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THE HOME STRETCH Private school soccer gets ready for playoffs
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MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SKIN A CAT Woodberry football looks to its offense
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ON THE LEVEL Western’s Hajek takes over in field hockey
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GAME TIME Monroe edges Madison for first win of the year
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LASTING EFFECT The impact a coach can make on a community
Up in the air
VOL 7 . ISSUE 4 :: OCTOBER 19, 2015
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VOL 7. ISSUE 4 :: OCTOBER 19, 2015
At a rate that Central Virginia has not seen from the Tigers, WFS is piling up the stats PAGE 07
S TA F F Bart Isley, Creative Director Bob Isley, Infrastructure Director Ryan Yemen, Creative Editor O N T H E COV E R Woodberry’s Thomas Radke M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T Local sports are the lifeblood of every community in America, and we’re here to reach beyond the basics and give compelling accounts about Central Virginia athletes to our readers. CO N TAC T U S [ e ] info@scrimmageplay.com [ p ] 434-249-2032
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PREGAME
Cheers, mate The Jefferson District cheer leading championship was held last week at Charlottesville. The eight JD squads competed against one another and at the end of the night it was Louisa County’s cheer squad that came out with the JD title. The atmosphere in Mineral at football games is stepped in lore. While there are a lot of sideshows to enjoy at Louisa’s circus in the jungle, the Lions’ cheer leading squad can’t be overlooked for their effort and spirit. ✖ (Photo by Ashley Thornton)
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At halftime of Monticello’s meeting with Orange County, the Mustangs’ marching band took the field and played a creative blend of music with its percussion breaking out buckets and making some noise. Monticello went on the beat Orange 26-14 for the pivotal win. With three weeks to go for all the Jefferson District squads, both the Mustangs and Hornets are vying for playoff positioning. Expect more creative shows from both bands as the regular season winds to a close. ✖ (Photo by Ashley Thornton)
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PREGAME
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First Quarter
The home stretch STAB and Covenant boys soccer race to finish By Bart Isley
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STAB’s Chris Woodfolk takes a pass against Fork Union. (Bart Isley)
{ GOOOOOOAL } STAB’s top scorers through the first 12 games.
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hen St. Anne’s-Belfield and Covenant met October 13, both teams were searching for a little bit of a spark as they both try and secure a playoff spot for the VISAA postseason. While the game ended in a tie, both squads know that the pressure is on.
The tie with Covenant wasn’t ideal for the Saints, who are battling it out for a playoff spot in VISAA’s Division I, which is loaded with talented, tough squads from Northern Virginia and Richmond. The Saints were ranked No. 11 in the last poll from back in early October, but they tied No. 3-seeded Norfolk Academy. So it’s clear that STAB is capable of playing with anyone. “I was just telling the guys, his just puts more pressure on us going forward to get some results,” said STAB coach Rob Lane. “I thought we generated a lot of chances (against Covenant) and just sometimes it doesn’t go in.” That pressure intensifies with games against St. Christopher’s and Collegiate who are both in the Top 10 in the state. But the Saints can lean on a trio of senior captains on the back line that have powered STAB thus far. That group — Jacob Hegemier, Alex Ghaemmaghami and Chris Woodfolk — has helped limit STAB opponents to one or zero goals in all but one game with the help of STAB keeper Cooper Allen. Woodfolk also got in on the scoring action against Covenant, notching the Saints’ lone goal. Throw in an offense that has shown some scoring punch in wins against Tandem and Fork Union locally, and the Saints could be a major factor if they can wedge their way into the tournament. Alex Bertone, a junior, has proven particularly potent as he notched a hat trick against Fork Union and is averaging better than a goal per outing for STAB. Ned Butler leads the Saints in assists with five on the year, while Hank Gregg has scored five goals and Even Trebour has also been an offensive
threat at times. “It’s got to be a will to win and not letting something like (the tie with Covenant) set us back,” Lane said. “We’ve got to come out and know that we can generate chances and play how we know we can play.” Covenant, meanwhile, had a bit of an identity crisis early in the season as standout central midfielder Michael Colberg missed the early part of the year with a lower leg injury, and that led to a bit of a tailspin for the a program that went to the state semifinals last year and won a state title just two years ago. Getting Colberg back has changed the entire mix for the Eagles and opens up an opportunity for a strong stretch run. “He’s so smart, so strong on the ball and it enables us to move well on offense, to create a little bit more an attack,” said Covenant coach Bryan Verbrugge. The Eagles are sitting at 3-5-4 after the tie with STAB and that’s making it tough for them to claw back into the VISAA Division II field, though games against North Cross and Carlisle coming up could create that chance. Clark Gathright, who scored the second half equalizer against STAB, will need to bring some offense to the table down the stretch, as will some of the Eagles’ young sophomores who have shown a lot of talent like leading scorer Alex Wilcox. Clearly for both STAB and Covenant, it’s going to be a sprint to the finish in the regular season. The question is really who can finish strong and extend their season? ✖
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College Update
We’ve gone digital But you can have it in print too!
