11 Sept 09
The Lions traveled to Martin to battle the Westview Chargers in a non-District game that had some added influences. Westview was coming into the battle 0-3 after three competitive games against top quality opponents. Camden is ALWAYS in for a war when they face Westview, just throw the records out. Everybody knew that tonight would be no different...the artificial turf field would tend to speed up the two already fast quarterbacks that powered both of these teams. Tanner Spencer for Westview (WV), and Lions Senior Co-Captain Michael Gaskin. 48 minutes from now we would know just HOW much of a factor they would be...
Camden's captains, Dee Dunlap, Patrick Hassell, Michael Gaskin and Dakota Summers were at midfield to meet with the refs and the Chargers captains; Camden will receive. Hassell & Derek Easley are deep, Derek fields it cleanly & speeds straight ahead to the Lions 33. Michael has the offense on the field & starts it up with a dive up the middle by Devon White for a 1st down at the WV 48. Gaskin fakes the handoff to Devon, spins & runs around right end where Dakota has build the Great Wall of Summers, & is run out of bounds at their 39! Maurice Whitfield takes the toss sweep around left end, runs over a Charger & has the first down at their 31! Devon behind Jacob Sharum & Michael Heck for a short gain, but a holding penalty makes it all add up to 1st & 15 from the WV 35. 10:35 showing as Gaskin rolls right, has Easley ready for the pitch, but keeps, runs thru the line & is gone to the 25, First Down! Gaskin lines them up, then calls the first Lions time out to make sure everyone is on the same sheet. Back at the line, Gaskin gives to Whitfield down the left side of the line, Maurice slides off the left hip of a Jordan Murphy trademark block, shorts out a Charger with a big hit & is to the 20. Maurice again - - this time right side - - down at the 15. The 8th play of the drive has Gaskin following blocks by John Yarbro, Ethan Melton, and Trevor Latendresse, adds a cut to make a blue bolt miss & powers a Charger into the endzone for the touchdown! The kick misses, but with 8:39 showing on the 1st down clock, it's Lions over Chargers 6-0.
The Chargers aren't ready to blink out yet & Summers' kick is run all the way back to the Lions 41 yard line before Gaskin can get him stopped. Need to start fast, defense!
The Chargers start with a 5-yard penalty, 1st & 15 from our 46. A runner tries to get around left end but is caught from behind by Tyler Plant after only 5...add in a WV holding penalty and it's 1st & 21 from the WV 46! Blake Riley & Tyler have a run around left end all figured out at the 48 after a gain of only 2, 2nd & 19. WV has a center screen looking good, but Tyler catches up at the 40, 3rd & 9. Their speedy tailback runs into the left side of the line...right where Jordan Murphy & Kyle Blackburn are waiting to stop him for no gain & they are punting. The fair catch signal doesn't please His Striped-ness & they move us back 5; Lions start at their own 7!
The Lions string together an 11-play drive that stalls with a 4th & 3 that we just can't quite make & WV takes over at their own 24 yard line. The Chargers start a 10-play drive of their own that stretches over into the 2nd quarter where a pass interference call helps them to a 1st down at our 24. Holding call moves them back to 36, and Blake Riley adds some huge QB pressure to force an incompletion, 2nd & 22. A WV pass is complete, but Kendrick Hudson slings him down & WV has a 4th & 1. They try to get us to jump (doesn't work), and then call a time out. WV trots out their Blue Ribbon kicker & they set up for a field goal attempt from the 15 with 9:40 left in the half. The snap is back, down, but Larry Jamison & Trae White break thru the middle with arms up, and it misses wide left, Lions ball!
The offense starts its 13-play scoring drive with a Kendrick Hudson slant to the left for a gain of 2. Devon White runs in behind the blocks of Sharum, Heck & Summers, lowers his head for the big bang & has the 28 yard line. Hudson around right end, is hit but keeps 'em churnin'...1st down at the 30-½ yard line! Great effort! 7:50 left as Devon follows Maurice up the middle to the 32, some late flags for extra curricular activities are thrown for players on both teams, offsetting, go again. Gaskin fakes it to White - - Devon get's tackled - - and the give is to Easley around the left side, all the way out to the CHS 42 for a BIG first down! Hudson is surrounded in the backfield for a loss of one in one of our few negative plays. Gaskin starts the play as Student Body Right, but the reverse has Trae White headed back around left end, he reads his blocks well & is down to our 49! Devon bangs it in behind Melton, Latendresse, and Sharum, there is a huge explosion & Devon is at the 47-½ yard line...is it enough?...the sticks say it is short by dollar bill. We are going for it & Michael powers the QB sneak behind Trevor for a first down! 4:15 left in the half as Gaskin drops back & realizes he is surrounded by Chargers! A slick move left & he sprints to the right side line...at the stick...first down at the 29!
