Woodland defense vies to stop high-powered Bentonville Gold
Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2008
ANDY SHUPE Northwest Arkansas Times Longtime Woodland Junior High coach Bobby Crockett watches as his players warm up before the Cowboys ’ game with Ramay Junior High Sept. 4 at Harmon Field.
Every win gives each team one more number to the combination that unlocks a Northwest Arkansas Conference title. Two unbeatens will be fighting for that vital No. 2 when Woodland hosts Bentonville Gold today. Woodland and Gold are among four teams tied for first in conference play at 1-0.
“ These games are all important and we look at them all the same — we have to win them, ” Woodland coach Bobby Crockett said. “ Normally in this conference you can’t win a championship with more than a loss or two. Each week you have a different battle and they’re all tough. ”
Woodland’s defense is allowing just 3. 5 points per game in the first two contests and is fresh off a 12-7 win at Springdale George. Gold pounced on Ramay last week, 34-21. Something will have to give tonight.
“ It worries you when a team’s that good offensively because I know Ramay’s got a solid defense, ” Woodland coach Bobby Crockett said. “ Gold does a lot of things offensively that give you problems. Their quarterback was in the grasp against Ramay and he’s still slinging a 30-yard ball downfield to an open receiver in the flat. They’ve got two good running backs, who have two different styles. They can make it tough on teams. ”
Woodland defensive coordinator Beau Patrick has his pupils harnessing their potential so far. Woodland’s defense stepped up last week to hold George scoreless in the second half to facilitate a Cowboy rally.
“ Our defense is prepared every week and last week was no different, ” Crockett said. “ We had a little letdown in the second quarter last week but we got it done in the second half and did a good job. ”
Safety Justin Stafford registered two key interceptions to pace the defense.
“ The first thing that happens there is we got pressure with our defensive line and linebackers, ” Crockett said. “ Justin’s been working hard and he’s a talented kid and that’s starting to show. He was where he was supposed to be and made two big plays. ”
Crockett, though, said his team needs to generate more production from the quarterback position to take the pressure off his defense.
“ They’re doing a good job of checking us into good plays and out of bad ones, ” Crockett said. “ But we’ve got to be better passers and more accurate throwing the football. We’ve got to have more consistency from the position. ”
Farico Baymon was Woodland’s offense last week with 89 yards on 13 carries, including touchdown runs of 20 and 6 yards in just three quarters. But Crockett said other members of the offense need to step up. Woodland is averaging 13 points per game on offense.
“ A lot of that is Farico’s ability and a lot of it is our offensive linemen opening holes and staying with blocks, ” Crockett said. “ But we’ve got to find more offense somewhere. We’ve got to come up with more offense and score more points.
“ We’ve had some kids absent and we’re having to plug some holes on offense here and there. That’s given us a lack of continuity that we need to get our offense going. ”
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