Fluvanna’s Tibbs gets the call at University of Richmond By Bart Isley Three years ago, back in 2012, Dashon Tibbs, after transferring from Albemarle High and being granted a VHSL waiver to play football for Fluvanna, had a monster senior season during a hard-luck campaign for the Flucos. Tibbs, a dual threat quarterback, rolled up 1700 all-purpose yards and scored 13 touchdowns despite the fact that opposing defenses were loading up against Tibbs. Fast forward three years and Tibbs is in the midst of another transition, and it has the potential to be just as fruitful as the last one. Tibbs came to the University of Richmond and converted to wide receiver, and from what we’ve learned in the NFL where recently dual threat signal-callers have attemped to the move to the boundary, that can be a long transition. Playing receiver is its own specific art form and making the switch is a big challenge. After a redshirt season and a year watching from the sidelines, Tibbs has gotten a chance this year to take the field for the Spiders, snagging six catches in Richmond’s first five games for 52 yards. While he isn’t the offense’s primary option, Tibbs has shown enough potential to earn some playing time as just a redshirt sophomore. He’s listed at the number two spot on the depth chart at one of the wide receiver
spots behind leading wideout Brian Brown. Another converted quarterback and redshirt sophomore, former Rockbridge quarterback Porter Abell is also in the mix. That means the stage is set for bigger, better things for Tibbs as he continues to learn his role at wideout. He’s also participated in community service with his Richmond teammates like serving dinner for members of the Caritas program, an organization that helps the homeless in Richmond. Tibbs isn’t the first local to try and carve out an impact at Richmond. Woodberry alum Kendall Gaskins earned a spot in the NFL after a fruitful career for the Spiders and Monticello’s Sam Roller had a productive career as a tight end for Richmond. Two other area products, former STAB defensive back Fernando Gaston and Fork Union’s Micah Keels are both on the Richmond roster as defensive backs, and Keels has already picked off a pass and made eight total tackles as a true freshman for the Spiders. Not a bad start for Keels, and clearly Tibbs’ transition is paying off too. Maybe Richmond will have even more of a Central Virginia flair in the coming years. ✖
BELOW » FCHS alum Dashon Tibbs is making his way as wideout with Richmond. (UR sports infortmaion)
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ALL COACHES TALK ABOUT THE CONFIDENCE THEY HAVE IN THEIR QUARTERBACK, THEIR OFFENSE. TALK IS CHEAP THOUGH AND PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING. VERY RARELY DOES CENTRAL VIRGINIA SEE A PASS-FIRST OFFENSE, AND FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. NOT TOO MANY OFFENSES GET A QUARTERBACK CAPABLE OF GETTING THE BALL DOWNFIELD WITH ACCURACY. NOT TOO MANY OF THOSE QUARTERBACKS CAPABLE OF THAT GET ENOUGH TIME FROM THEIR OFFENSIVE LINE, AND IT’S EVEN HARDER TO BUILD A CORPS OF RECEIVERS ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DEFENSES DESIGNED TO TAKE ONE PARTICULAR PASS CATCHER OUT OF THE GAME. THREE THINGS CAN HAPPEN WHEN A QUARTERBACK DROPS BACK TO PASS AND TWO OF THEM ARE BAD. SO AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, A PREMIUM IS ALWAYS PLACED ON A SOLID GROUND GAME, STOUT RUSH DEFENSE. Under coach Clint Alexander, the Tigers have always hung their hat on their defense. After that, Woodberry has excelled most behind a consistent ground game and the occasional big play on special teams. But when you’ve got all the proper pieces to put together something special offensively with the passing attack, you do it. The dynamics have changed for Alexander and his program, but it’s a good, healthy change. “This change has been tough for the defense, one that’s been so dominant for so long, really the identity of the program,” Alexander said. “I think they’re getting their mojo back, but since the offense has been so dominant, it’s hard for them to get their mind around that, that identity. (As a defensive coach) it’s not the identity I necessarily want, but I’m loving this. I’m not used to going to the guys and saying, ‘Hey, can we hold this team to 20 points? Because if so, we win.’ I hate saying it that way, but it’s the reality.” Now when the Tigers practice, there’s an open competition where iron is sharpening iron. As they prepared for Trinity Episcopal in week seven, Alexander found a why to hype up his defense, one that’s better than the stats show, and one that’s played especially well against top-tier opponents like Liberty Christian and Bishop McNamara without a lot of fan fare. The next day in practice after the offense felt burned, it was guns slinging, with each unit trying to one up the other. And that’s critical. Where once this offense could say that it wasn’t going to beat a defense led by a Doug Randolph (Class of 2013, now at Notre Dame), the tables are turned where the defense has to be on point to stop an offense that is just chomping at the bit. “What’s great about this offense is that they are not satisfied,” Alexander said. “Their expectations are so high.”
