m just happy to see them play up to their abilities.”
Creswell hails from the often-overlooked Tideland Conference. Rodgers said that because his team plays in the Tideland, many teams have underestimated his club. However, he feels that by making it this far in the playoffs the element of surprise will be gone when Creswell hosts the third-seeded Williamston Tigers (8-5) tonight at 7:30.
“I think a lot of teams may not have taken us seriously, or given us the respect that we deserve,” Rodgers said. “We might have been able to take some teams by surprise, because we don’t get the respect that other teams from other conferences get. (But once you make it to the sectional round) that underdog card is lost. No one is going to underestimate us.”
Williamston heads into tonight’s match up having topped #11 Northampton-West 28-20 in the second round of the playoffs, and Tigers’ coach Asim McGill said he will not allow his team to underestimate its opponent.
“I’ve haven’t seen that much film on them, but I know they only lost one game and that they are a good team with good athletes,” McGill said. “I’ve been preaching all week that the biggest game we have is whoever we play next. So I don’t expect my players to be overlooking anybody.”
The key match up in tonight’s game will be the play of Creswell’s offensive line versus the blitzing, eight in the box defense of Williamston led by linebackers DeBrian and DeBriant Everett.
“We have played teams that have run similar a similar defense, but they were not as effective as Williamston’s,” Rodgers said. “The have a lot of speed and size, that’s what makes them so good. Our line is just going to have to hold up against them.”
Creswell likes to utilize featured sophomore running back Timmell Sawyer out of three primary formations, the wing-T, I and spread, but the Tigers will have to have a capable passing attack if they want to beat Williamston.
“Passing is going to be very important to us,” Rodgers said. “With them bringing so many people up to the line of scrimmage we will have to be able to complete a couple of passes.”
Williamston’s McGill said that containing Sawyer is a concern, but his team can not afford to shift all its attention to one person.
“Stopping 33 (Sawyer) will be important, he is a good player,” McGill said. “But we can’t just focus on one person. We have to concentrate on their entire offense, and make adjustments as the game goes on. I think whichever team makes the adjustments faster will have the advantage.”
Adjusting is nothing new to Williamston. The Tigers had to tweak their offense around after quarterback Cedric Moody got hurt early in the season.
McGill shifted running back Emery Griggs to the QB spot, and moved tight end Derek Everett to the vacant running back position.
That’s a tremendous change for a team to make during the season, but after an adjustment period, the Tigers’ offense has taken off.
Since its 40-0 loss to Plymouth in Week 9, Williamston has scored over 40 points in four of its last five games.
Griggs has proven that he is not only a threat to run at the QB position, but can hit receivers Kareem Bell and Kenny Brown, while the athletic Everett has adapted well to the running back position.
The offense has really jelled heading into the playoffs, and the team as a whole has been playing with a sense of urgency.
“Ever since that Plymouth loss I’ve told our kids to play with a one-and-done philosophy,” McGill said. “We have to treat each game like its March Madness, one loss and you are out.”
Like Williamston, Creswell likes to have a lot of defenders on the line of scrimmage, and it will be up to the Williamston offensive line to continue keep up its strong play.
“Our line has done a great job as the season has progressed,” McGill said. “They take a lot of pride in the fact that we have been able to run the ball. They have really done a good job of communicating with each other on blocking assignments.”
Stacking the line of scrimmage is a gamble, while it usually creates pressure and can stop the run, it also leaves a defense vulnerable to the big play.
Rogers said the key to victory is to control momentum and not let up the big play.
“We have to keep momentum on our side and not have any turnovers,” Rodgers said. “We have to keep (Griggs) from having a big game, and play field position football. If we can do that, we can hang around and be in this game.”
McGill agreed with his counterpart’s assignment on turnovers and the big play, and added that special teams could play a big role in tonight’s game as well.
“The big play will be a big factor, both teams have guys that can run the ball,” McGill said. “But I the kicking game will play a big part too. They have a guy who has a good leg on him (Ralphon Owens). It makes a big difference on kickoffs. If the team has a good kicker, now you are starting at the 20-yard line, instead of maybe the 35 or so.”
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| Athletes will be on display |