You've just gotta' love a good toss sweep, and Gaskin tosses a good one to Easley around left end to the 19! Kendrick takes the ball around left end, disappears into a gaggle (covey?) of Chargers that have him surrounded, but comes out with a first down at the 17! Gaskin rolls left & spots Summers behind two defenders in the right corner of the endzone, but it falls incomplete, 2nd & 10. The 13th play of the drive starts with an academy award quality fake hand off to Hudson headed over right tackle & a Gaskin run around left end...for the score! Michael sets the Lions offense up for the 2-point conversion attempt, a sweet toss back to Derek headed to the left pylon, he's got it & with 3:07 left in the half, the score is Camden 14, Westview 0.
Summers nails the low kick into the up backs & one falls on it at the 28. Westview links together a 7-play scoring drive that has their QB running past the left pylon for the score. Their kick misses & with 61 seconds left in the half, Camden's only up 14-6.
Devon White fields the kick on one hop & runs to the CHS 37 where the offense will start again. Run into the line a few times & take a knee to get into the locker room & talk it over, nice & neat right?
Not exactly...
Pitch to Easley to the left, he makes it to the left sideline & is out of bounds at the 46! Gaskin fakes the big outside pitch, spins and gives it to White inside & he powers for a first down at our 48. Gaskin drops back to pass, is surrounded by Chargers but pulls a magic escape & slants toward the right side line. Everyone thinks he is headed out of bounds, but that seems to draw a crowd, so he cuts it back left behind two downfield blocks & sprints to the left pylon to score! Summers kicks his shoe into the ionosphere and the PAT is good. The kickoff - plus a WV completion that Tyler Plant stops at the 35 - sends both teams into the lockers with a 21-6 score! Much mo-betta!
Both bands perform at halftime & the WV fans honor a group of players & coaches that mounted a 42-game win streak while playing ball at Westview from 7th thru 12th grade. Dakota is back on the field & kicks a low bouncer that checks up & stops at the 20. The WV runner goes back, scoops it up & runs left where he meets with Easley & Blackburn at the 39 yard line. The Lions defense is torqued & Murphy combines with Summers after a gain of two up the middle. Kendrick Hudson has a long pass attempt covered down the right hash, incomplete, 3rd & 8. They are airing it out again, but this time Blake Riley starts the tip drill, and Michael Gaskin finishes with the interception at the Lions 47! The Lions string together a 10-play drive that looks sure to score, but a fumble is recovered by WV at their 12 & the defense is back at work.
The Chargers muster four plays and a first down completion to the 34 yard line before a holding flag puts them in a deep 1st & 15 hole. They come out throwing.....and Kendrick Hudson is doing the catching at a dead run! He intercepts and speeds out to the Lions 27, Camden ball!
The CHS offense sends Easley around right end for 10, but a holding flag equals 1st & 20 at the 36. Devon slants down the line till he gets in a seam that Summers & Heck made and drives for a gain of 9. Gaskin pitches to Easley on the sweep around left end to the 23, 3rd & 7. Gaskin keeps for a short gain to the 21, 4th & 6, time out Lions with a minute left in the 3rd. We are going for it on 4th down; Gaskin fakes the handoff to White and looks down the left side of the line for a hole. Murphy & Melton have one waiting without any Chargers in it & Michael is gone to the left pylon for 6 points! The kick misses, the shoe is airborne, and the Lions lead is 27-6!
Dakota drills the kick dead at the five yard line & the returner is only able to get to the 13 before he falls down, tackled by the turf monster. Their QB starts right, but Murph has him from behind, gain of 4. They complete a pass down the left sideline to the 28 as the 3rd quarter runs out, turn 'em around for the 4th. Another pass is complete in the middle of the field, but Maurice makes him pay at our 40. The Chargers string together a total of 9 plays before they run out of downs & the Lions take over after a Blake Riley sack 'way back at the 35! 9:42 left in the game, time out Lions.
Camden's drive consists of 6-plays that hands the ball back to WV on downs at their 26. The Chargers are still electric & muscle a 10 play scoring drive out that ends with their QB running around left end for the score. They go for the 2 point conversion, but the pass is out of the endzone, incomplete.