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Playing in this kind of offense is great for quarterbacks. It helps so much to build confidence. - Stone
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All you have to do to know just how much confidence the Tigers’ staff has in its offense and its quarterback in particular is to look at the numbers. Through seven games, Woodberry’s junior signal caller Lindell Stone is dropping back to pass an average of 32 times per game. In that same stretch, the Tigers have called 222 running plays. Stone has thrown 229 passes. They are averaging 459.3 yards of offense per game and 44.6 points per game. At the end of the day few offenses in Central Virginia can compare to the balance and the total output that the Tigers are churning out right now. And they’re not doing it against a cupcake schedule either. Zach Roderick has been able to break open big plays since his sophomore season. The only problem before this year was that he was getting blanketed in coverage as opposing defenses tried to quiet down the Tigers’ top big-play threat. Life is different this year for Roderick, and as such, for Stone too. With the emergence of Terrell Jana as another elite receiver, the Tigers are seeing the duo play off of each other, and that duo is also opening things up for the rest of Stone’s targets, senior Thomas Radke and Mac Hereford and sophomore Khalid Thomas. All five receivers have more than 100 yards receiver and Roderick leads the way with his 867 yards on 51 catches and 11 touchdowns while Jana follows behind at 37 receptions for 661 yards and nine TDs. In all, seven different Tigers have a touchdown catch. “We’ve got this big offensive line that’s giving Lindell the time for the passing plays to develop,” Roderick said. “Give credit to Terrell though, he’s really stepped it up and open things up for the rest of us as receivers. We’re not getting doubled teamed and that’s a definite change.” In week six, Collegiate tried to eliminate Roderick from the game plan offensively. The result? No problem, life goes on. “Zach and Lindell had a great year together last year, but they didn’t have the wing man to take off the pressure,” Alexander said. “So when a team says, ‘Ok, you’re not getting the ball to Roderick,’
we sit back and say, ‘Oh, okay.’ We see it in a game like with Collegiate where Terrell winds up having 200 yards receiving in the first half. We’re fine with that.” Stone’s numbers this year have been nothing short of astounding. He has thrown for 2,219 yards, 26 touchdowns and has a 67% completion rate with just six interceptions through seven games. He’s thrown for 400-plus yards twice this season, and his 480-yard day against Bullis led the way for a 66-65 win over overtime. He’s thrown at least two touchdowns in every game this year and isn’t showing signs of slowing down with the heart of the Prep League schedule on the way, including a huge battle with the top-ranked team in the VISAA Division 1 standings in Benedictine on October 24. Since he was in second grade playing in his hometown of Dallas, TX, Stone has been playing quarterback. He’s been involved in a spread offense since his middle school playing days before he came to Woodberry, and not a whole lot has changed. “Playing in this kind of offense is great for quarterbacks,” Stone said. “It helps so much to build confidence. A lot of the concepts I learned in seventh grade are similar to what we run here at Woodberry. That was big for me coming in, but really the spead offense is about little variations from team to team. It’s great for me that I’m seeing a lot of
ACADEMIC EDGE
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ALBEMARLE’S ETHAN BLUNDIN
It’s pretty clear that Albemarle football’s Ethan Blundin likes to let his actions do the talking for him. “He’s just a quiet kid, it’s yes sir, no sir—he doesn’t talk a lot, sometimes you have to pull him back like an onion, but once you talk to him he’s a smart kid,” said Albemarle coach Brandon Isaiah. “Football wise he can do anything you ask him to do.” Blundin has been a fixture in the lineup for three years now at Albemarle, but this season he’s been a big part of the Patriots’ 5-2 start, playing quarterback and wideout for Albemarle depending on what the team needs. Blundin has helped seal three of those wins with big plays, including a clutch catch and run for the go-ahead touchdown against Louisa. Off the field, he’s posted a 3.9 unweighted GPA that is a weighted 4.69. He’s a member of the Math, Science and National Honor societies and also plays lacrosse for Albemarle. “I’m really going to miss him, I wish he was a sophomore, but anything he does after here, anybody would be lucky to have him.”
