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Rams to show diversity in running attack

By RAY LEE
ThisWeek Contributor
Whitehall High School football
coach Kip Kane will look to mix things
up offensively by using three running
backs, each with his own style.
After the Rams finished 0-10 over-
all a year ago, Kane plans on using
senior Quan Brooks (6-foot-2, 206
pounds) and juniors Martin
McMichael (5-4, 155) and Robbie
Bridges (6-0, 170) to carry his young
team in the early part of the season.
“Offensively, we are strong at run-
ning the ball,” Kane said. “We have
three good backs to carry the ball.”
Bridges, the speed back, returned
four kickoff for scores last season.
“Robbie is a slasher,” Kane said.
“He is able to hit the hole real hard.
Once he hits the hole, he has the speed
to score.”
his line to shield him from the defense kids who can be competitive. The kids
At a glance until he is able to select his gap and are up for the challenge. We just need
run through it. the experience.”
WHITEHALL RAMS Oct. 12 .......Granville....................Home “Marty is built low,” Kane said. “He Junior Corey Dulaney (5-6, 160) is
Colors: Black and white Oct. 19 .......Lakewood ...................Away
Coach: Kip Kane, sixth season Oct. 27 .......Newark Catholic ..........Away runs differently. He is short and stocky. a versatile defensive player who can
Key players: Robbie Bridges, Quan Brooks, 2006 RESULTS Marty is able to hide behind the line be put almost anywhere on the field.
Andrew Coburn, Corey Dulaney and Martin (0-10 overall, 0-7 MSL-Ohio) and then hit the gap when he needs He has played strong safety, defen-
McMichael
On the Web: whitehall.k12.oh.us
Zanesville.................................L, 53-13 to.” sive tackle and cornerback for the
Franklin Heights ..........................L, 55-7 Kane doesn’t expect his three backs Rams.
2007 SCHEDULE St. Charles .................................L, 56-0
Aug. 24.......New Albany .................Away Newark Catholic........................L, 42-12 to do all the work. Senior quarterback “Corey is real tough,” Kane said.
Aug. 31.......Eastmoor ..................Home Columbus Academy...................L, 69-20 Andrew Coburn (6-4, 226) enters the “He can do a lot for us, so he will be
Sept. 7 .......Canal Winchester ........Away Bexley ........................................L, 48-7 season with nagging injuries, but somewhere on the field.”
Sept. 14 .....Columbus Academy....Home Licking Valley ............................L, 55-20 should be able to lead the team when The Rams’ main goal is to win the
Sept. 20 .....Bexley .......................Home Heath.......................................L, 33-14
Sept. 28 .....Licking Valley...............Away Granville.....................................L, 54-7 he is healthy. MSL-Ohio Division, which they
Oct. 5 .........Heath........................Home Lakewood...................................L, 20-7 One of the biggest challenges for believe also should lead to a playoff
the Rams as they prepare for their berth.
Be a champion for life — donate blood! opener Friday at New Albany is over- “We need to work hard and get con-
1-800-GIVE-LIFE S www.BloodSavesLives.org coming inexperience. They have only ditioned,” Kane said. “It is a long, hard
six seniors and 10 returning letter- schedule. I am impressed with the
winners. boys’attitude and work. They just need
According to Kane, Brooks has runner. McMichael is able to use his “We are awful young,” Kane said. to believe in themselves and get over
good feet and hands, has the ability to size to his advantage. A small back, “We need to mature and grow up the hump. We need to stay positive
catch the ball and is a good open-field McMichael has learned how to use quickly. If we stay healthy, we have and work hard everyday.”

VIKINGS GREEN WAVE

Continued from page 56
linemen Mike Christian and Sterling Demons
leading the way. If Northland can get by the
Punchers on Sept. 28 on the road, it could be
in line to contend for the title when it plays
host to Brookhaven on Oct. 19 and at Beechcroft
on Oct. 26.
two-way linemen led by seniors Denzel Ken-
ley and Ray Watters and juniors Jordan Stan-
ley and Mike Gardner have the team believ-
ing it can have another strong season.
“Mifflin is going to come back and be strong,”
Dunlap said. “I think Whetstone will be bet-
ter, Northland will be better and Brookhaven
is Brookhaven. Last year, the team that won
Continued from page 67
and Lewis on the defensive line.
Lott (6-0, 215) made second-team all-district
at linebacker, and senior Christian Spencer also
made second-team all-district as the punter and
placekicker.
Joining Lott’s group on defense are seniors
“As a staff, we’ve really simplified things
defensively,” said Franks, who has added Fisher
Catholic to the schedule this season, with the
two clashing Sept. 8 at White Field. “We’ve
stressed body positioning, things like that. It’s
not a big group but it’s a fit group.”
Being fitter seems to be the key to survival
in the MSL-Ohio, as the Green Wave found out

