Eagles finally home, host old rival Spartans Friday
By Randall JettRegister-Herald Sports Writer
Home, sweet home.
Woodrow Wilson coach John H. Lilly is hoping the first home game of the season will revitalize his road-weary squad.
“The biggest thing this week for us is getting back at home,” he said. “We’ve been on the road for five weeks, counting the two scrimmages. Yeah, I’m hoping we’ll have a big crowd out there to support us. This time last year, we were 3-0. This year, we’re 0-3 and off to a rocky start, but we haven’t been home. That’s difficult for any team, especially an inexperienced team.”
The Eagles will get an added lift Friday as they face rival and Class AAA No. 20 Greenbrier East in their annual contest.
The Spartans (1-1) are coming off a 6-3 win over Spring Valley and hope to keep the momentum up.
“There’s certainly a little bounce in their step,” East coach Mike Michaels said. “It’s always nice to get a win to show that your hard work pays off. The spirit has been up a little more here the last couple of practices. I guess everybody gets a little more excited for the Woodrow week.”
Michaels, though, related that he and his staff haven’t changed anything in preparing for the big game.
“We’re preparing the same as we do every week,” he said. “We try to work as hard as we can on the fundamentals and the things that are going to make our kids better each week. We prepare the same every week. Hopefully the kids will work on the mistakes that we made in the last game, improve on those things and get better for this week.”
Woodrow, on the other hand, is still looking for the right combination on the field.
“We’re looking at a lot of new faces in there and giving some people some opportunities,” Lilly said. “After three games, it’s time for some other people to get opportunities to play and see if they can work their way into a starting position. It’s been quite a spirited practice this week because there are some new kids in there getting opportunities.”
Lilly stressed his young team is still improving each week.
“Right now, we’re just trying to continue to work hard and make improvements in a lot of key areas that we need to make improvements in,” he said. “I think we’re so focused on trying to make those improvements and get ready for Friday night ... We’re just trying to take care of ourselves and get ourselves prepared mentally and physically, regardless of who we play.”
Greenbrier East also has a young team and Michaels is hoping it can meet the challenge up front on the line.
“It’s just how well we match up with Beckley,” he said. “Beckley’s got an awful lot of big size in there and some big, strong kids. They’ve got some speed in their line. We’ve got a lot of young kids right now playing there, but they’ve been improving each week. We don’t have a senior starting on the offensive line.”
The Spartans will be missing quarterback Dominique Daniels, who was injured in the first game of the season.
“He got hurt against Cabell Midland on the fifth play of the game and hasn’t played since,” Michaels said. “Everything is just sort of up in the air right now. He’s raring to go and wanting to go, but the doctors and medical people have a lot to say on that, too.”
Edgar McClintic has moved under center to replace Daniels.
“He’s done a really outstanding job,” Michaels said. “Everybody’s doing the best they can.”
Woodrow announced there will be a $1 parking fee for all home games. Season ticket holders will not be charged the fee if they show their season pass to the individuals collecting the fee.
Coeburn gets start for CU
By TOM BONEBluefield Daily Telegraph
ATHENS — Rusty Coeburn is getting his shot at quarterback again.
The former two-way star for the Bluefield Beavers in their state championship run was named on Tuesday by Concord University as its starting signal-caller this Saturday in the conference opener with Fairmont State.
“We really believe that this move will be a breath of fresh air, but also will bring a talented leader into our offense,” said Concord head coach Greg Quick. He said the decision was made late Monday “as a coaching staff after reviewing tape and looking at the season ahead of us.”
At 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, Coeburn provides a different dimension at quarterback.
“He makes people defend the quarterback (with) his feet as well as his arm,” Quick said. That has been one of the premises of Quick’s offenses “over the past 20 years,” he said.
“This isn’t a knee-jerk reaction to our first two ballgames,” the coach said. “We feel at this time, with what we need to do offensively and how our offense has developed over the last couple of weeks, that Rusty’s talents best lend themselves to the direction we need to go offensively.”
