Volume 7, Issue 5

13 STAB AND BRS ANSWER QB QUESTIONS

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Playoff blitz Western Albemarle heads into postseason with its defense primed PAGE 07

VOL 7. ISSUE 5 :: NOVEMBER 3, 2015

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MIDDLE-OUT FORMULA Covenant hockey leans on sophomore duo

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RUSH HOUR Defensive front pacing Western football

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THE HAND PRINT STAB and Blue Ridge QB’s square off

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GAME TIME Monticello football blanks Albemarle

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GETTIN THE MOST How Kyle Long’s success teaches a lesson

Playoff blitz VOL 7 . ISSUE 5 :: NOVEMBER 3, 2015

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vol 7. issue 5 :: november 2, 2015

Western Albemarle heads into postseason with its defense primed 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 Western’s Osiris Crutchfield 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.

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PREGAME

Storming the field Monticello’s football team needed a win, and not just to get the bitter taste of a road loss to Louisa County out of its mouth. With the playoffs nearing, the Mustangs needed a win over Albemarle to boost their standings and open up the potential for a first round home game. What Monticello got was its first ever shutout over cross-county rival Albemarle, 26-0. And after the handshakes, Mustang fans rushed the field to celebrate. To read more about the game, flip over to page 19. ✖ (Photo by Ashley Thornton)

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The Classroom

The SAT and ACT Navigating the test-taking landscape

By The Clayborne Staff

SAT … ACT. For most aspiring college students, that’s already two too many TLA’s (three-letter acronyms). The SAT, formerly the Scholastic Aptitude Test, now stands for … nothing. The ACT, which originally stood for American College Testing, now stands for … nothing. And now, both tests are changing--the SAT in dramatic fashion.

Could this be any more bewildering? It helps to prioritize the most important issues.

For current high school juniors (and younger), the first question to ask is, Which test, ACT or SAT, is going to serve me better for college?

The good news is, you only have to pick one!

Colleges don’t care which one you choose; they just need a metric demonstrating cognitive and achievement potential. (At Clayborne, we are often dispelling the misconception that some colleges prefer, or indeed only accept, the SAT. Not true.)

{ WHO’S TAKING WHAT } Breaking down the percentage of students that take ACT and SAT.

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{% STUDENTS}

YOU SHOULD LEAN TOWARD THE ACT IF:

{SAT BY THE NUMBERS} Average national SAT Scores

1530

YOU SHOULD LEAN TOWARD THE SAT IF:

497 NGDER KWRITI AR A EL K AR A EL DER

M ATH

CR ITIC AL RE AD IN G

518 515

TOTAL

— You like science and or data analysis (reading charts and graphs) — You are good at reading for detail but not as good at harder critical reading — You prefer geometry to algebra

— You struggle with timing when taking tests (often run out of time) — You prefer algebra to geometry — Critical reading is one of your major strengths — You liked this year’s PSAT a lot better than last year’s PSAT But for current juniors, here’s the final word: unless you strongly prefer the SAT,

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take the ACT this year. Because the SAT is changing in March, and we don’t know much about how it will look. There are a few released practice tests, but nothing like the practice material available for the ACT. The bottom line: the ACT is a very wellknown, teachable test. Most of our students are choosing the ACT, under our guidance, and seeing great results. But most of all, make your choice now, or early spring at the latest! The earlier you prepare junior year, the better chance you have at getting accepted to the college of your dreams!

for more info » 04 :: www.scrimmageplay.com

ACT SAT

There’s more help. Check out the College Board’s testing help section at: sat.collegeboard.org

First Quarter

Middle-out formula Covenant flourishes behind sophomore duo

By Ryan Yemen

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Maddie Fagan (left) and Lizzy Shim (right) led Covenant to a strong regular season showing. (Bart Isley)

{ STANDING TALL } Covenant’s regular season record

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KTIES AR A ELD ER

LOS SES

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hen it comes to field hockey, a program is only as good as who occupies the middle of the field. Fortunately for Covenant, behind the duo of Lizzy Shim and Maddie Fagan, it has standout athletes leading the way in a breakout year.

Shim and Fagan are just sophomores, but their ability to score, pass and defend has helped the Eagles return to being one of Central Virginia’s premiere field hockey programs. The two have been playing together for just over three years and with the heart of their high school careers still ahead, things look pretty bright for the Covenant as the chemistry simply continues to develop between the two.

“We’ve both been playing together since seventh grade, so we both can anticipate the other’s next move,” Fagan said. “I always know that she’s got my back, especially on defense.”

