Scoop27
10-15-2015, 06:34 PM
By EVAN DUNBAR evan.dunbar@thefacts.com | 0 comments
WEST COLUMBIA — With district play underway, the intensity is turning up for the undefeated Columbia Roughnecks.
The ’Necks earned a tough, 21-14 win in their District 12-4A opener against Brazosport on Friday to improve to 6-0 overall this season.
Columbia coach Randy Lynch said the grind that is district play turns up the level of play on the field in practice and in games.
“Once you get into district — and we talked about this before the Brazosport game last week — everybody has the same record,” Lynch said. “We’re all striving for one goal, and that’s to win each and every game and to get into the playoffs.
The next step toward that goal for the ’Necks will be against Needville, when the two teams kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Griggs Field.
The Bluejays (0-1, 3-3) enter Week 7 with the No. 1 offense in the district, and Lynch said Columbia’s defense will have to step up and be ready for the multitude of looks Needville will throw its way.
“Their offense presents some problems to our defense,” Lynch said. “They do a lot of different things and use a lot of different formations. We will have to play well defensively to win.”
The Bluejays average 428 yards of total offense and feature a balanced attack — with 1,341 yards rushing and 1,227 yards passing.
Junior quarterback Logan Archer runs the Bluejays’ high powered attack, and is the district’s leading passer. Archer is 77-of-137 for 1,208 yards and 10 touchdowns with just three interceptions.
Needville boasts the district’s top two wide receivers in Myles Hackstedt and Bradley Rozner.
For the ’Necks, the offensive strategy remains the same — pound the ball on the ground with powerful backs Dakarius Bell, Keithan Taylor and Saylaion Dunlap behind a good offensive line. Columbia has used that strategy to the tune of 2,006 rushing yards this season.
“We’ve been fortunate to have a good run game, and that starts up front,” Lynch said. “We have three starters back, plus our tight end and we will continue to try and run the football.”
Bell has been the workhorse for Columbia, rushing for 970 yards and 15 touchdowns on 130 carries, while Taylor has 398 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries.
Dunlap has been solid as well with the ball in his hands, rushing for 321 yards and four touchdowns on 39 carries.
“When you’ve got a back like Bell and those guys that relieve him in Keithan Taylor and Saylaion Dunlap, it’s important that we establish the run,” Lynch said.
But Lynch knows the ’Necks will have to have some balance of their own if they hope to continue their undefeated season.
“Brazosport did a good job of loading the box against us last week,” Lynch said. “We’ve got to be able to throw the ball a little bit play-action wise and things like that to extend drives.”
Junior quarterback Josh Jimenez has struggled in the passing game so far this season going 16-of-29 for 357 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Lynch said senior Hunter Grayson, who starts on defense for the ’Necks, will see more time under center after having some success last week against Brazosport.
“We’re going to play our two guys,” Lynch said. “Hunter starts for us on defense and he’s a part of what we do on defense, but he did a good job coming in (at quarterback) last week and played a few more series than I expected him to play. He really had the team rolling and was doing a good job of running the ball and made a couple passes.”
WEST COLUMBIA — With district play underway, the intensity is turning up for the undefeated Columbia Roughnecks.
The ’Necks earned a tough, 21-14 win in their District 12-4A opener against Brazosport on Friday to improve to 6-0 overall this season.
Columbia coach Randy Lynch said the grind that is district play turns up the level of play on the field in practice and in games.
“Once you get into district — and we talked about this before the Brazosport game last week — everybody has the same record,” Lynch said. “We’re all striving for one goal, and that’s to win each and every game and to get into the playoffs.
The next step toward that goal for the ’Necks will be against Needville, when the two teams kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Griggs Field.
The Bluejays (0-1, 3-3) enter Week 7 with the No. 1 offense in the district, and Lynch said Columbia’s defense will have to step up and be ready for the multitude of looks Needville will throw its way.
“Their offense presents some problems to our defense,” Lynch said. “They do a lot of different things and use a lot of different formations. We will have to play well defensively to win.”
The Bluejays average 428 yards of total offense and feature a balanced attack — with 1,341 yards rushing and 1,227 yards passing.
Junior quarterback Logan Archer runs the Bluejays’ high powered attack, and is the district’s leading passer. Archer is 77-of-137 for 1,208 yards and 10 touchdowns with just three interceptions.
Needville boasts the district’s top two wide receivers in Myles Hackstedt and Bradley Rozner.
For the ’Necks, the offensive strategy remains the same — pound the ball on the ground with powerful backs Dakarius Bell, Keithan Taylor and Saylaion Dunlap behind a good offensive line. Columbia has used that strategy to the tune of 2,006 rushing yards this season.
“We’ve been fortunate to have a good run game, and that starts up front,” Lynch said. “We have three starters back, plus our tight end and we will continue to try and run the football.”
Bell has been the workhorse for Columbia, rushing for 970 yards and 15 touchdowns on 130 carries, while Taylor has 398 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries.
Dunlap has been solid as well with the ball in his hands, rushing for 321 yards and four touchdowns on 39 carries.
“When you’ve got a back like Bell and those guys that relieve him in Keithan Taylor and Saylaion Dunlap, it’s important that we establish the run,” Lynch said.
But Lynch knows the ’Necks will have to have some balance of their own if they hope to continue their undefeated season.
“Brazosport did a good job of loading the box against us last week,” Lynch said. “We’ve got to be able to throw the ball a little bit play-action wise and things like that to extend drives.”
Junior quarterback Josh Jimenez has struggled in the passing game so far this season going 16-of-29 for 357 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Lynch said senior Hunter Grayson, who starts on defense for the ’Necks, will see more time under center after having some success last week against Brazosport.
“We’re going to play our two guys,” Lynch said. “Hunter starts for us on defense and he’s a part of what we do on defense, but he did a good job coming in (at quarterback) last week and played a few more series than I expected him to play. He really had the team rolling and was doing a good job of running the ball and made a couple passes.”