RIVERSIDE SEEKS PASSING GRADE ON DEFENSE PREP FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK

Publication: THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE
Published: 10/22/2002
Page: 4B
Headline: RIVERSIDE SEEKS PASSING GRADE ON DEFENSE PREP FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK
Byline: RICK RYAN

rickryan@wvgazette.com

Dick Whitman knows what teams will be thinking when they play Riverside the rest of the season - that the Warriors can't stop the pass.

Nitro's Derek Midkiff threw for 481 yards and five touchdowns at Riverside Friday night, but the Warriors managed to outlast the Wildcats 49-45. The offensive shootout featured 14 TDs and 1,009 yards, 533 by Nitro.

Whitman realizes that pass defense can be considered his team's Achilles heel. The four opponents they've faced adept at throwing the ball have averaged 253 yards on the Warriors and have tossed nine TDs against just three interceptions.

A failure to slow the Corey Isner-to-Jeff McCoy connection doomed Riverside in its only loss, a 21-14 setback to Ripley.

"We haven't been able to defend the pass pretty much all year," Whitman said after Friday's wild win. "We've had some major breakdowns - mental mistakes, things that can be corrected. We've got to mature. That's the only way to put it.

"Of course, Homecoming isn't always the best week for coaches. There are so many distractions. But we'll take the win and move on."

The Warriors (7-1), ranked No. 5 in Class AAA before the game, close out their regular season against Spring Valley and Huntington. The Timberwolves have thrown for just 263 yards all season, but the Highlanders average over 100 yards a game through the air.

Strive for 5-5

With its narrow loss, Nitro could be on the outside of this year's playoffs. The Wildcats (3-5) came into the game ranked 19th in Class AAA, and only the top 16 teams advance to the postseason.

Even season-ending victories over South Charleston and St. Albans won't be enough to send Nitro into the playoffs, said coach Scott Tinsley.

"Unfortunately, I don't think our 5-5 would get in," he said. "But we can't fall asleep. First, we've got to get to 5-5."

One problem is that SC (1-7) and SA (0-8) have combined for just one win and wouldn't be worth much in the rating points system. Nitro's wins so far have come against Hurricane (5-2) and Class AA Herbert Hoover (5-3) and Logan (4-3).

But perhaps Nitro isn't out of it, only because the bottom half of the Class AAA playoff chase is getting bunched up. The odds of one or more 5-5 teams getting in improve from week to week.

Take a look at last week's ratings. Nine of the top 11 teams in Class AAA won, solidifying their spots. But eight of the next 10 teams (those ranked 12 to 21) lost, which should cause another jumble when ratings are released today by the Secondary School Activities Commission.

With just three weeks left in the regular season, only 15 Class AAA teams hold winning records. Three more are presently 4-4.