Covenant coach Annie Gumbs is in her third year with the team and has been preaching for the Eagles to work off each other’s play, rather than leaning on someone to make a great individual play. It’s with that mindset that Fagan and Shim have really thrived.

“Coach Gumbs has really been getting us to focus on the teamwork, using each other,” Shim said. “Maddie and I are in the middle together so that’s what we’ve done — learned to use the other and work that along with the rest of our teammates.”

For Gumbs, it was a straight forward decision putting the two sophomores in the middle of the field. With Fagan’s nose for creating offense and Shim’s natural defensive play, one hand washes the other.

“We rely on Maddie and Lizzy to use their skills to move the ball, distributing it around to the rest of the team instead of just playing mostly defense,” Gumbs said. “Now it helps that one is more defensive minded and the other more offensive minded — it kind of winds up with them complementing the other’s strengths and weaknesses. The whole

team depends on them to hold down the fort.”

The results speak for themselves. Covenant played a diverse schedule this year, loading up with the top teams from the public school ranks with games against Western Albemarle, Charlottesville and Albemarle. With wins against all three programs and a victory over St. Anne’s-Belfield, a traditional local power in a bit of a rebuilding year, Covenant completed a sweep across the board locally.

The Eagles also played some of the top VISAA schools in both Division 1 and Division 2. With games against Carlisle, St. Catherine’s and Trinity Episcopal, this team is as vetted as it could possibly hope to be at 9-3-1 and with the playoffs getting underway.

“I think this schedule has helped us become a better team,” Shim said. “It’s shown us what we need to be able to do, what we have to be ready for against the harder teams.

We’re a team that’s growing. We’re showing that we can win these games and that’s been a nice change in culture.”

The Eagles made the Division 2 final four in back-to-back years in 2009 and 2010 and have high playoff hopes now. It’ll be up to Fagan and Shim to lead the way in the middle but with senior Liz Llera and Winston Archer they have depth. Santia McGlaughlin has also been a revelation for Covenant as a freshman goalkeeper.

The Eagles have the LIS tournament to hone them for the VISAA Division 2 tournament that starts on November 10. Covenant is poised to make noise this year, and with the talent they have in the middle, it looks like they’ll be doing big things for quite some time. ✖

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For more field hockey coverage head to our website at: www.scrimmageplay.com.

College Update

We’ve gone digital But you can have it in print too!

Trio of former Flucos excelling on collegiate volleyball courts

By Ryan Yemen They were the Jefferson District’s top hitting duo last year and delivered Fluvanna County a JD volleyball championship. Now they are well on their way to establishing their presence on the collegiate level. Maddy Kline and Leslie Walters are at different schools, but they are up to their same old ways.

When she committed to UNC Wilmington, Kline became Fluvanna’s first ever Division I player. As a freshman playing for the Seahawks, Kline has played in nine matches and started in one. She’s registered sixteen kills. Her four service aces, 11 service points, 13 digs and three blocks have her doing a little of everything for UNCW, just like her role at Fluvanna where she roamed all over the court.

She’s averaging 1.45 kills and 1.18 digs per set and as a bench player, has played a role in helping the Seahawks out to a 18-5 record.

A freshman at Mary Washington, Walters is having a breakout year. She’s second on the team in kills with 281 and has played in 25 matches. With 12 aces, 75 digs and 29 blocks, she’s been an offensive force for the Eagles who sit at 22-6. She’s also not the only JD

member helping UMW. Albemarle graduate and Scrimmage Play’s female athlete of the year in 2013, Caroline Porco, is back as the team’s junior libero. As a sophomore, Porco played in all 34 contests. She has 221 digs and 13 aces for the Eagles so far this year.

Of course before Kline and Walters led the Flucos, it was Hannah Miller ( graduated in 2013) who was perhaps Fluvanna’s most vaunted hitter. Miller is a junior at Christopher Newport. After exploding to finish up her freshman year, she was named the Virginia State Player of the Year as a sophomore. She was one of two players in the country to finish in the top-20 in hitting percentage and blocks.

This year she’s got 268 kills, 80 blocks and 23 digs in 28 matches with the Captains. And CNU is having a monster year behind her as they’ve rolled out to a 27-2 record.

