Leesville Road football
PHOTO BY HEATHER KOPETSKIE
Senior Nate Whittington (1) and the Leesville Road rushing attack helped propel the Pride to a
28-0 shutout of East Wake Friday night. Leesville travels to Southern Lee Sept. 18.
Pride hits its stride against Warriors
The football team which makes the most big plays usually wins the game. The same can be said for the team which wins the turnover battle. Leesville Road did both Friday night, capitalizing on one big play after another, defeating East Wake 28-0 and improving to 4-0 this season.
The Pride showcased its team speed, a dominant running attack and a deep stable of playmakers against the Warriors.
The term “playmaker” is often used to refer to players at the skill positions, but the Pride have them all over the field — and they all made big plays Friday.
After a fruitless first offensive series, Leesville drove to the East Wake 36-yard line behind a couple of nice runs by senior RB Nate Whittington.
On third down, junior QB Josh Stanley overthrew his intended target, forcing a Leesville field-goal attempt. But the snap was high and went off the hands of holder Austin Berrios. Berrios managed to corral the loose ball and tried to make a play, but was stopped short of the first down.
East Wake took over on downs and drove to midfield on a 15-yard run from Kasunn Williams, followed by a pass to Williams from quarterback Chris Pernell for another first down. Running back Jamal Davis broke into Leesville territory with a 6-yard run up the middle, and followed it with another short gain. But that’s where the Warriors' forward progress came to a screeching halt, thanks to a Pride defensive stand.
On third down and one, Leesville linebacker Dylan Edwards stopped Davis for no gain. After the Warriors elected to go for it on fourth down, Edwards broke through the line of scrimmage and made another tackle for a loss. It was the first of many big plays by the Pride.
With a little less than two minutes left in the first quarter, Leesville took over at its own 40-yard line. Stanley dropped back, looked downfield, and seeing no one open, he found a lane and broke off a 30-yard run. Edwards followed with eight-yard dash on first down, and Stanley gained another five on second.
Berrios then took a reverse handoff and scored on a nifty run from the 20 yards out. With a successful PAT, the Pride jumped out 7-0 with less than a minute remaining in the first.
In the second quarter, the Leesville defense was able to apply pressure to Pernell, using its defensive line, linebackers and an occasional blitzing defensive back to hound the East Wake quarterback. The consistent pressure eventually resulted in a Thurston Cox interception on a deep pass down the right sideline — the first of three picks for Cox. He also added a TD reception.
When asked about his first pick after the game, Cox credited the Leesville coaching staff for calling the right play.
Pride head coach David Green lauded his squad's strong defensive effort, and passed the credit to defensive coordinator Chad Smothers. “He’s the best defensive coach in the state of North Carolina," Green reasoned.
Following the interception, the East Wake defense forced a Chris Hawthorne punt, but the East Wake offense couldn’t find a rhythm. Led by safety Ryan Mangum, the Pride defense was seemingly everywhere — it would be tough for any team to find a rhythm. Mangum finished four tackles, and assisted on several others.
On the Pride's next possession, Stanley ran an option play to the right side, keeping the ball, and making his way 47 yards.
PHOTO BY HEATHER KOPETSKIE
Running back Dylan Edwards makes his way through a big hole created by his offensive line during Friday night's 28-0 win over East Wake.
After a penalty pushed Leesville back, Stanley capped off the drive with an 18-yard touchdown run. The agile quarterback keep the defense guessing, dropping back as if to pass before tucking the ball and heading up field. He broke a handful of tackles on his way to the end zone for a 14-0 lead.
The Pride kept the ball on the ground for most of the night, rotating the carries between Stanley, Whittington and Edwards. In all, the trio rush for nearly 170 total yards. Stanley led all rushers with 97 yards.
Already leading by two scores, the Pride forced a fumble during an East Wake kick return, which was recovered by Drew Casadonte at 27-yard line. Although the running game was working to perfection, Leesville caught the Warriors off-guard, attacking through the air.
Stanley completed a pass to Casadonte for eight yards, and picked up a first down with a short toss to Cody Pyper. After Edwards ran for six yards, Stanley hit Cox, who streaking across the field for a touchdown.
“Josh and I had been working on that play all night, trying to make it work — and it did," Cox said.
Midway through the third quarter, Davis, who led East Wake with 70 yards rushing, ripped off a 25-yard run. Although East Wake was driving, the Pride once again came up with a big play.
Leesville's defensive front pushed Pernell out of the pocket, forcing a pass to the sidelines. But linebacker Brandon Pittman darted in to catch the ball and raced down the sidelines to the end zone. It might have been the game’s most outstanding play, in a night filled with outstanding plays.
Green called East Wake's defense the toughest he's seen this season, and was pleased with the way his team matched the Warriors' intensity. In understated fashion, he said, “We made some plays.”
The Pride's next game is at Southern Lee Friday, Sept. 18. It is Leesville's final non-conference game of the season.
Following the Pride's shutout of East Wake, Cox had an unexpected wish for his squad and next week's match with the Cavaliers.
“We’re hoping they're tough — it will just make us better," the senior said.
The Pride getting better must be a frightening thought for its upcoming opponents.