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he changes a lot of plays, and a lot of those plays have turned into touchdowns. He does his homework. He understands what we are trying to check to. It is pretty exciting to hear him make these calls and know what is coming. - Alexander
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similar plays going back to middle school, but it’s also just fun having the ball in the quarterback’s hands trying to get the ball to great receivers, let them make the plays. It’s something, when paired with what the offensive line has to do, something you have to be ready for at the next level.” The offer list is growing for Stone on the collegiate level. He has nine different Division 1 offers including UCLA, Virginia, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Indiana, Purdue, Temple, Tulane and Wake Forest. He’s a 3-star rated recruit according to rivals. com and all of his work as a junior is only helping to bolster his resume. At the end of the day, he’s going to be the area’s most coveted quarterback since Christian Hackenberg (Fork Union, Class of 2013) landed at Penn State. “There’s obviously motivation for myself there, but my teammates have really helped out with the recruiting process,” Stone said. “They’ve been there for me this whole time and having guys like Clark Yarbrough who know all about it, it’s awesome. There’s pressure, but it’s great. It has helped me grow up, to mature a little earlier than I might have if I had not come to Woodberry.” The recruiting trail is fun and all, but at the end of the day it comes down to game play. And what makes Stone’s play so interesting so far is that he has such an influence on the operations end of this offense. For starters, the Tigers don’t huddle. Stone makes adjustments by himself at the line, taking heed to what the coaching staff has prepared him for, but nonetheless, putting the play calling, the adjustments in his hands. “We call every play knowing full well that it might get changed, and we actually feel pretty comfortable with Lindell doing that,” Alexander said. “He changes a lot of plays, and a lot of those plays have turned into touchdowns. He does his homework. He understands what we are trying to check to. It is pretty exciting to hear him make these calls and know what’s coming. It works, and so then the kids have tremendous confidence in him and it all works together.” And obviously the stats don’t lie there the way this team has played so far. Somewhat lost in the Tigers’ numbers though is Evans Riviere, the team’s senior running back. With the passing attack commanding so much attention, Riviere very quietly has put together 698 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground and averages 99.7 yards per game and 5.3 yards per carry. “Really this offense has the same philosophy as when I was a freshman and we’re trying to keep it that way as much as we can — we want to establish the run first and foremost,” Stone said. “Ever since I’ve been here, between James Hewell (2013) and H.T. Minor (2014), we’ve always had great backs. So I really rely on them. It makes all the difference in setting up the pass. The scheme has not changed for us.” So when you add that all together, this offense simply has the tools to work with and whether Stone’s passing or Riviere is running, both have what they need from this offensive line led by its Stanford-bound senior, Yarbrough. As good as this unit has been up front, they’ve actually been shuffled around quite a bit because of injuries and just now have the lineup they intended to have coming into the year. Without the help of players like Matt McMillian, the Tigers would have been in a bit of a tight spot. “He wasn’t a starter coming out of camp, but we dealt with some injuries and he came in to play at center for us and did a great job,” Yarbrough said. “And he came in and played against some really great defensive lines. I’m really proud of the work he put in for us.” For Alexander, the rotation on the offensive line has been a bit of a revelation, helping build depth where now that the team is healthy up front, he and his staff has options to tinker with. “This week (against Trinity Episcopal) is the first time since week one that
we’ve had all five starters back on the line,” Alexander said. “We’ve got seven guys now that we feel comfortable (about). That’s huge.” And it’s seven guys who are comfortable in pass protection, not just getting off the ball and run blocking. Stone likes to improvise outside the pocket too, and so the line has to be mindful not break down field early. “With a quarterback like Lindell it’s just hard not to throw the ball,” Yarbrough said. “Our stuff on the line has definitely become a little more complicated. We’ve got a great first-year coach though, Brian Stevenson, and he’s brought a lot to us from over the summer that’s really helped.” Keeping Stone safe is obviously of the utmost importance. When he went down last year in the middle of the season with a broken collar bone, his ability to create big plays was sorely missed. It’s not that Stone was ever taken for granted, but when he went down, obviously the Tigers learned they can’t ever let him get hurt like that again if they can help it. And this year Stone’s been adept at making sure he doesn’t absorb to many unnecessary hits on the run. “Lindell’s one my best friends on this planet and so I’d do anything it takes to protect his blindside.” Yarbrough said. “He does improvise, move out of the pocket a bit but he’s also one of the smartest people I know and he knows he has to keep himself safe, what works out there and what doesn’t. We trust him 100 percent.” With four games left of the schedule, the Tigers’ primary goal remains the same — winning the Prep League Championship. From there it moves on to ‘The Game’, Woodberry’s annual meeting with Episcopal where the Tigers will look to avenge their only loss of the 2014 season. With Woodberry’s winning tradition under Alexander, the importance of living up to the precedent set by the previous class matters. For Roderick and Yarbrough, this is it, this is their year and they don’t want anything left on the field. “Every time you step on this field you’re representing everyone that’s ever worn a Woodberry jersey,” Yarbrough said. “That’s something I take very personally and I know everyone else on this team feels the same way.” The underclassmen want it for the seniors. This core of talent has a legacy at the school it wants to cement. “It’s going to feel weird when they aren’t around,” Stone said. “These seniors have worked so hard.” There’s still plenty of football and production left though for Woodberry right now, even if there is only one ball to share. ✖
TEAM SPOTLIGHT MONORE & MADISON FOOTBALL In the annual rivalry football game, William Monroe and Madison County came together. The boosters for both programs set up bins to collect non-perishables for their respective county’s food banks. Way to make the most out of a great game and great setting. This is the best part of an outstanding rivalry — two schools that find a way to make a community impact. Kudos to both Monroe and Madison! Keep it up!