Between the Flucos trio of Kline, Walters and Miller and the Patriots’ Porco, the Jefferson District is awfully well represented in the college ranks. On top of playing well, they are all playing for teams that are playing well, and there’s something to be said for that. ✖

BELOW » The SP and Jefferson District 2014 POY, Fluvanna graduate Maddy Kline is now playing at UNC Wilmington as a freshman. (Joe Browning, uncwsports.com)

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Rush Hour

STORY BY RYAN YEMEN PHOTOS BY ASHLEY THORNTON 07 :: @scrimmageplay

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For years, the talk around Western Albemarle has been its offense — particularly at quarterback where Kent Henry was the centerpiece for coach Ed Redmond and where Sam Hearn picked up the pieces and led the way the last two years. There’s no question that Hearn, complemented by outstanding receivers like Michael Vale, Henry Kreienbaum, Derek Domecq and others, along with an excellent downhill running back in Oliver Herndon, draw most of the attention of Friday nights when the Warriors take the field. But if you look between the lines, whether it’s last year’s playoff run that saw Western make it all the way to the Group 3A final four or the performance this year, the offense has some competition.

“We’re not going crazy in practice where we’re going to lose players because of friendly fire, but yeah, you see in practice there is a competition,” Redmond said. “We have an offense with a lot of guys that are hard to cover and that definitely makes us better.”

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“WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE THIS WAS MOSTLY AN OFFENSIVE MINDED PROGRAM. IT’S TAKEN SOME TIME, SOME WEIGHT ROOM WORK AND SOME CHANGES IN PHILOSOPHY” — ED REDMOND

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When you have four sophomores starting on defense, on a veteran team like this, obviously practice has a serious tone to it. With everyone’s job on the line, each week means making sure you’ve earned the right to play come Friday.

“There’s definitely a tension in practice,” said Western senior linebacker Matt Mullin. “We are out there in practice competing against each other and it can get intense. Nobody’s job is secure, anyone can pass you on the depth chart regardless of age.”

The tradition as Western for football has always been about its versatile athletes, for lack of a better term, it’s lacrosse-style football.

Its secondary always has dangerous playmakers, but since Redmond has taken over, he’s tried to build a different identity, for the team as whole, and particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

“One of the things we’ve tried to establish is that defensive identity,” Redmond said. “When I first came here this was mostly an offensiveminded program. It’s taken some time, some weight room work and some changes in philosophy. I mean listen, I know you can win games just with offense but even though it’s cliché, when it gets down to crunch time and the weather gets cold, the teams that play defense win games.”

We’ll stick with the clichés for a second too. While it’s easy to get wrapped up in the defensive backs, especially when they’ve been as gifted as the group the Warriors roll out seemingly perennially, what makes a defense at the end of the day is the group up front. There’s a saying — show me a good secondary and I’ll show you a good defensive line. Everything always starts up front.

“Football is won at the line,” Redmond said. “People always think of our pass defense and it’s been pretty good, but when you can put together a group that can rush the passer it helps so much. We tell the defensive backs that the quarterback has two seconds to throw because we are coming. When you have that you can be more aggressive as a defensive back.”

What Western has now that it didn’t in years prior is a pair of book end pass rushers between brothers Osiris and Noah Crutchfield. In sophomore Luke Tenuta, the Warriors have a cog in the middle. Between those three and a linebacking corps that has tenacious tacklers including Mullin, Steven Kuzjak and James Buetow among others and the Warriors are simply getting after quarterbacks, meeting ball carriers early at the line. Osiris Crutchfield made 38 tackles, 16 of them for a loss, and eight sacks through eight games. In that same span, Noah Crutchfield had 24 tackles, six for a loss and three and half sacks. Kuzjak had 27.5 tackles and 11.5 for a loss. Mullin had 22.5 and 10.5 for a loss. With the defensive line and linebacking corps simply gelling, the Warriors are beating teams up front before their athletic secondary even gets involved.

“We’ve gotten a lot better discipline-wise of just playing our game, not anyone else’s,” Redmond said. “Our guys, they aren’t trying to do anyone else’s job. You have to play the game in front of you. If you’ve got a gap responsibility, then that is all your responsibility. Guys wanting to do too much, that’s not a bad trait. But if you don’t play the defense as its drawn up, it creates problems. We spend a lot of time watching film and we’ve become a better defense overall. It all comes down to discipline.”

Of course it also helps that Western isn’t playing as many guys on both sides of the ball, particularly up front. As the Warriors have become one of the area’s perennial JD contenders, the roster is bigger not only in terms of numbers, but also in size thanks to the off-field conditioning.

“We’ve been able to play a lot of guys just on defense and that certainly helps,” Redmond said. “When there are just 40 guys on a team,

ACADEMIC EDGE

S P O N S O R E D

B Y

H A R G R AV E

M I L I TA R Y

A C A D E M Y

A L B E M A R L E ’ S K AT I E S M I T H

When Albemarle’s volleyball team desperately needed a service run while trailing Western Albemarle 13-3 in the first set of the cross-county rivalry, the Patriots knew exactly who to turn to — Katie Smith.