Jared Palazzola, the starting quarterback for Concord’s first two games, was 7-for-19 for 84 yards last Saturday in a 32-12 loss to Tiffin, and had an interception returned for a score. Derek Midkiff came on in relief, completing one of six throws for 35 yards.
Coeburn, who played defensive end at West Virginia Wesleyan College prior to transferring to Concord, had expected to play defense for the Mountain Lions, and saw action in that role last Saturday against Tiffin.
The coaches asked him during spring practice to try out at quarterback. Quick said then that the competition for the starting QB role was tight.
“The last two years have really been turmoil for Rusty,” Quick said. “He’s kind of laid down roots here; he’s made great friends. But the one thing he’s demonstrated is that he’s a leader, and he’s a strong personality, and he’s a very confident young man.
“And right now that’s what we need at the helm of our football team. And we think Rusty can do that.”
Where Saturday’s game will be played had not been completely decided on Tuesday afternoon. That decision will be made by 10 a.m. today, Quick said, after reviewing the final stages of work on the new synthetic playing surface at the football stadium.
Big Terrapins
WVU to face huge linemen
Associated Press CHARLESTON (AP) — If the scales factor into the outcome of a college football game, West Virginia coach Rich Rodri-guez might hesitate playing Maryland.
Rodriguez wants to overcome a significant size deficit when the fifth-ranked Mountaineers and Terrapins play on Thursday night.
“They may be the biggest football team we play all year,” Rodriguez said Tues-day.
Maryland’s starting offensive line averages 315 pounds, while only one of West Vir-ginia’s three defensive linemen weighs more than 290.
Both of the Terps’ tight ends are at least 6-foot-6 and 266 pounds. Running back Lance Ball is approaching 220 and fullback Tim Cesa is close to 260.
“They’ll be eating peanuts off our guys’ heads out there on defense,” Rodriguez said. “Coming off the bus, that’s an impressive football team.”
Rodriguez even mentioned quarterback Sam Hollenbach at 6-4 and said his speed shouldn’t be overlooked.
“He’s a little more mobile than you think,” Rodriguez said. “They’ve run some option with him. They do a lot of bootlegs. He can run. He’s not a stationary target back there.”
Rodriguez expects Maryland to use their twin tower tight ends in mismatches with the Mountaineers’ smaller defensive backs. Joey Haynos, at 6-8, leads the Terps with 87 yards receiving and has caught four passes this season.
“They do a lot of play action on first and second down when they fake the running play and get the ball to the tight end not only on crossing routes but on some deeper routes. That’s tough to defend,” Rodriguez said. “That guy’s going to go up and muscle the ball away from you.”
West Virginia has only two offensive linemen over 300 pounds, matching two of Maryland’s three starters on the defensive line.
“We’re not a real big, physical team,” he said.
But that won’t keep this from being one of the hardest-hitting games the Mountaineers play all year.
“It was the case when I was playing here,” said Rodriguez, a WVU defensive back in the early 1980s. “In my last five years (as coach) it’s been that way.”
So much so that Rodriguez expects to see more players seeking treatment for ailments on Friday.
“That’s why we haven’t hit much this week,” he said. “We’ve got a quick turnaround to play a very physical football team.”
In anticipation, Rodriguez gave many of his starters, including the offensive line, a rest in a 52-3 win over Division I-AA Eastern Washington last Saturday.
Running back Steve Slaton was gone after the first quarter, having already rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Pat White was on the bench well before halftime; three other WVU quarterbacks combined for four scores.
Rodriguez revealed Tuesday he wasn’t sure White would even play in that game after aggravating a sore rib muscle in the season opener against Marshall. White didn’t practice for three days but said before the game that he felt fine.
“I don’t know if it was adrenaline or not,” Rodriguez said. “He said, ’I feel like a liar because I told you I didn’t know if I could go.’
“He’s bounced around this week pretty good. He’s taken every rep. He has not done that in the last two-three weeks.”
| Sports |
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| Mitch Vingle | |
| Big East party, changing times and grandma’s smile
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| The party line — including this party, whee! — has been the Big East is a two-team football monster. West Virginia and Louisville. Louisville and West Virginia.
