John Marshall is off to its best start since 2005 following a 55-7 hammering of Buckhannon-Upshur.
The Monarchs stand at 4-1 and welcome a tough Princeton outfit to Monarch Stadium on Friday.
JM currently sits 10th in the Class AAA playoff rankings released hours ago by the WVSSAC. A win against the Tigers will certainly help their standing. It also will assure a second winning season in head coach Jason Willis’ third year at the helm.
This is a senior-laden team with loads of talent at the skill positions. But what’s been the big difference between now and 2019’s team that finished 4-6 following a playoff appearance in 2018?
“We kind of stumbled out of the gate last season, and we talked about the importance of getting off to a fast start this season, and I think we’ve accomplished that,” Willis said of JM’s early successes, marred only by a tough road shootout loss to Oak Glen.
Through five games, JM is outscoring opponents 46-15, and that’s including the 55-46 shootout loss to Oak Glen.
Compare that to 2019’s start.
Following a tough loss to University, 18-7 in Morgantown, the Monarchs lost four of their first five games. Only a 28-6 decision against Preston kept Willis’ club from a winless first half. The team went 3-2 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a sluggish start to the season.
No such problem in 2020.
Where’s the Beef?
JM returned most of its key skill position players from 2019, including all-W.Va. special mention honoree Dalton Flowers.
What the Monarchs didn’t return in triplicate were experienced offensive linemen.
“We lost four starters from our offensive line, and I’d say that’s where we had a few question marks heading into the season,” Willis admitted.
Ask and ye shall receive, sir.
What Willis and his coaching staff witnessed was a tough but inexperienced unit gel early and turn into a well-oiled hole-opening, pocket-protecting machine.
Take the team’s most recent home game, a 39-0 victory against Parkersburg South, for example.
Against the Patriots, Flowers and backfield mate and fellow senior Alex Burton each eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark. Flowers went for 160 and three touchdowns. Burton had 104 and one.
Combined they averaged better than five yards per carry as a wall of blockers shielded the backs from being touched until the second level.
Upperclassmen like tackle Austin Ruckman and guard Jessse Riding join joined the unit with sizable sophomore center Cole Porter (6-4, 310) making his presence felt in the middle.
They also receive help from junior fullback Nate Menendez, a punishing blocker who also doubles as one of the team’s top defenders.
Flowers is one of the top rushers in the valley, averaging 158 per game and 9.3 per carry while scoring 11 touchdowns. Burton isn’t far behind in the two-pronged assault, with 104 yards and 7.1 per carry to go with his seven scores.
Far from One Dimensional
Between Burton and Flowers, JM accounts for better than 250 yards rushing per game. But this team isn’t limited to just running the ball.
Senior quarterback Derek Derrow averages 150 yards per game and has nine touchdowns against three interceptions, all of which came in the Oak Glen game.
JM can throw the ball when it has to and will for balance sake, not just necessity. Though down big against Oak Glen, it was Derrow’s left arm that accounted for 341 yards and five touchdowns in getting JM back in the game.
His leading receivers are Bryce Rayl and Reid Wiley, with Flowers serving as the occasional home-run hitter out on the perimeter.
The Monarchs can also get it done with defense.
After giving up 50-plus to Oak Glen, Parkersburg South’s high-powered passing attack came to town a week later.
But the defensive staff sat down and devised a game plan, and the Monarchs executed it to perfection, forcing six turnovers and holding the Patriots’ scoreless.
Again, John Marshall’s bigs deserve some credit.
Tackles like senior Rowdy Fisher and junior Brayden Hagedorn helped clog the middle and keep running lanes free of openings.
South’s running game, led by a talented Devin Gaines, was rendered non-existent. That allowed the secondary to focus on shutting down the passing game. Sam Schuler finished with 241 yards, with most coming in the second half. He was also intercepted three times.
“Our guys were really flying to the ball,” Willis noted.
Next on the Docket
JM will need another solid defensive performance this weekend.
Princeton may be 2-2, but both of those losses came in close contests with Class AA power Bluefield. One was a low-scoring, defensive battle. The other was an offensive shootout.
Like John Marshall, the Tigers have shown a diverse offensive skill set, with perhaps a bit more leaning toward the pass.
Sophomore QB Grant Cochran has averaged 219 yards a game with eight touchdowns against five interceptions.
His favorite target is senior Ethan Parsons, who has 21 receptions for 389 yards and four TDs.
On the ground, Princeton looks to fellow senior Amir Powell to provide the punch. Powell logs 136 yards per game with eight TDs while averaging 9.4 yards per carry.
Should the Monarchs beat Princeton, they will take their 5-1 record on the road for three straight weeks against Brooke, Morgantown, and Keyser before returning home for the rivalry game against Wheeling Park.