“She served up 13 straight points to re-take the momentum of the set and we won 25-22,” said Albemarle head coach Mark Ragland. “Katie has been the consummate team player in her two years on varsity.”

Smith is second on the team in service points and aces and boasts the squad’s third best service percentage.

She’s also been taking care of business in the classroom sporting a weighted 4.56 GPA. She’s a member of six different honor societies including national, music and math while also serving as a tutor in the Writing Center, as a member of the National Beta Club, the Key Club as an executive board member and PALs (Patriot Athletic Leaders).

With all that leadership and all those accomplishments it’s clear why Albemarle trusts their senior in big spots.

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“I’M ON MY WAY OUT AND HE’S STILL GOING TO BE HERE NEXT YEAR, SO IT’S BEEN ABOUT TRYING TO SHOW HIM THE ROPES SO THAT HE CAN LEAD THIS LINE NEXT YEAR. WE’RE PRETTY SIMILAR PLAYERS.” — OSIRIS CRUTCHFIELD

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its different obviously. But right now we’ve only got a few players in the secondary playing both ways, a couple of guys upfront. It makes a big difference (having that) depth. These guys are fresher this year.”

But if you’re going to talk about defense at Western, it really boils down to Osiris Crutchfield. His numbers speak for themselves. He’s got a scholarship offer from the University of Virginia and one from Virginia Military Institute, but is quickly becoming a hot recruit for all the schools across the Commonwealth, with Richmond and William and Mary getting involved too. Last year in the playoffs he made one big defensive play after another, first against Christiansburg and then again against Waynesboro to launch Western into the state semifinals. With him as the centerpiece of this defensive line, the group has flourished again in 2015.

“We’re better up front now, we’re better at not giving up those plays up front that lead to big plays,” Osiris Crutchfield said. “We’ve got guys like myself who are just built better to rush the pass, so there’s that, just the instinct, but we’ve also spent a lot of time working on our craft.

It’s a little bit of both (personnel and technique).”

With Osiris on one end of the line and Noah Crutchfield on the other end, there’s that classic high school narrative of two brothers competing, bonding, pushing themselves on an individual level while also bringing the team up with them. Osiris had his breakout year last year as a junior and is on the tear again, but the development and improvements Noah has made this year, pit him in a similar scenario where’s breaking out too.

Ask any younger brother, particularly when it comes to athletics, the older brother can cast an awfully large shadow. To Noah’s credit, he’s embraced his older brother’s success and tried to find a way to let it make him a better player — a delicate dance as it’s never easy being the next down the line in the family. The idea for Noah is that he improves, hopefully he’s able to make Osiris better too.

“I’m kind of in the shadow a little bit to where there’s an expectation to meet,” Noah Crutchfield said. “It’s something where I’m trying to push him up as he helps to bring me up with him while still playing together as a team.”

For Osiris, the chance to play with Noah on the line offers him an opportunity to not only help his immediate family, but also Western as a whole after he graduates this year. It’s a double layer of legacy and one that Western has to be all too happy to have.

“I’m on my way out and he’s still going to be here next year, so it’s been about trying to show him the ropes so that he can lead this line next year,” Osiris Crutchfield said. “We’re pretty similar players. We’re both quick off the line but I think he’s more physical than I am. He’s 10 pounds heavier, so I think that helps him where I tend to be a little more shifty. Considering that we’re playing off opposite sides of the ball, we’re kind of doing our own separate things.”

With those two and Tenuta doing a largely thankless job statistically up front, Western has the ability to make things easy for its talented linebackers. When the line does its job, it’s clean up duty for the rest.

“I think it’s pretty simple — our defensive line helps us out so much on the run and (as linebackers) that’s our primary responsibility,” Mullin said.

When that line is clicking, as Mullin said, the job is fairly straight forward. Teams have to run at Western to try and establish lengthy drives and keep the Warriors offense on the sidelines.

“For the most part, if we just stay on our keys, with the way they play up front its going to be an easy read,” said Buetow.

For the defensive line, seeing this corps of tacklers behind them swarm to the ball is the ultimate reward as far as teamwork goes. It’s

something the Warriors have been better at this year.

“They are really improved, the tackling is better, they’re reading the line better,” Osiris Crutchfield said. “They’re getting to the gaps and stopping the big plays, something that plagued us for a long time.”

