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Second time around: County rivals James Wood, Sherando square off again in playoffs
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By Jeff Nations -- jnations@nvdaily.com
James Wood football coach Mike Bolin had a message -- more like a theme, really -- for his team this week as the Colonels prepared to face county rival Sherando for the second time this season in tonight's Group AA, Division 4 semifinals at Arrowhead Stadium.
After losing to the Warriors 21-17 on Oct. 9 -- the Colonels' first defeat after a 5-0 start -- tonight's rematch represents not only an opportunity to stay alive in the state playoffs, but also something just a bit more for James Wood: a second chance, revenge, redemption, a do-over.
"That's part of what we talked about this week," Bolin said. "In life, it's so rare to get a second chance at anything. And in high school football, getting a second chance is rare, too. So yeah, we're excited."
Sherando (8-2) had the luxury of rest after earning a first-round bye in the playoffs, a break that also gave the Warriors the opportunity to witness the Colonels' 27-25 opening-round upset of Loudoun County. Sherando senior defensive end Jared Bentley made that short trip down I-81 for the game in Winchester, and came away impressed with the Colonels.
"They're definitely a better football team," Bentley said. "We feel like what happened in the past is the past, and we need to look at this football game as a new game, and we have to play to the best of our potential."
That loss to Sherando sent the Colonels' season into a downward spiral, as James Wood (7-4) lost four of its final five regular-season games. For awhile, it seemed even the Colonels' identity was in question as Bolin admits his team got away from the between-the-tackles, power run game that had brought that early success.
"We were just a little banged up," Bolin said. "We didn't execute fundamentals, was the main thing. We just went back to basics, back to the schemes and plays we used earlier that had worked for us.
"[The Loudoun County win] totally refocused our kids. We never lost faith, but deep down I think some of our players questioned how solid we are, how good we really are."
Getting back to the basics meant a heavy dose of senior running back Brock Lockhart, who ran for 266 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries against Loudoun County. Lockhart finished the regular season as the area's leading rusher with 1,628 yards and 16 touchdowns, and is certain to get plenty of attention once more from Sherando's defense. In the first meeting, the Warriors held Lockhart to just 103 rushing yards.
Sherando coach Bill Hall expects tonight's game will closely resemble the first meeting as each team will stick with the style that got it into the postseason.
"I'm sure they're going to have a couple new wrinkles, and I'm sure we're going to have a couple wrinkles," Hall said. "But 95 percent of the game will just be based on what we do fundamentally, and what they do fundamentally. I think if you try to get out of what your character is, then you're going to do more harm to yourself than good."
Sherando's character has been to field a balanced offense and a stingy, mistake-forcing defensive unit that has produced 13 interceptions and forced nine fumbles this season.
While the Warriors have plenty of options on offense, Bolin is understandably concerned specifically by Dalton Boyd (24 receptions for 572 yards, six TDs). Boyd broke the regular-season game open for Sherando with a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and also scored on a reverse.
"He's such a good football player," Bolin said of Boyd. "Sherando is going to do whatever it can to get the ball in his hands. He's probably the most dangerous player we've seen all year. But you can't just key on one player. They've got a lot of good players and they'll make you pay."
Special teams could prove the difference again, as Sherando has excelled (three returns for TDs, four blocked kicks) and James Wood has struggled (two returns for TDs allowed).
James Wood's win gave the Colonels renewed confidence, but the Warriors enjoyed some much-needed recovery time with the bye. Despite the extra time off, Hall isn't worried about his team losing its edge.
"I don't worry about that at all, in terms of continuity and stuff like that," Hall said. "I think it came at a great time for us, just in terms of giving the kids some mental down time. I think the season's a long journey and I think it's not only physically demanding, but mentally demanding on them -- especially when expectations are so high."
Sherando offensive tackle David Partlow expects an intense game and a packed house tonight, just the way he likes it.
"I believe it will be an intense game," Partlow said. "Just because we won the first one, we're not bringing down the intensity at all. [Beating James Wood] two times in one season in our senior year, that's bragging rights for the rest of our lives."
And while Partlow would have liked his own chance at a bit of revenge by getting another crack at Loudoun County -- which beat the Warriors this season -- he has no problem getting up to face the Colonels again.
"I'm glad we're playing James Wood because it's a district rivalry game," Partlow said. "It'll be that much better of a game, more intense, and you get to hit people you know."
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