Millbrook football
PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN WORSTELL
Millbrook sophomore Keith Marshall racked up 189 rushing yards last week against Garner. The running back looks to carry that momentum into Friday's match-up at Knightdale.
Wildcats looking forward, not back
Monday, three days after its 34-24 victory over Garner — the biggest victory in many of the Wildcats' young lives — the Millbrook football team was right back to business.
It was time to turn their collective attention to Knightdale, and the Wildcats didn't waste practice time reminiscing.
Head coach Clarence Inscore admitted the levelheadedness of his squad caught him off-guard.
"I was surprised because they were really grounded," the coach recalled, as he stood watching Millbrook's jayvees play Thursday night. "For a young team, you don't know how they are going to react after a nice win like that, but we didn't have to remind them of anything. They came out Monday and got back to work. We didn't talk about Garner, we talked about Knightdale.
"And our focus has been on what we have to do this week and not what we did last week."
So what exactly does Millbrook have waiting for them this week?
The Knights, Friday's opponent, suffered a one-sided 38-14 loss to Fuquay-Varina, while yielding more than 300 rushing yards.
Though it should be pointed out the Bengals use a run-heavy attack, and didn't complete a pass in the victory.
Inscore believes the Knights will push the Wildcats with its bevy of playmakers on offense.
However, Millbrook should know what to expect, having scrimmaged Knightdale this summer at 7-on-7's.
"I have been very impressed with their athletic ability," the Millbrook coach said of Knightdale. "We played them this summer, but it's a lot different when you put the linemen and everybody else out there. They have some really solid skill-position kids. And they have a strong secondary as well.
"We have our work cut out for us."
But the Wildcats have shown they're not afraid of putting in the work. Plus they ride into their match-up with plenty of momentum.
One can only predict what QB Trey McFarland and RB Keith Marshall, making their first ever varsity start last week, can do for an encore — the duo compiled nearly 500 yards of total offense between them against Garner.
Inscore was impressed with both first-year starters, singling out McFarland's steadiness and Marshall's all-around game.
"The biggest thing which stood out for me was Trey's poise and his composure," the coach said. "He didn't play a perfect game. He had a couple fumbles. A couple bad snaps turned into turnovers. Plus, he was cramping up. And through all that — through us losing the lead — he kept his composure. He didn't get rattled, and he made the plays down the stretch to help us win the football game."
McFarland finished with nearly 350 yards passing against Garner.
Not to be outdone, Marshall tacked on 189 rushing yards and another 150 receiving.
The sophomore is a legitimate "double threat," Inscore said.
"Keith has speed and he has power," the coach explained. "And along with that he has great hands coming out of the backfield. We thought he had good hands, but to do it in practice and to do it in a game is totally different — especially your first varsity football game against a great team like Garner.
"That's a heck of an accomplishment."
The Wildcats' offensive line can't be overlooked either as junior Caleb High and senior Tyler Floyd have provided stability to the improving group.
"Obviously somebody has to open up those holes for our guys," the coach said. "To throw for 300-plus yards and have a running back go for 189, you are doing something right upfront."
Inscore praised his entire defensive unit, but singled out linebacker Justus Hoffmann and the Wildcats' secondary, which allowed the Trojans to pass for only 80 yards while making two interceptions.
Any win against Garner — a traditional Triangle power — is impressive, but considering how the Wildcats jumped out early, lost the lead and had to claw their way back seems even more significant.
Inscore commended the resiliency of his Wildcats.
"With a young team, you always wonder how they are going to respond," he explained. "We had been leading the whole time, and now, with a quarter left, we're down. But we were able to come back.
"It was great to see that in your first game of the year. Because if that doesn't happen until later in the year, you don't really know what you are capable of. Now we will always know that we can get it done because we have already been in this situation before."
Kickoff at Knightdale is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