From there, everything falls into place for the secondary. For someone like sophomore Bobby Sims, who’s quickly establishing himself as one of the next solid defensive backs in a long lineage for the Warriors, knowing that they can focus on the receivers solely is a great benefit.

“We just play with confidence and we’re pretty deep in the secondary so we know that we’ve got so many guys to back us up,” Sims said. “We just go out and play as hard as we can, it’s not too much more complicated than that.”

With just one week remaining in the regular season, Western sits at 8-1 with a favorable position heading into the Region 3A West playoffs. As the third seed currently, the Warriors can help themselves greatly with a win over rival Albemarle in the regular season finale.

“It’s a big game and they’re going to be a lot of people watching, cheering,” Osiris Crutchfield said. “It’s just like in the playoffs where every game is big. Winning those kind of games in the regular season helps prepare us for the kind of games we want to play every week afterwards.”

Preparation, execution. That is what it all boils down to for this Western team on both sides of the ball. With all the pieces in place, the Warriors are primed for another great Novemember. If all goes well, the season could stretch right into December. ✖

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The Hand Print

Story by Bart Isley | Photos by Ashley Thornton & Bart Isley 13 :: @scrimmageplay

B

oth Blue Ridge and St. Anne’sBelfield had major question marks going into the season at quarterback. Both teams were replacing quarterbacks who’d thrown for more than 1,000 yards in 2014 and neither had a crystal clear answer as to what they’d do. Sure, there were plans, but plans often get torn up and tossed out once a football season starts.

Now, opponents are only asking one thing about both squads’ quarterbacks.

How can you stop them?

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I’m just focusing and reading the defense more.

I’ve got to give credit to my linemen, holding the balcks and giving me time in the pocket.

— Armwood 15 :: @scrimmageplay

Blue Ridge coach Tim Thomas got a call on his phone from Clint Alexander to come up to Woodberry Forest during the Tigers’ football camp this summer. The Woodberry coach had an athlete, a quarterback from Raleigh, North Carolina, that he thought might be a good fit for Blue Ridge and its football squad.

Fast forward a couple of weeks later and Justin Armwood was accepted and enrolled at Blue Ridge. Thomas’ willingness to hustle over to Woodberry has paid off nicely as Armwood has given the Barons a steady and often dynamic presence at quarterback, allowing a host of other weapons to fill their more natural roles.

That seismic impact is a big reason why Blue Ridge has won seven of its first eight games and locked up a playoff spot in VISAA’s Division II just a year after a 2-7 rebuilding campaign. For instance, Jemeil King, who likely would’ve been pressed into duty as the quarterback if Armwood didn’t emerge, now is a tall, athletic threat at his more natural wide receiver spot. That, in turn, allows all-round dynamo Malik Johnson to get in the slot and make the kind of game-changing plays he has all year.

Armwood, a junior dual threat signal-caller, gives Blue Ridge exactly the kind of dynamic run threat they need at quarterback — a player who can make plays when the plan breaks down. Tristan Allen and Trevor Eaton, the most recent quarterbacks for the Barons, were solid passers, but neither were a huge threat on the ground. Armwood is a perfect fit for the zone read style attack Blue Ridge is running, a patient, thoughtful quarterback who makes the right reads and lets things develop.

“I love it,” Armwood said. “I think this offense fits me best.”

In particular, Armwood forces opponents to respect the run, which creates a lot of fun matchups for the array of weapons on the boundary and in the backfield that Blue Ridge already had in the mix like Johnson, King, Nazir Hopson, Aaron Brown and Tae Watts.

“A good quarterback is a good offense that’s just how it is,” said Blue Ridge lineman and linebacker Jhalil Puryear. “A good quarterback runs the whole game and we love (Justin) for that.”

Puryear is part of an offensive line that’s low on depth but has done a tremendous job of protecting Armwood all year long. With four juniors and a senior making up that unit, the Barons have gotten big production out of just a handful of players.

“We have no depth at all and these guys, the stalwart five, are in there every game, not getting very many subs,” Thomas said. “They work really well together.”

For his part, Armwood knows just how well-suited he is to run the system the Barons are employing. He’s a calming presence on the field — quite simply, he always looks comfortable and at ease. Part of that is the offensive line’s protection, part of that is just his natural comfort and trust in the system.

“I’m just focusing and reading the defense more,” Armwood said. “I’ve got to give credit to my linemen, holding the blocks and giving me time in the pocket.”

