THE GAZETTE
Page B-6
Wednesday, September 25, 2013 b
Rockville grad finally comfortable at college After contemplating transferring, Gongbay finds niche with Lobos n
BY
KENT ZAKOUR STAFF WRITER
RAPHAEL TALISMAN/FOR THE GAZETTE
Thomas S. Wooton High School’s Jibri Woods runs with the ball during the first half against Winston Churchill on Friday.
Wootton wide receiver is more than a side dish Overshadowed by Diggs, Woods is quietly productive n
BY JOHN HARRIS III SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE
Jibri Woods is hungry. And even better, so are the rest of his Thomas S. Wootton High School football teammates. After years of losing — the two previous varsity seasons with a combined record of 6-14 — the excitement of an undefeated start this fall is apparent with the 5-foot-9, 170-pound senior slot back. The Patriots reached the 2-1 mark (they forfeited a seasonopening on-field victory to Walter Johnson) on Friday with a resounding 41-0 win over rival Winston Churchill in a game that saw the visitors slowly display their athletic dominance over the host Bulldogs. Woods, along with sophomore standout wide receiver/defensive back Trevon DiggsandjuniorquarterbackSam Ellis, gobbled up huge chunks of yards throughout the evening. And even with all of those points and the impressive offensive statistics, the Pats aren’t even
close to being satisfied with their dominance. “[Eating] is our motto,” said Woods after Friday’s game. “We are very hungry this year and we all feed off of each other. Like with Sam, I feel like Sam is one of the smartest quarterbacks that I’ve ever seen. He always has our best interests at heart. He wants us to eat as well as him, because he knows that if he’s eating, we’re eating. If he’s getting yards, we’re getting yards, and it’s all about winning at the end of the day.” Woods helped to punish the Churchill defense with a gamehigh nine receptions for 141 yards and a 51-yard catch and run that saw him execute a nimble side step move before nearly being wrestled to the ground, only to spin out of the tackle and sprint into the end zone. He has quickly adjusted to his new position, after spending his sophomore year on defense and his junior year in the backfield. “Jibri [has] moved around,” Wootton coach Tyree Spinner said. “... He has natural instincts to play receiver. ...It frees up Trevon and our other receivers like [Max] Etoke and Kwame [Frimpong] for one-on-one coverage.”
Crusoe Gongbay was destined to be famous. His mother, Miata, a native of Liberia, named him after Daniel Defoe’s 18th century novel “Robinson Crusoe.” During high school Gongbay was nearly unstoppable on the football field. The 2011 Rockville High School graduate rushed for more than 5,000 yards and 71 touchdowns in three varsity seasons with the Rams and led the traditionally weak program to the playoffs in two of his seasons (200910). Rockville made the playoffs just twice in the 40 years prior. But a combination of factors, including a relatively late arrival to the recruiting scene, playing for an unheralded program and having poor grades led to few collegiate scholarship offers. Eventually, Gongbay committed to the University of New Mexico under then-coach Mike Locksley. As a freshman during the 2011 season, Gongbay was productive in Albuquerque, playing in all 12 games and finishing with a team-high 500 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 108 attempts. But a coaching change during the first month of the season forced Gongbay to consider transferring following the season. “I was very happy with his first year out there,” said current Col. Zadok Magruder and former Rockville coach Kevin Bernot. Gongbay also played for Mark Maradei as a Ram. “Then he sort of took a back seat, back of depth chart. He’s worked hard to get back and he’s proving himself to [the Lobos’ new staff].” So he left the program during the 2012 offseason and
PHOTO FROM UMN ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Rockville High School graduate and current New Mexico University junior running back Crusoe Gongbay (left) is expected to contribute as a reserve and on special teams this fall. missed spring practice while contemplating his future and thinking about transferring closer to home (Locksley is now the University of Maryland, College Park’s offensive coordinator). But 13 months ago on Aug. 20, 2012, Gongbay rejoined New Mexico’s program and played in a reserve role (159 yards on just 22 carries). “I just talked to my mom and a few other coaches,” said Gongbay, who credits Buddy Crutchfield, his youth league coach in the Rockville Football League, for advising him. “When I decided to come back, I had missed camp and spring ball so it was hard to
catch up [on the new offensive system] and get in the rotation [with the new coaching staff].” As a junior this fall, Gongbay is a backup again for the Lobos (1-2), but has seen his playing time increase over the first three games of the season. He’s the team’s third leading rusher (16 carries, 142 yards, 1 touchdown), including 95 yards during a Sept. 14 loss at Pittsburgh. “It was really rough and I got a little discouraged, but I stayed positive and patient,” said Gongbay, who is majoring in exercise science in hopes of becoming a physical education teacher and a col-
lege or high school coach. “… [I believed] I’d get my shot, get my time.” Gongbay’s current and former coaches echo that sentiment. “I like how he’s just been totally unselfish,” secondyear New Mexico coach Bob Davie told KRQE during an interview last year. “… He’s gained our trust. He’s gained our respect.” Added Bernot: “I never had any doubt he could compete at that [Division I college level]. Anyone who saw in high school knew he was that talented.” kzakour@gazette.net
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