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ON THE LEVEL
STORY BY BART ISLEY / PHOTOS BY ASHLEY THORNTON
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et’s make no mistake about it. Charlottesville High School’s Kendall Ballard was an incredible, dynamic force in local high school field hockey. The three-time Scrimmage Play player of the year dominated the sport locally as well as the conversation around the sport. In fact, her graduation left a huge void in the local field hockey world. While she headed to play for Ohio University, that void begged a question. Who was next? What player was going to follow the lineage of Ballard, Covenant’s Taylor Brown, Western’s L.P. Desch and on back throughout Central Virginia’s proud field hockey heritage? A heritage that stretches back to the early 1980s when Albemarle won back-to-back state titles? Who was ready to take on the mantle and lead their team to success? Three years ago as a field hockey referee, Milo Oakland noticed pretty quickly that a certain Western Albemarle player was pretty special. “It was obvious, it was just like ‘who’s that’,” Oakland said. “This little girl on varsity just zooming around. It was really fun to watch then, I didn’t realize I’d be coaching her later on.” Since taking over at Western last year, Oakland has had a chance to coach Valerie Hajek, that speedy, crafty, talented young player that stood out right from the start. Hajek, whose older sister Olivia was also a standout for the Warriors before joining William and Mary’s squad, has quietly put together a strong career for the Warriors. Hajek quickly became the Warriors’ most reliable and dynamic player. “We go to her for a lot of things-- she can dribble through people, she can shoot, she can do everything,” said Western senior Olivia Markopoulos. “She’s a great player.”
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“She’ll run till she drops. I’ll see her on the sideline and she’s begging for a sub because she can barely breathe and I’ll have to get her out and she catches her breath and she’s right back in there.” — OAKLAND 15 :: @scrimmageplay
That plan has worked nicely for the Warriors, who are currently unbeaten in Jefferson District play after tuning up early this season with a string of tough games. Now the Warriors are barrelling toward the Conference 22 tournament, where they’ll likely hold down a top seed that could end up being a path to the state tournament. It’s a pretty incredible step for a team that started last season slow with a ton of inexperienced players who were trying to find their footing in a Jefferson District dominated by last year’s edition of Charlottesville, a senior-laden squad that had been through battle after battle. But Western pushed that seasoned CHS squad to the brink in the conference tournament in a 1-0 loss, and that set the stage for a big leap forward in 2015. “It’s nice to see a young team kind of grow up together,” Hajek said. “We’ve all learned what each other are capable of.” Getting there, however, likely wouldn’t have happened without top notch play by Hajek. The junior is a kind of chameleon for the Warriors, becoming whatever Western Albemarle needs in a particular game or situation. She’s an extremely well-rounded player, which is what makes that chameleon-like quality possible -- she’s as good at defense as she is as offense, as good at setting the table as she is at finishing goals off on her own. For Oakland though, the skill isn’t what’s made this year such a revelation for the junior midfielder. “The skill has always been there and last year she played phenomenally well,” Oakland said. “The difference this year is her leadership -- her ability to take hold of the game when we need her to. To score really important goals when we need her to, sometimes that’s her role. Sometimes her role is to play defense. Sometimes her role is to pass the ball around. Sometimes her role is just to work really hard and just keep her motor running.” That motor is a big part of Hajek’s success. She just flat out doesn’t stop, constantly scrambling to get herself back in position defensively or in position to finish a play on offense. “She’ll run till she drops,” Oakland