It helps of course that Armwood, who also chips in on defense as an outside linebacker, has a pretty good supporting cast. All those weapons have made some pretty tremendous individual plays, whether it was Brown’s one-handed touchdown catch against Covenant or Hopson making an incredible interception on defense on a tipped ball against North Cross or King making big catches by going vertical in any number of games. Then there’s Johnson, a Canisius College basketball commit, who has scored on nearly half his touches this season, racking up 18 touchdowns already at wideout, returner and defensive back.

“Things are clicking a lot more—receivers are running better routes, running full speed,” Armwood said. “We’re doing really well.” ✖

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.

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“

A lot of those playaction plays that we do, we’re clearing out and everybody’s jumping the shorter routes now because he’s been taking advantage of them.

— Blake

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During St. Anne’s-Belfield’s first week of preseason camp, STAB coach John Blake listed three potential names at quarterback — Bobby Nicholson, Logan Lucas and Campbell Miller. He threw in one other almost as an afterthought — Jalen Harrison.

Patrick Blake started the year as the quarterback before eventually giving way to Harrison who has emerged as a dynamic dual threat that is giving opposing defensive coordinators more than they can handle.

Plans change, and this time the new plan was a game-changing one.

Harrison gave the Saints the ability to run the option, the zone read, anything that made the quarterback a running threat. Defenses have to respect Harrison’s speed on the edge and up the middle — he’s just too dangerous, and after three years of playing for STAB, too comfortable with the system.

“He’s obviously spent more time, he got more time there in the summer and he definitely feels more comfortable with what we’re doing,” John Blake said after Harrison’s debut.

Harrison has been used as a Wildcat-type quarterback before by the Saints, but this was the first year we got to see him fully commit to the role. He broke out with his first start, throwing for 185 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 230 yards and two more scores. What’s more scary though is that he seems to be getting better every week, adding something else to his repertoire in each outing. Against Virginia Episcopal he ran a bootleg to his left and across his body uncorked a throw to the pylon from 34 yards out that fell right into Miller’s hands for a touchdown. It was a throw that three weeks before he almost surely doesn’t make or maybe even attempt as he’d have been more likely to simply run for whatever yards he could get.

“I spoke to Jalen this week, (STAB quarterbacks coach) Hunter (Price) spoke to Jalen this week about he’s got to get better at reading his progressions going deep first and coming back,” Blake said after the VES win. “A lot of those play-action plays that we do, we’re clearing out and everybody’s jumping the shorter routes now because he’s been taking advantage of them. The kid’s got a cannon and that’s a huge throw.”

Like Armwood, it helps that Harrison has weapons around him.

Kareem Johnson is one of the area’s best all-around football players, a vertical receiving threat with excellent skills in space.

“I have a ton of confidence in him, he has great hands, great speed and he can jump out of the gym,” Harrison said, borrowing an expression from one of the other sports he excels at. “He can really play football.”

Miller is a tight end/wide receiver hybrid who’s extremely versatile and catches seemingly everything that’s thrown his way. Patrick Blake has become another potential option now that he’s moved to the boundary as a wideout. The Saints also have an array of running backs from Javon Johnson to John Woodson to Michael DiGiacomo and even Cameron Carr.

Harrison is a UVa baseball commitment, and while he’s dazzled in a ton of different roles in several different sports, this may be his most impressive performance yet. Playing quarterback in high school is hard. To do it proficiently usually takes a lot of time and effort and growing pains.

Not so much with Harrison. ✖ Now the question is how far can Armwood and Harrison take their respective squads? Their paths to answering that go right through each other.

Unlike a lot of questions in high school sports, they’ll get to settle this one on the field, in head-to-head action as the Barons and Saints face-off in a regular season finale and are set for a rematch in the first round of the VISAA Division II playoffs.

Both have done an impressive job in short order of putting their teams in this position. Now it’s just time to play, plans be damned. ✖

TEAM SPOTLIGHT SOCA CHARLOTTESVILLE ALBEMARLE

The Soccer Organization of Charlottesville-Albemarle’s U-18 squad won the State Cup final 1-0 over the Southwestern Youth Association squad out of Fairfax. Way to go SOCA U-18, that’s an impressive performance!

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Best of luck to our 2015 student athletes as they embark on their college careers.

