West Fork upbeat heading to Clarksville
Posted on Wednesday, October 8, 2008
ANTHONY REYES Northwest Arkansas Times West Fork senior quarterback Daniel Holiday (5 ) sprints past the line of scrimmage to the end zone against Pottsville Sept. 26 in West Fork.
WEST FORK - Fourstraight wins have engendered a confidence West Fork lacked during a disappointing 3-6-1 campaign last year.
"The old saying, ' winning cures all ills' is really true," said Rodney Selph, West Fork head coach. "We're definitely more upbeat than last year. We have a mentality where the kids expect to go out and win. A lot of credit goes to our seniors. They've stepped up and taken on a leadership role."
The Tigers (4-1, 2-0 ) will go for a fifth-straight win Friday at Clarksville. The Panthers (3-2, 2-0 ) enter the fray with a two-game win streak in tow, prevailing against Booneville (30-26 ) and Ozark (40-34 ) in their first two 4-4 A Conference games.
This season ushered in a new era for the Panthers, who have transitioned from their traditional I-formation offense to the Spread attack. The change has agreed with senior quarterback Damon Redman. The first year starter has completed more than 70 percent of his passes. He completed 26-of-29 passes for 312 yards and 4 touchdowns against Booneville.
"They have weapons and a lot of speed," Selph said. "Their offensive line is big and does a good job protecting their quarterback. They have a lot of guys who can the catch the football.
"If you don't tackle well, they're able to bust a long run, even on little curl routes. We have to pressure the quarterback and tackle extremely well."
West Fork's senior tailback Taylor Genz has recovered from the shoulder injury that limited him earlier in the year. His 104 rushing yards last Friday at Dover was a season high, giving him 307 yards and 7 rushing touchdowns on the season.
"He ran the ball really tough," Selph said. "His shoulder feels better and he was able to lower it and get those extra yards."
West Fork's success running the ball (161 yards per game ) has been a function of its offensive line. Seniors Robbie Babione (right guard ) and Seth Bartholomew (right tackle ) gained experience last year, and sophomores Clayton Smith (center ), Taylor Shaddrick (left guard ) and Taylor Karnes (left tackle ) have shown a steep learning curve.
"That's been real big," Selph said. "The last few games we've been able to control the line of scrimmage. Even though we run the Spread, we're a run-oriented team. We like to throw between 13 and 14 times a game.
"When we get our running game going we're so much better. We haven't had a long run but we've had a lot of 15- and 16-yard ones. Coach [Bryan ] Dougan has done a good job with the offensive line."
The Tigers' senior-laden defensive front has also exerted its will in the trenches. Derrick Greenlee, Stormy Bayliss, Mike Wright and Ryan Ellis comprise the leading edge of a defense that's allowed an average of 11. 5 points during the four-game win streak.
"They've seen a lot of different looks this year," Selph said. "We've faced two-tight teams, Wing T teams and last week we played a Spread team. They've adjusted each week and played well."
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