nexfan
10-08-2005, 10:10 AM
'Necks rough up Spartans
By Matt Tasler
The Facts
Published October 8, 2005
WEST COLUMBIA — If the Stafford football team looks in the mirror this morning, they just might see the remnants of Roughneck cleat marks.
Columbia hadn’t played a game for nearly three weeks, but the ’Necks didn’t show any rust in shutting out Stafford 50-0 in the District 25-3A opener Friday.
As dominant as the defense played in holding the Spartans to 50 yards rushing on 27 carries, the ’Necks’ ground game was practically unstoppable, rolling up 364 yards on 51 attempts.
Eight Columbia players had carries, led by Jared Flannel’s 147 yards on 19 attempts. Donald Scott finished with 76 yards on 15 carries and LaQuincy Baugh added 64 yards on three carries. Jareth Edwards rounded out the primary ball carriers with four carries for 61 yards.
Stafford’s Anthony Weeden, the district’s leading rusher with 700 yards through five games, was limited to 25 yards on nine carries at Griggs Field.
“I was worried because you never know what you’re going to get after you’re off for three weeks,” Columbia coach Brian Lane said. “We think we’re a good football team and if we play well we can do this kind of stuff.”
Columbia outperformed Stafford in all aspects of the game, taking a 21-0 lead into the half.
The ‘Necks marched down the field on the opening possession of the contest and Scott capped the nine-play, 74-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown run with 7:59 to play in the first.
Brian Rohde booted the extra point through the uprights, making it 7-0.
Following the touchdown, Columbia’s kicking team sprinted to the line for the kickoff and Rohde drilled a kick into the turf for the onside kick.
Columbia recovered the loose ball at the Stafford 43, but Tim Vernor’s pass into the end zone was picked off by Weeden, giving the Spartans possession.
“Our defense played great tonight,” Lane said. “We worked for two weeks on wrapping up. We played great on both sides of the ball, blocked a punt, had some good returns. I thought we played well in all three phases.”
The ‘Necks’ defense held, forcing the Spartans to punt after three plays, allowing the offense to go back to work.
Columbia’s Shane Minks took over for Vernor under center and led the ‘Necks to another score, on a 21-yard pass to Jerry Woodard, for a 14-0 lead with 11:06 left in the half after Rohde’s kick.
Columbia’s defense came up with another three and out on Stafford’s next possession and, once again, the offense helped the ‘Necks extend the lead.
The ‘Necks started their next drive at their own 43 and took eight plays to reach the Stafford 1.
From there, Flannel plunged in for the touchdown with 3:35 left to play in the half. Rohde’s third extra point made it 21-0.
On the final two drives of the half, Minks found Vernor on a pair of long passes, but Columbia was unable to add to the lead.
Midway through the third quarter, Scott scored his second touchdown of the contest, rumbling into the end zone from a yard out and giving the ‘Necks a 27-0 lead with 4:59 on the clock after the extra point sailed wide.
After Stafford lined up for its fifth punt of the night, Edwards raced around the left side of the Spartans offensive line to block the punt. The ball bounced through the back of the end zone for a safety and a 29-0 Columbia lead with 2:28 left in the third quarter.
LaQuincy Baugh then put the game well out of reach with a 55-yard touchdown run on Columbia’s first play following the safety, making it 36-0 after the extra point.
“We were a little concerned about it,” Lane said of the layoff. “But we were ready to hit somebody besides ourselves in practice. It ended up working to our advantage.”
On its next possession, Stafford quarterback Adrian Blackmon fumbled on a fourth and one play and Flannel returned the ball inside the Stafford 5.
LaBradford Green opened the fourth quarter of play by scoring from one yard out, making it 43-0 with 11:57 remaining in the game.
Edwards scored on a 51-yard run with 1:09 to play to round out the scoring.
Columbia (4-1, 1-0) hosts Wharton on Friday. Stafford falls to 4-2.
“Wharton is always a perennial (challenger),” Lane said. “It came down to us and them last year and we beat them. They’ll be ready to go this year and hopefully we can play well.”