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| Winfield blanks Irish | |
| Already minus a lot of firepower, Charleston Catholic saw its predicament deepen when it ran into an improving Winfield squad Tuesday afternoon.
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| Terps’ Friedgen admits mistake on Slaton | |
| MORGANTOWN — Having missed the boat on Steve Slaton, Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen now is yearning for help from the NFL to make sure he isn’t haunted for another couple of years.
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| State seeks back-to-back wins | |
| West Virginia State will be going for two wins in a row as the Yellow Jackets open up play in the West Virginia Conference against West Virginia Wesleyan at 1 p.m. Saturday in Institute.
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| Prep soccer roundup | |
| Sissonville girls win big
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| Kaitlin Snyder scored four goals for Sissonville as the Indians defeated Oak Hill 9-0 Tuesday in girls soccer.
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| Kanawha Valley soccer standings, statistics | |
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| College soccer roundup | |
| D&E edges UC men 3-2
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| Jose Maria Cantillo scored all three goals, two on free kicks and the other on a penalty kick, as host Davis & Elkins beat the University of Charleston 3-2 Tuesday in West Virginia Conference men’s soccer.
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| Prep soccer rankings | |
| State coaches association rankings
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| Names in the games | |
| Chris Henry, prep ratings, NASCAR contest | |
| High School Sports | Wednesday, September 13, 2006 |
W.Va. prep football rankings released
HUNTINGTON -- The Hurricane Redskins are one of eight unbeaten Class AAA teams in the state after three weeks of the high school football season. Details Midland victorious in muddy contest
ONA -- Cabell Midland picked a fine day to debut its new girls soccer home uniforms Tuesday in a game against Riverside. Details Winningham honored for track prowess
Doubleheaders take toll on preps
More Sports Stories
CHARLESTON -- Unbeaten Hurricane is getting it done with defense. Details
• Doubleheaders take toll on preps
• Hurricane claims MSAC golf crown
• Ohio high school football rankings
• W.Va. high school football ratings
• Prep notebook: Lincoln County high slowly finding its way in Class AAA
• Fairland cross country results
• St. Joe remains perfect with win over Ashland
• Huntington wins thriller over Princeton
• Missed extra point foils Knights' rally
• Chesapeake Panthers cruise to first win
• Wayne wallops Huskies
• High school roundup: Sheldon Clark trips up Fairland
• High school football scores
• Thompson leads Calvary past Grace
• Miller fuels Fighting Tigers
• Fairland High School hosts cross country invitational
• High school football matchups
• Improving Cabell Midland Knights blank Ripley
• Knights' Ferguson off to hot start
• Huntington offering free soccer clinic
| Marshall Sports | Wednesday, September 13, 2006 |
Looking for an encore
HUNTINGTON -- Dennis Thornton is returning to the scene where he arrived as a Marshall University football playmaker. Details Tennessee produces plenty of talent for Herd
HUNTINGTON -- Tennessee has been very, very good to Marshall University's football program. Details
Marshall golfers finish 7th in tourney
More Sports Stories
PINEHURST, N.C. -- The Marshall men's golf team finished seventh with score of 873 at the Mid Pines Intercollegiate Tuesday. Details
• Two assistants hired for Herd baseball
• A RIVALRY IN BLOOM
• Kansas State has been a mixed bag this season
• Marshall roundup: Herd doubles tennis players ranked nationally
• Bimberg receives volleyball honor
• C-USA players of the week
• Morris finds his stride
• Punter O'Connor sparks Herd over Hofstra
• HOW THEY SCORED
• Herd answers wake-up call, rallies past Hofstra
• Herd finds another gear behind Bradshaw, Morris
• Weapons in place, execution the key for Marshall
• Herd victory full of milestones
• Marshall-Hofstra game statistics
• ERNIE SALVATORE: Andy Tonkovich a superstar in his time
• Marshall volleyball wraps up play at Pitt Invitational
• Brashaw leads Thundering Herd in 54-31 win over Hofstra
• “We Are Marshall” trailer draws tears, ovation
• Pride should be perfect remedy for Herd
• Marshall-Hofstra game notes
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