Kam Puller figures to be the best running quarterback South Charleston has faced this season. But he's not the only running threat the Black Eagles have seen under center.
Kam Puller figures to be the best running quarterback South Charleston has faced this season. But he's not the only running threat the Black Eagles have seen under center.
After struggling in recent years, SC has done well shutting down running plays by opposing QBs thus far this season, and it will need to continue that success when the Black Eagles square off with Martinsburg and Puller at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Laidley Field.
Puller has run for 1,268 yards and 13 touchdowns, hitting the 100-yard mark six times and scoring TDs in all but one of 11 games.
"For the last two, three years for some reason, a good running quarterback just gives us fits,'' said SC coach John Messinger.
Messinger recalled last year's game at Spring Valley and a 2006 playoff loss at Martinsburg when QBs Kevin Lawrence and Dustin Peters, respectively, vexed his defense by keeping the ball.
"We've got to contain that young man,'' Messinger said of Puller. "If we don't keep him contained, we're going to have a long day. I won't say he's got out-and-out footspeed, but he's the fastest kid we've seen in a while. I don't know if we've seen a kid who can be any more elusive. He gets that little seam and before you know it, he's into the second level [of the defense]. If you don't get some support, you've got problems.''
Messinger noted that Martinsburg sometimes inserts senior Brett Rogers at QB and moves Puller to a running back position to maximize his running skills.
South Charleston, however, hasn't really been hurt by that phase of the game this year. Opposing QBs have run the ball 96 times for a net of minus-7 yards with two TDs (sacks count against a player's rushing total).
The best running QBs the Eagles have met (in order of appearance) were Parkersburg's Derek Wenzel, St. Albans' Leon Mitchell, Cabell Midland's Tyler Bartley, Spring Valley's Kevin Lawrence and Musselman's Korey Mitchell. Those five combined for 58 carries, 58 yards and two scores.
SC has allowed only two 100-yard rushers all season, both running backs - Hurricane's Terrell Martin (15 carries, 148 yards, two TDs) and Spring Valley's Zach Harrison (18 carries, 113 yards).
Kennedy countdown
Last week's Capital victory over Hurricane in the Class AAA opening round could have swayed some votes in the Kennedy Award balloting for the state's top player.
Capital tailback Keion Wright outgained Hurricane's Terrell Martin 143-109 in rushing yards and scored two touchdowns to Martin's one. Martin, however, has run for more yards at this point (1,682-1,524) and has twice as many overall TDs (34-17).
Kam Puller figures to be the best running quarterback South Charleston has faced this season. But he's not the only running threat the Black Eagles have seen under center.
After struggling in recent years, SC has done well shutting down running plays by opposing QBs thus far this season, and it will need to continue that success when the Black Eagles square off with Martinsburg and Puller at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Laidley Field.
Puller has run for 1,268 yards and 13 touchdowns, hitting the 100-yard mark six times and scoring TDs in all but one of 11 games.
"For the last two, three years for some reason, a good running quarterback just gives us fits,'' said SC coach John Messinger.
Messinger recalled last year's game at Spring Valley and a 2006 playoff loss at Martinsburg when QBs Kevin Lawrence and Dustin Peters, respectively, vexed his defense by keeping the ball.
"We've got to contain that young man,'' Messinger said of Puller. "If we don't keep him contained, we're going to have a long day. I won't say he's got out-and-out footspeed, but he's the fastest kid we've seen in a while. I don't know if we've seen a kid who can be any more elusive. He gets that little seam and before you know it, he's into the second level [of the defense]. If you don't get some support, you've got problems.''
Messinger noted that Martinsburg sometimes inserts senior Brett Rogers at QB and moves Puller to a running back position to maximize his running skills.
South Charleston, however, hasn't really been hurt by that phase of the game this year. Opposing QBs have run the ball 96 times for a net of minus-7 yards with two TDs (sacks count against a player's rushing total).
The best running QBs the Eagles have met (in order of appearance) were Parkersburg's Derek Wenzel, St. Albans' Leon Mitchell, Cabell Midland's Tyler Bartley, Spring Valley's Kevin Lawrence and Musselman's Korey Mitchell. Those five combined for 58 carries, 58 yards and two scores.
