Patriots shred Rebels after gaining control of the Utah offense

By WELDON BRADSHAW SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Published: October 4, 2008

“You guys looked pretty good,“ a friend told Patrick Henry football coach Ray Long Jr. moments after his Patriots completed their 40-6 domination of Douglas Freeman last night.

“We’re getting there,“ Long said as he stood on the damp, glistening turf at the Rebels’ William E. Long Stadium. “Yeah, we’re getting there, piece by piece.“

Those on the other side of the ball might accuse the veteran coach of understatement.

In a Colonial District matchup that had Division 5 playoff implications, the visitors scored early and often and consumed yardage in prodigious quantities.

The Patriots (2-0, 4-1) installed the Utah offense this season and suffered some growing pains as the weeks passed, but against the Rebels (1-1, 4-1), they worked out whatever problems had ailed them.

“We can line up in a two-back set and run right at you, or we can spread it out,“ Long said. “People forget that [quarterback] Brandon [Cash] can throw the short pass very well.

“We can get up tight in your face. Big boys’ game. And then we can spread it out with our speed. It’s a pretty deceptive offense.“

Cash, who operates exclusively from the shotgun, lined up with Adrian Cavanaugh (5-11, 220) on one side and Jamison Kinney (6-3, 220) on the other.

The Patriots amassed 449 yards of offense (314 rushing and 135 passing) and 15 first downs and scored on their first three possessions.

Setting the tone on their initial series, they went 73 yards in 4 plays, the last a 6-yard touchdown run by Kinney.

After Vincent Derricott intercepted a pass at the PH 4, Cash, a 5-9, 200 pound senior, took them 94 yards in 12 plays and put them up 14-0 when he tossed a 10-yard TD pass to Cavanaugh. Hayden Dyer added the point after.

“We had some success with the dive option, the iso and the shovel pass,“ Cavanaugh said. “We ran it down their throat. Pounded it in.“

The Patriots’ third TD came on a 71-yard shovel pass from Cash to Kinney at 9:21 of the second period.

Offensive lineman Justin “Manuel opened it up, I saw a big hole and I just pitched it,“ said Cash, who ran 4 times for 115 yards and completed 5 of 8 passes for 135 more. Kinney “was off to the races.“

The Patrick Henry defense limited Freeman to 70 yards on 25 rushing attempts, but Rebels quarterbacks Carter Slough and Sam Jacobson combined for 247 yards through the air.

Four times, though, the Patriots stopped Freeman drives with interceptions.

Will Woodworth returned one 75 yards for a TD 8:23 before the break.

Brandon Wong returned another 50 yards for another TD at 9:54 of the third period.

“We bend, but we don’t break,“ Long said of his defense. “We preach that in practice. When the field gets shorter, you gotta get tougher. We did that tonight.“

Patrick Henry 14 13 13 0—40
Douglas Freeman 0 0 6 0—6

PH—Kinney 6 run (Dyer kick)

PH—Cavanaugh 10 pass from Cash (Dyer kick)

PH—Kinney 71 pass from Cash (Dyer kick)

PH—Woodworth 75 interception return (kick failed)

PH—Wong 50 interception return (pass failed)

PH—Cavanaugh 15 run (Dyer kick)

DF—Smalley 14 pass from Slough (kick failed)

RUSHING
Patrick Henry—Cash 4 carries 115 yards, Kinney 8-64, Cavanaught 7-38, Wong 4-40, Worley 4-30, Sweat 7-14, Moss 2-5, Harris 1-4, Morris 1-4. Douglas Freeman—Slough 10-45, Blanchard 9-23, Jacobson 2-1, Butler 4-1

PASSING
Patrick Henry—Cash 5-8-0, 135 yards 0 interceptions Douglas Freeman—Slough 7-25-162-2; Jacobson 7-13-85-2

RECEIVING
Patrick Henry—Kinney 2 receptions 84 yards, Derricott 1-28, Neal 1-13, Cavanaugh 1-10. Douglas Freeman—Mauck 5-114, Smalley 7-82, Love 1-23, Blackmon 1-18