James Wood hammers Park View

WINCHESTER — Last week after his club was mowed down 58-8 against Sherando, James Wood High School head football coach Ryan Morgan told his team “that we are better than that on offense.”

True to his word, his Colonels improved Friday night at Jerry L. Kelican Stadium. The home team scored nine times using various hands in routing Park View High 66-28.

“I told them that they were better on offense than what they showed. I think they believed it,” said the first-year JW varsity head man.

Stand-out running back William Crowder said it was because the visiting Patriots (0-2) scored first.

“We were ready after that,” Crowder said. “We got locked in.”

Whatever, the 66 points represented the highest number scored in recent memory as the Colonels evened their overall record to 1-1.

Crowder, as usual, was the bell-cow. The speedy sophomore scored three touchdowns.

But Crowder, James Wood’s leading rusher a year ago, got ample opportunity to take a breather now and then as running backs Mark Cisler, Tyler Arnold, Tylor McBride and Jackson Turner all got into the act in the offensive avalanche.

Even backup quarterback Carson Hoberg scored twice.

“We have a good group of running backs, they just have to show it.

Cisler, chosen James Wood’s “sportsmen of the game” (the school names two winners; one from each team), certainly was “unsporting” given the way he carried the ball. He scored twice.

“That was certainly a career high for me,” Cisler said.

“Mark is a senior who has played some in the past, while Jackson Turner and William are sophomores and McBride is a junior. Turner and McBride played on the jayvee team last year,” said Morgan.

Behind Crowder and Cisler came McBride (two TDs). Crowder had another touchdown called back and provided a strong return game for the Colonels.

McBride and Turner also had respective 6-pointers.

“It’s good for me to have backups like that, because if I want to get a drink or something, I know I can count on them. Then they can count on me,” said Crowder.

In all, the Colonels ran off 335 total yards behind 312 on the ground.

Park View jumped ahead on the game’s first series. Senior Kelvin Castro did the honors from 16 yards out and the extra-point was good for a short-lived 7-0 Patriot lead at the 10:54 mark of the first quarter.

Crowder came back with a 59-yard TD sprint. With the kick, the Colonels had tied things at 7 with 10:07 remaining in the period.

James Wood lost a fumble on its next series, but even though Park View recovered, it could do nothing with the ball.

On the night, the ballhawking JW defense forced four turnovers out of their foe—three fumble recoveries and an interception. Senior Elijah Filbert fell on two of them; Arnold another and James Youngblood had an interception.

James Wood recovered two turnovers around a goof of its own in order to get the lead.

Somehow defender Arnold came up with the ball after Park View quarterback Tony Lampe lost it. He rambled all the way to the Patriot 12. McBride picked up a first down at the two. From there, Crowder did the honors. His 2-yard burst was followed with a 2-point conversion by the JW speedster.

The Colonels went ahead 15-7 with 3:41 showing in the first quarter.

James Wood quarterback Mike Zebarth hooked up with Cisler for an 11-yard gain to midfield and then Cisler carried for 21 to the 29. A “horse collar” penalty moved the ball to the five. Two plays later, Cisler was in the end zone to start the second period.

The Colonels had scored 23 points and led by 16.

Quarterback Lampe got his offense untangled next. He found Dio Aviles for a 50-yard run and pass for the score. The extra point made it James Wood 23-14 with 9:12 remaining in the half.

Crowder’s subsequent kick return got the ball to the Park View 37. Coach Morgan and James Wood signal-caller Mike Zebarth worked plays for the speedy running back and McBride to get it close. Zebarth’s 18-yard scoring toss to McBride capped the short drive with 7:09 left until intermission.

The kick made it James Wood 30-14.

And, as if for good measure, the Colonels fell on top of a fumbled Patriot kick return to retrieve possession.

Crowder blitzed 52 yards for the score after a previous long-gainer was negated by a penalty. The 2-point conversion worked. The rout was on: 38-14.

Zebarth found McBride for a 26-yard scoring pass with 5:37 showing in the second quarter. Jordan Loy scored on the 2-point conversion for a 46-14 halftime lead.

Subsequently, Turner plunged over from the 2 after a Crowder 39-yard dash. The kick was good and it was 52-14.

Park View’s Lampe threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Carroll and plunged over from the 1 for the Patriots’ final two scores of the night.

After three periods, James Wood showed a commanding lead, 53-28.

The final two Colonel scores were presented by No. 2 quarterback Carson Hoberg. He ran a 6-yard option for a TD and then rushed for four more yards. This resulted in touchdown in a 4-yard jaunt to set the final score.

Morgan expressed concern after Sherando about his offensive line getting in sync.

“It showed out there tonight,” said Crowder. “They did their job tonight.”

James Wood travels to face Skyline next Friday.