Wildcats’ Exum runs wild

By DAVE LAWRENCE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Published: September 12, 2008

SLIDESHOW

Antone Exum sang the praises of his offensive line last night.

The Deep Run quarterback, while quite talented in his own right, took ample advantage of the running room made available by his front wall to rush for more than 100 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, leading his fourth-ranked Wildcats to a 42-16 victory over host Henrico.

By the time he left the game midway through the third quarter, he had seven carries for 145 yards. He also completed 4 of 8 passes for 47 yards and another touchdown for Deep Run (2-0).

“The runs I had, I give all the credit to the offensive line,“ Exum said. “We’ve got one of the best offensive lines in the state. The holes were open and I hit them.“

The Wildcats’ explosive offense overwhelmed the Warriors (0-3) early on. Henrico coach Roger Brookes and his coaching staff tried to stack the line in the hope that a heavy blitz could throw the bigger Deep Run squad off its game.

“We are undersized compared to them. Our defense is small,“ Brookes said. “We felt we had to create problems for them with blitzes. . . . We felt we had to take a chance to have a chance.“

As the linemen and linebackers tried to shoot through gaps in the Deep Run front, the Wildcats’ backfield usually found plenty of room to the outside.

“We’ve got the tools in the backfield, the speed in the backfield, with me, Jordan [Love] and Dallas [Simmons]. When we decide to hit the edges, it will be hard for teams to catch up with us.“

The Warriors’ defensive tactics did force the Wildcats to throw a little more, however, but Exum made Henrico pay with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Parker Tuck with 1:54 in the second quarter to make it 35-0.

While Deep Run was dominant, scoring on its first five drives, the Warriors did not help themselves. Four fumbles—two of them turnovers—stalled an offense that began to show some spark in the second quarter.

The second of those turnovers set up Exum’s touchdown pass. In the final seconds of the half, the Warriors settled for a 37-yard field goal by Dylan Norvell.

Deep Run scored its first touchdown on its second play of the game when Exum broke free for a 47-yard scoring run. The Wildcats’ second drive, given good field position on a short Henrico punt, took five plays to close 38 yards and ended with a 9-yard run by Exum. His last big charge was on the fourth drive—a 52-yard run that increased Deep Run’s lead to 42-0.

Deep Run 14 21 7 0—42
Henrico 0 3 0 13—16

DR Exum 47 run (Smith kick)

DR Exum 9 run (Smith kick)

DR Love 1 run (Smith kick)

DR Exum 52 run (Smith kick)

DR Tuck 27 pass from Exum (Smith kick)

H Norvell 37 FG

DR Copeland 7 run (Smith kick)

H Smith 23 run (Norvell kick)

H Otey 5 run (run failed)

RUSHING

Deep Run Love 8 carries 50 yards, Exum 7-145, Simmons 4-5, Roberts 11-57, Copeland 3-(minus 10), Martin 2-1, Williams 2-0. Henrico Gray3-0, Parrish 10-18, Clark 5-(minus 2), Otey 11-68, Smith 10-110, Martin 1-22.

PASSING

Deep Run Exum 4 completions 8 attempts 47 yards, 0 interceptions. Henrico Otey 0-10-0-1.

RECEIVING

Deep Run Snyder 2 receptions 22 yards, Love 1-(minus 2), Tuck 1-27, Simmons 1-9.