By Matt Tasler
The Facts
Published October 8, 2005
WEST COLUMBIA — If the Stafford football team looks in the mirror this morning, they just might see the remnants of Roughneck cleat marks.
Columbia hadn’t played a game for nearly three weeks, but the ’Necks didn’t show any rust in shutting out Stafford 50-0 in the District 25-3A opener Friday.
As dominant as the defense played in holding the Spartans to 50 yards rushing on 27 carries, the ’Necks’ ground game was practically unstoppable, rolling up 364 yards on 51 attempts.
Eight Columbia players had carries, led by Jared Flannel’s 147 yards on 19 attempts. Donald Scott finished with 76 yards on 15 carries and LaQuincy Baugh added 64 yards on three carries. Jareth Edwards rounded out the primary ball carriers with four carries for 61 yards.
Stafford’s Anthony Weeden, the district’s leading rusher with 700 yards through five games, was limited to 25 yards on nine carries at Griggs Field.
“I was worried because you never know what you’re going to get after you’re off for three weeks,” Columbia coach Brian Lane said. “We think we’re a good football team and if we play well we can do this kind of stuff.”
Columbia outperformed Stafford in all aspects of the game, taking a 21-0 lead into the half.
The ‘Necks marched down the field on the opening possession of the contest and Scott capped the nine-play, 74-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown run with 7:59 to play in the first.
Brian Rohde booted the extra point through the uprights, making it 7-0.
Following the touchdown, Columbia’s kicking team sprinted to the line for the kickoff and Rohde drilled a kick into the turf for the onside kick.
Columbia recovered the loose ball at the Stafford 43, but Tim Vernor’s pass into the end zone was picked off by Weeden, giving the Spartans possession.
“Our defense played great tonight,” Lane said. “We worked for two weeks on wrapping up. We played great on both sides of the ball, blocked a punt, had some good returns. I thought we played well in all three phases.”
The ‘Necks’ defense held, forcing the Spartans to punt after three plays, allowing the offense to go back to work.
Columbia’s Shane Minks took over for Vernor under center and led the ‘Necks to another score, on a 21-yard pass to Jerry Woodard, for a 14-0 lead with 11:06 left in the half after Rohde’s kick.
Columbia’s defense came up with another three and out on Stafford’s next possession and, once again, the offense helped the ‘Necks extend the lead.
The ‘Necks started their next drive at their own 43 and took eight plays to reach the Stafford 1.
From there, Flannel plunged in for the touchdown with 3:35 left to play in the half. Rohde’s third extra point made it 21-0.
On the final two drives of the half, Minks found Vernor on a pair of long passes, but Columbia was unable to add to the lead.
Midway through the third quarter, Scott scored his second touchdown of the contest, rumbling into the end zone from a yard out and giving the ‘Necks a 27-0 lead with 4:59 on the clock after the extra point sailed wide.
After Stafford lined up for its fifth punt of the night, Edwards raced around the left side of the Spartans offensive line to block the punt. The ball bounced through the back of the end zone for a safety and a 29-0 Columbia lead with 2:28 left in the third quarter.
LaQuincy Baugh then put the game well out of reach with a 55-yard touchdown run on Columbia’s first play following the safety, making it 36-0 after the extra point.
“We were a little concerned about it,” Lane said of the layoff. “But we were ready to hit somebody besides ourselves in practice. It ended up working to our advantage.”
On its next possession, Stafford quarterback Adrian Blackmon fumbled on a fourth and one play and Flannel returned the ball inside the Stafford 5.
LaBradford Green opened the fourth quarter of play by scoring from one yard out, making it 43-0 with 11:57 remaining in the game.
Edwards scored on a 51-yard run with 1:09 to play to round out the scoring.
Columbia (4-1, 1-0) hosts Wharton on Friday. Stafford falls to 4-2.
“Wharton is always a perennial (challenger),” Lane said. “It came down to us and them last year and we beat them. They’ll be ready to go this year and hopefully we can play well.”