Jake Allen

Baseball

Harvard University

TaylorAnne Barry

Women’s Soccer

Randolph-Macon College

Jeremy Benner

Baseball

Sewanee – The University of the South

Fritz Berry

Men’s Lacrosse

Trinity College

Molly Brooks

Women’s Squash

Bates College

Sadie Bryant

Women’s Lacrosse

Gardner-Webb University

Eric Buhle

Men’s Lacrosse

University of Richmond

Emily Carden

Women’s Lacrosse

Washington & Lee University

Gideon Elron

Men’s Lacrosse

Wesleyan University

Julia Haney

Women’s Lacrosse

Princeton University

Khalig Howard

Men’s Lacrosse

Denison University

Lang McNeely

Men’s Lacrosse

Rhodes College

Parker Morris

Baseball

Cornell University

Rhys Nordstrom

Men’s Squash

Bard College

Austin Park

Men’s Lacrosse

Amherst College

Lee Parkhill

Football

Christopher Newport University

Brodie Phillips

Men’s Lacrosse

Dickinson College

Rob Schotta

Men’s Lacrosse

Denison University

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Women’s Lacrosse

University of Denver

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Game Time Monticello 26, Albemarle 0

By Ryan Yemen

Monticello’s Kevin Jarrell had a pair of rushing touchdowns in a win over Albemarle.

(Ashley Thornton)

19 :: @scrimmageplay

For Monticello, it was a case of the shoe being on the other foot. This program went into its meeting with Louisa County last week, was humbled, and then had to get it together for a tough Albemarle team to close out its home schedule for the regular season. The Mustangs defense set the tone out of the gate, the offense responded and before anyone on the Patriots’ sideline could blink, there was a double digit lead. Monticello’s defense might have had their woes against Louisa last week, but this week, they were on point as they lead the way for a 26-0 win over visiting Albemarle, the first ever shutout for the Mustangs against the Patriots in school history.

“We changed our scheme this week and our kids bought into it,” said Monticello coach Jeff Lloyd. “It took advantage of what we have, athleticism. We looked good tonight playing this way. The defense is an up-field pressure defense and we mixed the blitz packages tonight against them and they could figure it out with so many players coming from different angles.”

The Mustangs forced a punt out of the gate, and given the advantageous field position, running back Darian Bates helped the offense move the chains ever so surely before he was able to punch in a 5-yard run to make it 7-0. Then after another Patriots three-and-out, Monticello cashed in a field goal to go up by 10.

Monticello quarterback Kevin Jarrell had himself a night. While he threw well, it was his legs that actually killed Albemarle, and his 23-yard improvised run out of the pocket in the middle of the second put the Patriots in serious trouble with the score at 17-0.

“We came out slow last week and really wanted to change that this week, it was senior night,” Jarrell said. “It’s always a big game and fun to play against them. This was (two of the top teams) in the standings

in the Jefferson District, and with it being senior night, we had to get the win.”

Albemarle’s offense got a bit of a spark from J’Quan Anderson at quarterback, but the Monticello defense had the Patriots signal caller scrambling for the entire game and Albemarle managed to get just one possession into the Mustangs redzone and that wasn’t until the last minute of the fourth quarter.

“We put ourselves in the hole with bad field position early,” said Albemarle coach Brandon Isaiah. “We couldn’t make plays offensively and I thought the defense fought hard, but they were out there all night. Our defense played physical but Monticello made more plays, they outexecuted and were just better than we were tonight and so they definitely deserved to win. It was that simple.”

With the game at 17-0 at the break, both defenses settled in for the most part. Monticello backed Albemarle up to it’s own five yard line in the third quarter and a fumble by the Patriots turned into a Mustangs safety to make it 19-0.

Then in the fourth quarter, Monticello saw Jarrell hit Bryce McGlothlin for a 50-yard pass to set up first and goal. The Mustangs QB then broke off a physical 7-yard run to wrap up the scoring at 26-0.

“Last week we just got flat out whooped and for them to bounce back and shutout a very good Albemarle team says a lot about our kids,” Lloyd said.

Monticello’s defense gave up just 25 yards while the offense managed 278. Bates led with 110 yards on 21 carries. Jarrell had 16 touches for 71 yards and also threw for 88 yards. McGlothlin led with 51 yards receiving.

Albemarle’s run game was hindered early and disappeared after the Mustangs took a double-digit lead. Anderson had 57 yards passing. Tyquan Rose had 31 yards receiving. ✖

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. ✖

We want to make sure that our readers have the same opportunity to have these photos. If something catches your eye in either the magazine or on the web, you can order the photograph for yourself.

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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: Mack Hollins Mack Hollins just wanted to see if he could cut it at the FBS level (formerly Division I). All he wanted was a chance. After four years of playing at Wootton High, Hollins was on the outside looking in from a recruiting standpoint. He decided to attend Fork Union and play for John Shuman’s Postgraduate team. After spending three months at FUMA, Hollins got his chance — an offer to walk on and play for North Carolina.