said. “I’ll see her on the sideline and she’s begging for a sub because she can barely breathe and I’ll have to get her out and she catches her breath and she’s right back in there. There are few girls that you play every minute that they can possibly be out there and she’s just clearly one of them.” It’s become cliche at this point to say that ‘playing hard is a skill,’ but it’s a cliche because it’s true. Hajek has learned to play with that level of intensity because she’s got such a good grasp of the basics. She’s honed that strong skill base by being around the game in part because of her older sister for years before she joined the Warriors. But she’s also run into that point of diminishing return on the basics, where she puts in the work but isn’t seeing the kind of wild gains that she used to see. “I feel like it gets tough to improve at a certain point,” Hajek said. “At practice you just have to continue to push
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“It’s really exciting. I got see them when she was a freshman... I feel like this year we’ve got a lot of potential in the postseason.” — HAJEK
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yourself because even if you already know how to do something you can always get better. Even just doing pulls at my house at night, just anything helps.” Reaching that point is honestly a great problem to have. It’s like a quarterback whose motion is second nature or a golfer who’s swing operates totally on muscle memory. It allows you to focus on higher level concepts and take your understanding of the game to another level. “I also run track and when you start out you can drop seconds and seconds and then you get to a point and that’s the point where miliseconds count,” Hajek said. “I feel like that’s the same in field hockey, you get to a point where you understand the basic skills, you get fit and you’re able to do that but then you need to work on your 3-D skills like pops and lifts. It’s more small things that will end up really benefiting me on offense.” For Hajek that’s come out in how she’s connecting all those various skills and parts as a whole now. She’s getting more of her talented, capable teammates involved which has made Western that much better, that much tougher to contend with for Jefferson District squads. “She’s really come a long way in learning how to see the field and pass,” Oakland said. “She’s really starting to figure out how to play out of space.” Filling the vacuum that Ballard’s graduation created isn’t a one-player effort either. Covenant’s Maddie Fagan and Lizzy Shim, STAB’s Annie Cory, Charlottesville’s Emily Blow and a slew of players from Albemarle including junior Morgan Stilley have all had monster seasons. But her team’s postseason success was what helped take Ballard’s career up a notch, and Covenant and Western appear to be the most prepared squads to make a run at the state final four in their respective groups. With Hajek, Markopoulos, Joie Funk and Madison Masloff, the Warriors have one of the area’s deepest set of go-to players. Clamp down on Hajek and Funk, who notched a hat trick against Monticello, will make you pay. Masloff and Markopoulos are also finishers. The Warriors’ defense is also strong as they’ve held the entire Jefferson District scoreless throughout the 2015 campaign. With that combination, it’s clear the Warriors, who won a state title in 2007 and advanced to the semifinals from 2008 to 2011, are back and ready to take charge. What makes it even better for Hajek is that she saw her sister’s squads reach similar heights. “It’s really exciting, I got to see them when she was a freshman go to states and I got to watch that,” Hajek said. “I feel like this year we’ve got a lot of potential in the postseason. It’s exciting and I want to win.” Right now that’s what the Warriors are doing. How deep can they go? How far can they take this? That’s what November decides. ✖
W
e can’t teach our students everything, but we can prepare them for anything. Our dedication to excellence rooted in spiritual formation assures that every day, whether on the field, in the classroom, or in the community, Covenant students are ready for the future ahead.
