CAPITAL, NITRO STILL LOOK THE SAME
Publication: THE
Published: 10/22/1999
Page: P1B
Headline: CAPITAL, NITRO STILL LOOK THE SAME
Byline: RICK RYAN
From opposite ends of
chasing Class AAA playoff berths each of the past four seasons. But
only once in that time have they met on the same field.
They'll make it two tonight
when the Wildcats pay a visit to Laidley
Field for a battle of state-ranked squads. Kickoff is set for 7:30
p.m.
Not much has changed since
their last meeting, when Capital piled up a
56-20 decision in the first round of the 1996 playoffs. Nitro still
likes to throw the ball around; Capital still likes to pound it
between the tackles.
The 1996 game came in Nitro
quarterback J.R. House's sophomore year
and was his first taste of postseason play. House didn't disappoint,
setting state playoff records by hitting on 37-of-61 passes for 376
yards and three touchdowns.
Even though Nitro passes
more than most teams, the Wildcats (5-3,
ranked No. 15) have displayed offensive balance this season, running
for 1,693 yards and throwing for 1,273.
So Capital coach Moe Townson isn't sure what he'll see tonight. Nitro
attempted just five passes on Sept. 3 and beat Hurricane 34-28. Last
week, the Wildcats crowded 26 of their 37 throws into the fourth
quarter as a late rally fell short at
"We have no idea what
we'll get,' Townson said. "I
don't know if
they're going to come out and run or throw on us, or try a
combination. I guess we'll just have to feel our way around with it.
They've been more of a run-oriented team, but last week they were
running the no-huddle offense the whole fourth quarter.'
Townson said the Wildcats' balanced
approach makes it tough for
opponents to prepare.
"It makes you spend
more time on defense,' he said. "We did that this
week because we don't see many teams like that. Most teams you play
are run-oriented. [Nitro] presents a different set of problems.
"It's kind of like
when you don't see the wing-T a lot and then, boom,
you're playing against it. And you're watching the backs and they're
taking you away from where the ball is. This will be a challenge for
us and I hope our kids are up for the challenge. When we come to play,
we're a pretty good football team. When we don't, we're average.'
Capital (6-1, ranked No. 4)
has faced one pass-happy team already this
season, running up a 40-0 win against Hurricane in its season opener.
In that game, the Cougars held the Redskins and quarterback Travis
Jones to eight first downs and 162 net yards. Their defensive front
kept Jones under constant pressure, sacking him twice and picking off
four of his passes.
That was reminiscent of
Capital's playoff game against Nitro three
years ago, when the Cougars sacked House four times and intercepted
four of his passes.
"When we played them
then, we had trouble with them up front,' said
Nitro coach Robert "Little' Burdette. "After
looking at [Capital] on
film, they look to be really good again up front on both sides of the
ball. Their linebacking corps could challenge anyone
in the state.'
Townson thinks Nitro will be able to adjust
to the defensive pressure
more easily than Hurricane.
"I kind of felt like
Hurricane couldn't really change too much, having
had just two, three weeks of practice,' Townson said. "Whereas
Nitro's had the entire season to experiment and practice and see what
works well.'
The Wildcats will
use two quarterbacks tonight, as has been their
custom. Jason Ward, a transfer who started for Capital last year, has
thrown for 691 yards and 10 TDs, while Derek Midkiff has thrown for
529 yards and five scores.
Townson sees no advantage for Capital as
far as being familiar with
Ward and what he can do.
"I don't think so,' Townson said, "because what he's done over the
summer and for the past eight ballgames is totally different from what
we've done in the past. He's in a different system and is asked to do
different things than we asked him to do. Will we have any kind of
feel for him or what he'll do? Not really.'
Burdette, meanwhile, knows
exactly what his team will see from the
Cougars - a steady diet of power running with 250-pound Darrion
Scott
and 215-pound Derrick Burkes.
"When they have the
ball,' Burdette said, "they're not trying to
trick anybody. They line up and hand it off. If you can play with that
offensive line and tackle those guys, you have a chance. If not,
you're out.
"With Darrion and Burkes running the ball, it sounds silly to
talk
about the line, but we all know that's where ballgames are won or
lost. And that's where Capital is good. At the same time, we think
we're pretty good on the line ourselves. This will be good for us to
see where we stand, because we're serious about trying to make the
playoffs. It's a good measuring stick for us.'