SC has allowed only two 100-yard rushers all season, both running backs - Hurricane's Terrell Martin (15 carries, 148 yards, two TDs) and Spring Valley's Zach Harrison (18 carries, 113 yards).
Kennedy countdown
Last week's Capital victory over Hurricane in the Class AAA opening round could have swayed some votes in the Kennedy Award balloting for the state's top player.
Capital tailback Keion Wright outgained Hurricane's Terrell Martin 143-109 in rushing yards and scored two touchdowns to Martin's one. Martin, however, has run for more yards at this point (1,682-1,524) and has twice as many overall TDs (34-17).
"I hope he has a chance at it,'' Hurricane coach Willis May said of Martin.
Those tailbacks are two of what looks like four leading candidates in the Kennedy race, along with Bluefield quarterback Will Cole and Mount Hope running back Da'Von Marion. Cole has thrown for 2,677 yards and 30 TDs - both state highs - and Marion ran for 2,310 yards and 36 TDs before his team lost to Man last week.
"It's a great feeling,'' Cole said a couple weeks ago about being considered for the Kennedy, "but honestly the team comes first, and we've got some big games in front of us.
"Obviously, some awards are always great, something at the beginning of the season you strive for - to do a couple things like that. But the team comes first, and we're just trying to win the next game.''
Quick quotes
SC's Messinger on superstitions: "I'm not a wear-the-same-pair-of-socks guy, but I'm pretty close. I've always been superstitious, but not as bad as some other guys. I never pass a heads-up penny in the hall; I may pass up 50 tails-up pennies, though.''Senior linebacker Jake Kelly, the top tackler on a Capital team that allows less than 11 points and 170 yards per game, after an early-season win: "There's no limit, man, if we give this effort. We still make a few mistakes, but if we can get it down to pinpoint, it's going to be scary.''Martinsburg coach Dave Walker, who in the last eight days will have made trips to Ona and Charleston, as well as two visits to the SSAC office in Parkersburg: "We're definitely getting a nice tour of the state.''SC senior receiver Aaron Dobson: "We've got a good chance. We played everybody in the MSAC and we beat them, so we're a pretty good team. We've still got to play hard and practice hard, and play defense harder.''Great eight
Seldom has the quarterfinal round of the Class AAA playoffs featured so many teams having superb seasons. The eight teams hold a combined record of 80-8, with five of those eight losses coming to each other.
The three other losses were Martinsburg losing to Potomac Falls (Va.) and Urbana (Md.), and Wheeling Park losing to Ohio power Steubenville.
George Washington lost to SC, Capital lost to GW, University lost to Morgantown, and both Bridgeport and Morgantown lost to Park.
"A lot of people have been saying this is a down year in triple-A football,'' said SC's Messinger. "Not true. This may be the most hotly contested year in recent history. That's a tough bracket we're in [with Martinsburg, Morgantown and Capital].
"You've got four teams in that bracket that could easily end up in Wheeling."
Quick kicks
Neither coach mentioned it this week, but Wayne's fans likely haven't forgotten their last game with Bluefield, a 69-24 loss in the 2004 Class AA finals - a game in which the Beavers called for an onside kick with a 30-point lead and threw a TD pass with 3:15 left. It helped erase Bluefield from the record books for the most points allowed and largest margin of defeat in the AA title game (a 57-21 loss to Wyoming East in 1999).Ravenswood's defense has set a school record with 22 fumble recoveries, snapping the mark set in 2001 and matched in 2002. The Red Devils also have 21 interceptions, eight shy of the school mark held by the 1998 team.SC's Dobson has caught a pass in 21 straight games. The last time he was shut out came in a 2006 playoff quarterfinal loss to Martinsburg.Martinsburg running back Ryan Rowland needs one TD run to match Josh Twyman's school record of 22 in a season.Man has yet to allow a third-quarter point in 11 games this season.Reach Rick Ryan at 348-5175 or rickr...@wvgazette.com.
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