Best of luck to our 2015 student athletes as they embark on their college careers. Jake Allen
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Game Time Monroe 32, Madison 26 By Ryan Yemen
Monroe running back Malik Mallory ran for more than 200 yards in a win over Madison. (Brian Mollett)
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Maybe a tough break on the spotting of the ball, and William Monroe walks off the field heartbroken again. The difference in this game, one against sworn rival Madison County, is that at the end, when the game counted most, the Dragons made the plays they had to — answering the Mountaineers’ go ahead drive in the fourth, coming up with a stop in the red zone on fourth down, even if by just an inch, and then a game-clinching fourth down conversion on their ensuing drive. In the end, the plays in the last half of the fourth went Monroe’s way and as such, they picked up their first victory of the year, in front of a very appreciative home crowd, 32-26. “Our kids were determined this week,” said Monroe coach Jon Rocha. “I think they had finally had enough.” There were no shortage of lead changes in this one because for the most part, this game boiled down to a dueling banjo show between Monroe’s Malik Mallory and Madison’s Isiah Smith. Both finished with over 200 yards rushing, but the Dragons had just one more drive in them. Madison started strong and drew first blood out of the gate on their opening drive with Chris Smith hitting Dre Twyman for a 25yard strike to make it 7-0 just three minutes in. But as a theme all night, Monroe answered. The Dragons got on board with their first drive as they rode Mallory on one run after another before he scored on a 1-yard plunge. After a failed PAT it was 7-6. The Mountaineers turned to Isiah Smith and he delivered immediately with an electric 85-yard rushing touchdown where he slipped out of one tackle after the next to make it 14-6. “That’s him, playing hard every game,” said Madison coach Stuart Dean. “He’s got a lot of heart and determination and (he’s) just so much fun to watch. He makes a lot of
big things happen in a hurry.” The second quarter was quiet until Monroe marched down the field with Mallory and got Malique Shackleford and the passing attack going with Nick Hayes. The Dragons tied the game up at 14-14 after a short Mallory rushing TD and Hayes coming up with a 2-pt conversion. The celebration was short lived though as Madison took three minutes to drive down the field and punch in a 3-yard Smith touchdown to make it 20-14 going into the break. The second half started with Monroe scoring on its first drive. With Shackleford and the passing attack working, the Dragons were able to knot the game up once again. The junior quarterback hit Jordan Gray for a 6-yard touchdown to make it 20-20 with 7:48 left in the third. Then late in the third, Monroe took its first lead with Greg Sizemore punching in a physical 18-yard run, but the PAT failed, leaving the game at 26-20. “We are physically built to be a power rushing team and since we’ve switched to that mindset, this week we had 450-plus yards, the point total went up,” Rocha said. “It was up last week, and it’s up again this week. The kids are comfortable in this.” Madison scored twice to reclaim the lead. After Smith set up first and goal from the 1-yard line on a nice screen pass from Chris Smith, Smith punched in a 1-yard keeper, and with a successful PAT the Mountaineers had a 27-26 lead with 7:30 to play. Monroe had one last scoring drive in it, and again with Mallory doing the gritty work early. From 15 yards out, Monroe gave the ball to Anthony Pritchett who went untouched to the end zone on an outside run to give the Dragons a 32-26 advantage. It held after a fourth down stop, and earned a first down to wrap up the first win of the year. ✖
See a photograph you like? Defensive stand Warriors goalie has more than one trick | By Ryan Yemen
At Scrimmage Play we pride ourselves on offering the best possible graphics Two years ago the Western Albemarle boys to Shin, who doubles as a Junior National Judo soccer team get was fueled its underclassmen medalist, we can our byhands on, in both our but has developed into one of the with sophomores and freshman bearing the area’s most versatile goalkeepers. magazine as well as at our website at brunt of the work load. The netminder has shown he’s capable of Now two years later, forwards Aaron Myers making big saves, particularly in the team’s www.scrimmageplay.com and Alex Nolet, as well as senior defender two ties. In the first game of the season, Tom Rogers are all in their senior seasons and looking to earn a Region II bid, something that Orange County snatched away from them in the Jefferson District semifinals last season. After the first month of play, the Warriors seem to have the defensive side of the equation figured out and junior goalkeeper Kai Shin is a big part of that. Before Western went on its spring break, none of its four opponents were able to score more than once, a testament to the team’s play in the middle of the field, but also a nod
Shin endured wave after wave of Albemarle attack, but stood tall and showed no rust in the 1-1- tie. But while Shin’s on the field because he can make stops, his strong leg has also been of great use as he’s able to easily clear the zone but also spark fast breaks all by himself. The Warriors averaged a little over two goals per contest before the break, but if that average starts to increase, don’t be surprised if it’s because of Shin’s ability to contribute to the transition game. ✖
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Western Albemarle’s Kai Shin hauls in a shot during his team’s 1-1 tie with Albemarle that kicked off the soccer season for both squads. (Frank Crocker)
Success stories begin here.
Success Story: Kevin Laue Kevin Laue’s journey is the stuff movies are made of — quite literally. Born with just one arm, Laue became one of the top stories in the country back in 2007 when Sports Illustrated labeled him as “the most exciting player in basketball.” However, in a both a sad and ironic twist, a broken leg dashed his recruiting prospects as a high school senior. So Laue did what so many in the country do, they come to Fork Union. In 2008 the San Jose, California native switched coasts and suited up for legendary coach Fletcher Arritt. Laue’s efforts as a post graduate player did not go unnoticed. His goal the entire time was to draw interest from Division 1 collegiate programs. After intially garnering Division 3 offers, Laue worked his way to a change to realize him dream and play at the highest level. When Laue was offered a scholarship to play for Manhattan College, he
became the first player ever with one arm to acquire a Division 1 offer. In 59 games over three years with the Jaspers, Laue was able to contribute off the bench, playing his best as a sophomore. During his travels from a high school standout in California to a promising recruit at Fork Union and finally a Division 1 athlete at Manhattan, a film crew followed Laue around, chronicling his journey. In 2013, Franklin Martin, the man who documented Laue’s story, released the film “Long Shot: The Kevin Laue Story.” New York Times critic Daniel Gold called the film “a memorable account of an inspiring struggle to finish on top.” NBA legend Bill Walton said, “Kevin’s remarkable and perfectly told story will make you laugh, cry and think.” It’s an amazing tale and one that unfolded here at Fork Union.
