WAKEFIELD FOOTBALL
If Wakefield senior Michael Gubbins (front) and his teammates on the offensive line can hold back Wake Forest-Rolesville's pass rush, QB Patrick Johnstone (12) and RB Denzel Brown (32) should continue the Wolverines' offensive success Friday night.
WF-R, Wakefield battle for Cap-7 supremacy
At the beginning of the season, tonight's (Friday's) Wakefield/Wake Forest-Rolesville football match-up was just supposed to be another rivalry game.
Crosstown foes battling for local bragging rights. Something to hold over the loser for the next year — maybe longer. And conference-title implications were most likely an afterthought.
That was no slight to this year's teams, but more an indication of what both had lost.
With the Cougars graduating several stars from last year's squad, which advanced to the Eastern Regionals, including Terrell Hartsfield, Jake Kahut and Tim Hartman, WF-R was supposed to be revamping under a new coach, Reggie Lucas, at its home away from home at Heritage High.
Likewise, under second-year coach J.D. Dinwiddie, the Wolverines were coming off a 7-6 year, replacing its quarterback and three of its top four receivers, and still building toward the future.
But eight weeks into the season, the two north Wake County programs have cast aside those lowered expectations.
Each squad has a signature win (WF-R's 10-0 shutout of Southern Durham; Wakefield knocking off Cap-7 favorite Leesville Road) and are the top two squads in the Cap-7 Conference.
Nigel King, Will Butler, Trea Jones and James Harris have all been the playmakers we expected. While relative new names like WF-R's Tim McGuire and Brandon Reynolds and Wakefield's Denzel Brown and Moises Ramirez have emerged as players worth watching.
There will be plenty of eyes paying attention this week with the winner taking a decided advantage toward a championship title.
"It's going to be the same game, it is just going to be even more intense," said Wakefield senior Mychal Jones of the match-up. "Especially for our class because we have never beat them before. We had never beat Leesville and we got them last week, and now it's time for Wake Forest."
Well, conference is important, but bragging rights do apparently still matter.
Here is a closer look at the Cougars —through the eyes of Lucas — and the Wolverines.
How the 7-0 Cougars got here ...
Lucas knew this season was to be a transition year as he stepped into the head role taking over for Earl Smith as well as the Cougars' relocation to Heritage High in wake of renovation at WF-R High School.
He also knew the fans were watching closely.
"Everyone had to see what this season was going to be like because of the coaching change, new school, different environment," he said. "Plus, we graduated tremendous talent from last year's team.
"The support here has always been tremendous, but I think after three games, after playing Southern Durham, we caught a lot of people's attention."
The coach, who played quarterback under the legendary WF-R coach Rock Harrison two decades ago, said the assimilation to the new school has actually been easiest on the players, not the coaches.
"Does it feel normal to be over here? No," he admitted. "I'm a Wake Forest-Rolesville alum. Playing in Trentini [Stadium], coaching there the last 14 years, it was just so familiar.
"It would take some adjustment for me to call this home. But the kids have accepted it as a home away from home."
Especially the Cougars' defense which has allowed just 27 points this season. Yes, that is less than four points a game.
Last fall, the WF-R secondary featured several underclassmen, but with an added year of experience, the Cougars defensive backs have grown into a strength, led by Marcus Jones and Darren Kirby.
Lucas also lauded the play of Will Braddy and Tim Howard.
"Having those guys get experience last year, it has really paid off, especially in these tough early games this year," the coach said.
The unit's front seven entered the season as the biggest question mark, but have gelled quickly.
Tim McGuire and Xavier Gill, just a sophomore, have been standouts at the defensive end positions, and Brandon Reynolds and Carl Faison have been impressive inside.
Formerly the program's defensive coordinator, Lucas loves his old unit's work ethic.
"Our defense has played extremely hard, day in and day out. Even in practice, they worked hard," he said.
According to the coach, scrimmages between the first-teamers have the intensity of a game.
"The defense treats our offense just like our opponent, and it can get pretty competitive," Lucas said. "But they're getting after it and that's a good thing."
Offensively, Jones and Harris have been as good as advertised, and Delano Tavares has added a third threat playing at fullback.
"Trea and James are running the ball extremely hard this season," Lucas said, pointing out the offensive line has done a solid job up front.
"The offensive line knew they were under the radar all summer, and they wanted to prove themselves," he explained. "They are working hard to nail their blocking assignments."
Dan Tomchik isn't as elusive or dangerous as his predecessor Hartman, but the senior still has quarterbacked the Cougars to seven wins, including a last-second rally to defeated Clayton.
How the 6-2 Wolverines got here ...
If you'd polled the Wakefield "fandom" following the Wolverines' 28-14 defeat at Holly Springs Aug. 28, a 6-2 record would have probably been unimaginable.
But Wakefield's debacle in the rain against the Golden Hawks — which included WHS five turnovers — was what the Wolverines needed, Mychal Jones said.
"It helped us because it showed us what we had to work on, and it kept our heads from getting too big," the senior said. "It really humbled us."
Following the loss, several pieces fell into place for the program, including the insertion of freshman Connor Mitch into the starting lineup at quarterback.
The ninth-grader helped Wakefield win four of their next five contests, displaying an upperclassmen's savvy. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, Mitch is unavailable Friday due to a shoulder injury, which could keep him out the rest of the season.
But in his place, junior Patrick Johnstone passed for nearly 270 yards in a thrilling win over Leesville Road, showing notable improvement from his first two starts earlier in the season.
"He played really well Friday night, and I know he will be ready this week," Jones said of Johnstone.
Since the Wolverines' loss at Holly Springs, King — one of the state's most sought after recruits — has returned from injury in impeccable fashion, hauling in seven touchdowns in just four games.
Alex Starnes, who hauled in a TD reception last week, and Trip Foreman, who recorded a 76-yard punt return — which was called back — have exhibited big-play potential as well.
The Wakefield defense has been just as remarkable in recent weeks, creating turnovers and consistently getting after the quarterback.
Defensive end Moises Ramirez has been the catalyst for the group's upward swing, and has arguably the best season of any defender in the Cap-7 Conference. Just watch the tape, the senior is everywhere.
The Wolverines' rushing game, one of the team's weaknesses last year, has more punch this fall with the arrival of Denzel Brown — a Leesville Road transfer.
Highlighted by a three-touchdown performance against Millbrook two weeks ago, the junior runs harder than you'd expect from his size, while he has the speed to take it the distance.
Backfield teammates Courtney Crews' bruising style and Mychal Jones' quickness add a nice compliment to Brown.
"We know Trea and James are good, but we have running backs over here, too, and we want to show them what we can do," Jones explained.
The running game should get a lift from the return of offensive lineman Michael Sabb, who has been sidelined with an injury. But J'Kwan Fogg, Michael Gubbins, James Fosbury, Lawrence Keys and Josh Winstead have all played well with Sabb away. And the Wolverines' depth on the line is probably the best it's been all season.
Coming off their biggest win of the season, the Wolverines clearly carry the most momentum heading into its meeting with WF-R.
And Jones said the squad's concentration level hasn't wavered.
"It's not that hard to keep focus because its Wake Forest — we know what this game means," he said. "And last week's win gave us a lot of confidence. It proved that we could do what we thought we were capable of. Any doubts that we might have had are completely gone now.
"We know that we can be the team we want to be."
Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m., but arrive early because parking and visitors' stands are limited at Heritage High.