The Punchers struggled with numbers for
much of the preseason and have little experi-
ence at the skilled positions, but a group of
CITY-SOUTH
Continued from page 57
kids so they expect to go to the playoffs every
year. We have to get back to that point.”
The Red Devils have one of the league’s top
quarterbacks in senior Jeremy Hill, who com-
pleted 44 of 86 passes for 811 yards and 15
touchdowns.
West sophomore Eric Stewart hopes to help
Central Ohio High School Football Preview ’07 • August 22, 2007
the league even had one loss. If either Mifflin
or Northland beats us last year, they win the
league instead of us.”
13.7 points per game.
“The South Division is very competitive,
but we’d like to think we’re going to have an
opportunity to win it,” he said. “A lot of teams
were young last year, but all of them were
pretty good. I think we’re only going to see
more quality across the league this year.”
Even Africentric, which hadn’t won a game
in 27 tries until last season, expects to improve
Nick Brown (5-8, 180) and Bo Kreager (5-11,
190) and juniorAaron Shook (5-11, 195), among
others. The secondary includes Baker, seniors
Adam Annarino (5-11, 160), Eliot Peters (6-1,
170) and Jarred Huey (5-11, 145) and juniors
Matt Lewis (5-10, 155) and Nick Richards (5-
10, 140).
The 4-4 look on defense is new this season
and the Green Wave must show improvement
with it, especially after surrendering a combined
110 points in the final three games a year ago,
including regular-season losses to Bexley (33-
7) and playoff-bound Licking Valley (35-0).
HEATH
. . . .
a year ago while graduating first-team all-dis-
trict selections John McGrath (lineman), Andy
Paul (lineman/running back) and Tommy Pel-
lett (defensive back) and second-team pick Mar-
shal Carpenter (quarterback/defensive back),
who stood in for Elwell and threw for 742 yards
and five touchdowns while rushing for 157 and
two more scores. All but Carpenter made hon-
orable-mention all-state.
“We learned so much about our new league
last year,” Lott said. “We have to be more phys-
ical, and I think we’ve got the conditioning to
do that.”

his team’s cause after throwing for eight touch-
downs and nearly 1,200 yards as a midseason
replacement.
Walnut Ridge had one of the top defenses
in the City last season under first-year coach
and former Beechcroft defensive coordinator
Byron Mattox, whose team held opponents to
CCL
Continued from page 48
takes on a big feel.”
•The CCL-Gold game between Ready and
Hartley — the only division members — will
be Oct. 26 at Ready.
The Silver Knights’ 6-3 loss to the Hawks
last season ended their Division V, Region 19
playoff hopes as they finished 10th in the region.
Ready beat only one team that posted a win-
ning record in DeGraff Riverside (45-9 in the
opener) last year on the way to finishing 7-3
and has lost to Hartley each of the last three
seasons. The last time it won the matchup was
2003 when it helped keep the Hawks from
advancing to the playoffs as both teams fin-
68 ished 5-5.
upon its finish at 4-6 overall with a number of
key returnees on defense.
“You have a lot of teams who improved
tremendously last year,” Eastmoor coach Jim
Miranda said. “South turned it on and Afri-
centric had a great season so it looks like our
entire league should be strong.”
With 17 returning starters back, including
senior quarterback Brock Brown and senior
inside linebacker Ian Graham, the Silver Knights
hope to turn things around this season.
“Hartley is the favorite this year,” coach
Larry Wolf said. “They’re the favorite until we
beat them.”
Hartley finished 5-5 last year and is expected
to start a senior at quarterback in Jeff Daley
who hasn’t played at the position since his
freshman season.
“When we play Ready, it’s always a great
game,” Hartley coach Dick Geyer said. “They
have bigger numbers than us, and they’ve got
some tremendous experience coming back. A
lot of their kids have started since they were
freshmen.”
Continued from page 65 the U.S. Army.
“I think we still have pretty good team speed,
at cornerback. Classmate Caleb Downey (6- and some of these guys definitely know what
0, 175) and junior Cameron Ross (5-9, 150) it takes to win and have shown that,” Collier
are other slot backs, and senior Chase Ober- said.
field (6-0, 170) is a downfield receiver. . Two years ago, the Bulldogs just missed
Up front, senior Chuck LaRue (6-3, 215) making the playoffs for the first time since
and sophomore Dylan Wethey (6-0, 215) return, 1991, and last year several close games could
but LaRue is moving from tight end to tackle
and Wethey from tackle to center. They’ll likely
see time on the defensive line as well. LaRue
have turned either way. They lost 36-31 in the
opener, a chaotic finish at Delaware that set a
strange tone. They also fell 21-14 against play-
and Jones played key roles for the baseball off-bound Newark Catholic in sixth week, post-
team that won a Division III state champi- ing a 1-3 record overall against postseason
onship last spring. qualifiers that included a 34-28 triumph over
Other key defenders include senior linemen Division V regional semifinalist Johnstown in
Kevin Sharrock (6-0, 185) and Cyle Crouse the second game.
(5-6, 160) and promising junior cornerback The Bulldogs, who until 2005 hadn’t
Lucas Barrett (5-9, 160). Ross and Oberfield had a winning season since ’01 when they
will play linebacker, Wethey up front and won a third consecutive MSL-Cardinal title,
Downey at free safety. At nose guard is senior have dropped down to Division V this sea-
Mike Flagg (5-10, 200), who Collier said son and is the county’s only school to change
already has gone through basic training with divisions.
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