Hollins headed to Chapel Hill and enrolled on his own dime. Initially given a chance to play on special teams, Hollins made the most of it. As a freshman in 2013 he appeared in all 13 games for the Tar Heels. He earned the admiration of his teammates and was named the team’s special team’s captain. He also earned the respect of the coaching staff which extended him the scholarship he had been

chasing for so long.

As a sophomore, he had a breakout season for the Tar Heels, finishing with 35 catches for 613 yards and eight touchdowns where he built a name for himself as a deep threat down the field.

This year as a junior, he’s caught 15 passes for 388 yards and six touchdowns. He’s come on strong down the stretch after a quite start in the Tar Heels first three games.

His big play ability has been pivotal to UNC’s big year as they’ve won seven straight games and sit at the top of the ACC Coastal Division standings with three games remaining in the regular season.

Hollins did all the little things he had to in order to claw his way onto a collegiate roster. With that secured Hollins appears dead set on continuing his long but succesful climb.

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

Getting the most Long sets lasting example of reaching potential

T

here was Kyle Long talking to young St. Anne’s-Belfield students, talking about playing pickup football and taking pictures with them just minutes after having his high school jersey retired. The Chicago Bears’ Pro Bowl guard helped lead STAB football as a lineman and tight end to back-to-back state championships in 2006 and 2007 with what was clearly other-worldly strength.

But Long’s jersey being retired wasn’t as impressive for what he’s done in the NFL or what he did in high school. It’s impressive for what he’s done as a person.

Better-equipped writers than I have delved into Long’s personal journey, but to summarize, it has been a journey of maturation, a journey about growing up. It has been a path so many of us have walked to become who we’re supposed to be, complete with fundamental, regrettable mistakes along the way.

This isn’t any kind of breaking news or some kind of crazy revelation, but people can change. People can grow up. People can mature. Some don’t, but many, many more do.

Long did. Maybe another young student athlete who has recently made a mistake will too. With support rather than shaming or dismissal, we can help people turn the corner.

We can help them get things back on track.

I realize that has its own pitfalls, that too often student athletes aren’t held accountable for mistakes for any number of reasons and I’m not advocating that by any means.

Long paid a stiff price for his mistakes and I’m all for accountability. But without support and understanding from those around him and in his network, my guess is this turnaround doesn’t happen.

It’s as cliche as anything out there, but it really isn’t about the mistake, it’s about how you respond to the mistake. That doesn’t stop with the person who committed that mistake. That applies to everyone who can have an impact on the situation. Today, that’s anyone with a Twitter account, which means we all have to consider our actions. We have to consider how we can help rather than hurt, how we can nurture and build back up rather than kick someone when they’re down.

Generally we’re all better off as a society when everyone is reaching their full potential, when everyone is trying to be better and striving for success. A rising tide really does lift all boats, it makes us all better. It gives us moments like Long’s jersey retirement in October, a chance to honor success and achievement from someone who rebounded from a mistake and has made things better for the people he comes in contact with.

Look at how Long used his platform a year ago to aid a 9-year old boy who was being bullied. Long went and hung out with him at Chuck-E-Cheese after his father reached out to Long on Twitter. That’s above and beyond the call of duty, but it’s because Long knows what having a supportive presence means. He knows because he’s been there. He knows because like any of the rest of us, he’s grown up.

Sure, Long has some advantages like a brother who was already in the NFL, an extremely supportive and capable family and a sense of purpose that those advantages helped create. But I’m not concerned with that. I’m much more concerned with how we

22 :: @scrimmageplay

“With support rather than shaming or dismissal, we can help people turn the corner.” can all help create an advantage for anyone or, at the very least, not be a detriment, not be an impediment to future success.

Missteps aren’t the end of the world, in fact they’re often part of the process of maturing and growing up. They can be a major catalyst for change like they were with Long and they’re almost always a part of any major success story. Next time you see someone make one, think about what you could be seeing the beginning of and try and support them rather than writing them off or reveling in their embarrassment.

You’re not gaining anything from that snappy tweet or your witty comment, they aren’t getting anything out of it and we as a society we aren’t either. Look at the vitriol pushed toward the punter at Michigan who made the regrettable mistake on the final play against Michigan State.

It just isn’t productive, it’s inappropriate, it’s not getting us anywhere. It’s not the answer. ✖

Bart Isley,

CRE ATIVE DIRECTOR

back talk »

What’s your take on social media and sports fans? Contact Bart: bart@scrimmageplay.com

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