Fork Union Military Academy is the leading Christian military boarding school for boys in grades 6 - 12 and PG. www.forkunion.com — 1-800-GO-2-FUMA
Overtime
Lasting effect How a coach makes an impact, and not quickly
A
t the ripe age of 89, John McKissick finally reached the point where it was time to hang it up. The head coach for Summerville High in South Carolina, McKissick retired after 63 years of coaching. He won 10 state championships and his 621 career victories are recognized by the National Federation of State High School Associations as the most of all time. He was around Summerville long enough to coach three full generations. That’s continuity, that’s a leader of a community. That’s not easy to find. Looking around Central Virginia, the coaching turnover rate these last 10 years has been pretty wild in Albemarle County, but outside of it, you’ve got a handful of coaches that are having that generational impact. You can start at Madison County. The Mountaineers are coached by Stuart Dean and he’s in his 10th season. His father, Eddie Dean, was the previous coach for Madison for almost 37 years and the Mountaineers’ football field bears his name. So for the last 47 years, Madison has been coached by a Dean. There’s something really charming about a small town like Madison having a football family like the Deans, and when you factor in that boys basketball coach Ben Breeden is Eddie Dean’s son-in-law, it gives you an idea of what the conversation is about at the Thanksgiving table. When it comes to overall tenure, Buckingham County’s Craig Gill is the tenure leader in the area as he’s in his 20th season with Knights, and 40 years of coaching to his name. He’s reached the point at Buckingham where he’s about to start coaching the sons of players he’s coached. On his staff is a former player, Taylor Boyers (class of 2010) who was an All-Scrimmage Play first team linebacker in 2009. In the last six seasons, the Knights have been major players on the region level and made the state final four in 2013 for the first time since 2003. When Joe Fowler took over at Goochland in 2001, the program was a shadow of what it is today. Before leading the school to a state title game appearance in 2004, the Bulldogs were 4-26 in the three previous years. Now, each and every year, the Bulldogs are considered state-title contenders. Twice he’s been Scrimmage Play’s football coach of the year and In 2013, a year after winning the Group 2A championship, USA Today named him Virginia’s top high school coach. With 15 years under his belt, Fowler is getting close to where Gill is where he could be coaching a second generation within a Goochland family. John Blake is Charlottesville native and in the midst of his 19th season with the Saints. As far as STAB football is concerned, he is the institution, the program’s Vince Lombardi. The 2013 Scrimmage Play coach of the year, he’s led the Saints to five state titles and puts the Saints in the playoffs almost every single season. He’s coaching his own son now, someone who has literally grown up as part of STAB athletics with his mother Mary Blake coaching the girls lacrosse team to more than 400 wins. This is just a short list, but there are a few others that stand out. In Orange, Hornets alumnus Jesse Lohr is just getting his chance to make his mark as the programs head coach after years and years as an assistant. He lives and breathes everything Orange County, a townie in the most complimentary of ways. And of course, you’ve got Mark Fischer at Louisa who’s in his second stint with the program. His first stint was about establishing a winning football culture out in Mineral, no such thing existed before. Round two is seeing him pick up right where he left off.
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“He’s reached the point at Buckingham where he’s about to start coaching the sons of players he’s coached.” Those are just a few examples of the McKissick-like coaches that we have around and there are a whole lot of coaches, many of whom are really just getting established in this area that fit the mold. Obviously getting to that level that the Summerville legend did of 63 years coaching is truly an anomaly. Nonetheless, It’s not about the number of wins, the number of years coaching — it’s about the impact. Think about what it would mean to the community in Dillwyn if Craig Gill decided to stop coaching. That’s the impact I’m talking about. In the end, Central Virginia is lucky that it has those kind of coaches, those pillars. Keeping them in the area is important, and having up-and-coming coaches like Albemarle’s Brandon Isaiah do the same is just as important. The cupboard can never be too full, so here’s hoping that more of our coaches become like Gill and company. ✖
Ryan Yemen,
CRE ATIVE EDITOR
back talk »
Which coach has made the biggest impact in CVa? Contact Ryan: ryan@scrimmageplay.com
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