Leesville Road football
PHOTO BY ROB ORAZI
Thurston Cox (pictured) and the Leesville Road football team kicks off their Cap-7 Conference schedule at Enloe Friday night. Having already recorded six INTs this season, Cox has been one of the Pride's leaders on defense in 2009.
Pride prepares for Enloe rushing attack
There's at least one definite heading into Leesville Road's Cap-7 Conference opener at Enloe Friday night: the Eagles will run the ball.
With five running backs already over the 150-yard mark this season, including David Highsmith, who's amassed nearly 700 yards, the Enloe football team uses a wishbone-option offense to punish opponents on ground.
(What is the wishbone option? It is a run-heavy formation with a quarterback, fullback and two running backs, aligned in the shape of a "wishbone.")
Pride head coach David Green admitted that describing what the Eagles run can be difficult, but their main objective is relatively simple.
"They want to get a lot of bodies around where they want to run the football," he explained. "And they run the ball about as well as anybody around here."
Which makes the 3-2 Eagles a very dangerous team. It should be noted that Enloe's two losses (Pinecrest and Southeast Raleigh) have come against teams still undefeated through five weeks of the season.
Green explained his defense has to remain disciplined if it wants to continue its recent success — the Pride are coming off consecutive shutouts, including a 48-0 thumping of Southern Lee last week.
The Pride's secondary will have to be especially sharp because while Eagles make their name running, opponents must respect their passing attack — albeit, they don't use it often.
Against Durham Jordan last week, Enloe QB Phillip Jordan attempted just four passes, but he completed all four, tallying 122 yards.
"Our defensive backs are going to have be really involved in run support, but at the same time, they can't sell out for the run, and not look for the pass," Green said.
But the Leesville Road secondary — a question mark heading into the season — has answered each and every challenge this year, and should be able to adjust Friday.
The unit has recorded more than a dozen interceptions led by Thurston Cox's six picks.
"The secondary was our primary concern this year, but they have done a great job for us," Green said. "We have been really pleased with them over there."
Not to be forgotten has been the play of the Pride's linebacking corps as Brad Moody, Brandon Pittman and Dylan Edwards have all played stellar football, the coach pointed out. Pittman has shown a knack for making the big play, and Edwards has improved his play with each game.
Green traces his defensive unit's recent prosperity— the Pride has allowed just six points in their last four ball games — to its aggressive style and bettering understanding of the team's schemes.
"They have gotten better and better at carrying out their assignments and being where they are supposed to be," the coach explained.
Offensively, the Pride has thrived since it first-half hiccup against Panther Creek. Leesville has averaged just over 38 points per game, by far the most in the Cap-7 Conference. In fact, the other six league opponents have combined to more than 38 points in a game just four times this season.
Green credited the squad's offensive line (Carson Moss, Kirk Lincoln, Joey Buccola, Nate Wooten and Jake Joyner) as the foundation of the success.
"We have gotten great play out of our offensive line week after week after week," the coach said. "They have really opened some big holes for us."
It has made life much easier for first-year QB Josh Stanley and the Pride's multitude of running backs.
In recent weeks, senior RB Nate Whittington has really found a rhythm, Green added.
Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