Westview sets up for the onside kick, but the Lions get an "easy hop" that Trae White fields to perfection & downs at our 46 with 1:38 left to play. Michael runs two "victory knees", but the third one includes a leg cramp that has everyone concerned as he limps from the field. Derek Easley takes the last knee & it goes into the books as Camden 27, Westview 12.
A few stats of interest:
First downs: CHS 21, WV 17Rushing att/yards: CHS 59 for 407; WV 25 for 121
Passing compl/att/int/yards:CHS 1/2/0/17; WV 15/26/2/202
Fumbles #/lost: CHS 1/1; WV 0
Penalties #/yards: CHS 8/55; WV 5/40
Individual Rushing Stats
Michael Gaskin - 16 carries for 183 yards & 4 TD's
Devon White – 18 carries for 125 yards
Maurice Whitfield – 5 carries for 35 yards
Derek Easley – 10 carries for 33 yards
Individual Receiving Stats
Derek Easley 1 reception for 17 yards
Individual Defensive Stats
Tyler Plant – 13 tackles, 6 first hits
Kyle Blackburn – 12 tackles, 5 first hits
Larry Jamison – 8 tackles, 5 first hits
Blake Riley – 7 tackles, 1 batted pass, 1 sack
Talking with Lions Head Coach Kevin Ward afterwards about the win over a talented WV team:
"It was a good win, Westview is so much better than their record! This is another game that could have gone either way, we got some breaks, played very hard & physical to make some breaks, took care of the football, but Westview early was just hanging close there ready to capitalize on any mistakes. Two interceptions helped, I thought our solid rushing game made a difference. Anytime you are rushing for 400 yards, you are going to win a high percentage of those games. I am very proud of our teams' efforts. I am most proud of how much our scout team helped us this past week! Guys that worked the scout team defensive line worked hard to show us Westview's schemes, and it helped. LJ, Dee, Cody Robin all gave us good looks during the week & we knew we would have trouble blocking their defensive front. Very proud of all of the guys on the scout team that put in the extra time to make us better."
On the connection that Coach Ward has with Westview's Head Coach Don Coady:"It's always special to be able to see him. He has done so much for me & my career. He put up with me for 11 years, and I have learned so much from him. I couldn't have asked to have gone to a better situation to start my coaching career; he took me under his wing & made we want to be a head football coach out of my admiration for him & the way he did things, they way he ran that program. I really think I could go over there & he could come here & both programs would never miss a beat. I will always admire him & could work for him again. He is an outstanding coach and even better person, without knowing him, I wouldn't be where I am now."
On the fact that all six touchdowns were scored by quarterback rushes:
"I knew Michael had a big night, didn't know how big until I saw the stats after the game! He really stepped up tonight! Had a breakdown in protection right before the half & he makes great things happen with his feet! We knew he was capable of that kind of running, didn't know if or when he might actually do it. He did a good job of managing the offense as well. We had some young guys in there & Michael did a good job of making sure everyone was lined up right & knew what to do. Never asked to come off the field, we got him out of there some of defense just to keep him fresh. We were excited that Michael had such a great game. He didn't hurry the fakes & just let the game come to him. The Westview QB also had some runs & we knew he was a threat, but I don't think I have ever seen a game where the quarterbacks did all of the scoring on the ground."
Any injuries?
"Just bumps & bruises, hopefully. It was a very physical game & I know we will have some kids sore for a couple of days, but we will work it out with therapy if needed & get them ready to play an undefeated team next Friday night."
On the opportunity the team has to play on UTM's field:"It is a great opportunity to have that experience to play in that stadium. Our team get's to experience those facilities in a game setting & a lot of high school teams never have the chance. I appreciate Coach Coady scheduling us & the big crowd helps both schools financially as well. Our fans were there in numbers & loud, but it is so different than playing at home, I really can't hear them! The extra distance from the stands really does change it. I do appreciate all of our fans that traveled with us to Martin."
On next week's district game at Stewart County:
"Haven't seen anything on this year's team. They are scoring about 40 points a game & not giving up any, and they are also undefeated this year. We have to go up there for the 2nd year in a row. Last year it was a battle, we won 42-19 I think, but it was close until late. It was a very physical game, they were ready for us. It may have been one of the games that got us beat in the playoffs first round, we left so much up there in that game. We are looking at that as a learning experience & will try to get some people some rest this week ready to go Friday. I hope our fans will travel again & be loud for us up there. It seems like we never have played well up at Dover & a big crowd will be a help."
Let's follow our undefeated Lions to Dover next Friday night & cheer them on to a big District 13 win over Stewart County!
GO LIONS!
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