Parkersburg had many MVPs
Saturday, December 2, 2006
By JEFF NATIONS - The Journal
WHEELING — One play pretty much summed it up as well as any in Saturday’s Class AAA state championship game at Wheeling Island Stadium.
Desperate to make a stop early in the third quarter after finally gaining a little momentum with a half-opening touchdown drive, Martinsburg’s defense swarmed toward Parkersburg running back Matt Lindamood.
The Bulldogs met the burly junior at the line of scrimmage — in a pack. That stopped Lindamood, but only for a moment. With the type of second effort he’d shown all afternoon, Lindamood pushed through that mass of defenders for a 4-yard touchdown run.
And just like that, Parkersburg shoved aside Martinsburg’s hopes of an improbable second-half rally as the Big Reds rolled to an impressive 34-6 victory.
“We were on a mission,” Lindamood said. “This is what the mission was and we got it done.”
Lindamood ended up toting off the game MVP hardware for Parkersburg (14-0) after running for a game-high 170 yards and three touchdowns, but the honor could have just as easily gone to backfield mate Charlie Taylor. Lindamood (6 feet, 215 pounds) was a handful, but Taylor (6-1, 230) proved to be more of a load than the Bulldogs could handle. He ran for 123 yards and a TD on 13 carries, but did just as much damage as a lead blocker for Lindamood.
Throw in a big, physical offensive line that possessed a noticeable size advantage across the front, and it didn’t take much time at all for Lindamood and Taylor to confirm it would be a long day for Martinsburg (12-2).
“They’re both big guys and pretty fast,” Martinsburg senior nose tackle Bryce Hobbs said. “What else can you do? No. 44 (Taylor) is definitely their key.”
Lindamood struck first for the Big Reds. On his first offensive touch, Lindamood shedded a few tackles and raced 56 yards for the game’s first touchdown.
“I love watching Matt run,” Taylor said. “He’s a heckuva running back. There’s no other running back in the state that has the combination of strength and speed that he does.”
Taylor didn’t get his first carry until the second quarter, and promptly carried a tackle-busting sweep 27 yards for a big first down. Lindamood capped that drive three plays later with a 13-yard touchdown run that put the Big Reds up 17-0.
“I just keep my feet driving,” Lindamood said. “I’ve got the biggest O-line in the state and the best O-line in the state blocking just pushing for me.”
Taylor got his first touchdown on Parkersburg’s next offensive possession, with another numbingly familiar tackle-breaking, 43-yard touchdown run.
Both backs showed plenty of power against the Bulldogs, but Lindamood bristled afterward at the suggestion they might be similar.
“We’re not comparable,” Lindamood said. “He does what he does, and I do what I do. He’s got way more power than I do. Big 230-pound No. 44 running up the field – don’t want to hit him.”
Parkersburg’s one-two attack and smashmouth style was hardly a shock to Martinsburg coach David Walker and his staff, but seeing it first-hand was an entirely different experience.
“Teams that just line up and run right at us give us trouble because we’re really not that big on defense,” Walker said. “But yeah, they’re definitely a lot bigger in person than they looked on film.”
Martinsburg often looked bad trying to bring down the Big Reds’ brawny duo. That started at the line of scrimmage, where Parkersburg’s front five gave both runners enough room to gather a full head of steam.
“Try and tackle those two guys – I don’t know that (Martinsburg) faced backs like that,” Parkersburg coach Bernie Buttrey said. “And it takes an adjustment when you realize just how hard it is to bring those two guys down – especially if you’re waiting for them four or five yards down the field.
“Now if you hit them right at the line of scrimmage, then maybe you’ve got a chance. But four or five yards down the field, they’re gonna run over somebody.”
On Saturday, they helped the Big Reds run over Martinsburg’s state title hopes once again.
