Super Six veteran Wayne faces newcomer Tolsia
Friday, December 1, 2006
By RICK RYAN - The Charleston Gazette

One team is a rookie to the Super Six experience and the other sure looks different. So expect a fresh approach when county rivals Tolsia and Wayne hook up in the Class AA championship game tonight.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 at Wheeling Island Stadium.

Tolsia (11-2), the No. 4 seed, has never before played in the state football finals. But the Rebels already own a 30-19 win over Wayne on Oct. 13, getting a 354-yard rushing effort that night from senior running back B.J. Evans, who’s making a late push for the Kennedy Award as the top player in West Virginia.Third-seeded Wayne (11-2), however, has made it this far before. In fact, the Pioneers are taking the turf in Wheeling for the third time since 2000. But Northern Panhandle fans will be catching their first glimpse of a Pioneers team that has recently changed its stripes.

The past few seasons, Wayne regularly divvied up its carries among five, six, even as many as seven different backs during the course of a game. The Pioneers employed pounders, slashers and an occasional speed back in an attempt to both cross up and wear down opposing defenses.

This year, though, the Pioneers have relied almost solely on junior Justin Gilkerson and senior Travis Thompson. That duo has combined for 420 carries thus far this season and turned them into 2,474 yards and 28 touchdowns — 14 apiece.

“They’re a little bit different than they have been in the past,’’ said Tolsia coach Drew Waller. “Those were really big and strong teams. Even the quarterback they had [6-foot-4 Nick Newell] was a huge kid. This year, though, they rely mostly on quickness. Most of them are pretty small, so team speed is their main thing.’’

With sophomore Joey Ferguson under center, the Pioneers pass less often, opting to hand it to either of their 1,000-yard backs — Gilkerson (1,327 yards) or Thompson (1,147).

“I think that’s a testament to those two kids,’’ said Wayne coach Tom Harmon. “Our best football team is to get the ball in their hands, and make use of our counterpunches with our quick guys and quarterback and a few of our receivers. In high school football, you take what you’ve got and fortunately, these kids have been real good ones for us.’’

Wayne’s occasional change of pace now comes from a Ferguson pass, or reverses from speedy Justin Followay and Rodney Endicott. Followay averages better than 10 yards a carry and also leads the team in receiving and return yards.“Justin’s been playing really well as of late,’’ Harmon said. “You can’t have enough guys who can catch a punt and score, or catch a kickoff return and score or get the ball in the open field and make things happen. I wish I had more of him.’’

Of course, the main focus of the game should be Tolsia trying to establish Evans on the ground, and Wayne trying to disrupt that. Evans comes to town leading the state in rushing yards (2,764) and scoring (234 points, including 31 TDs).

“He’s done that behind a massive offensive line,’’ Harmon said. “They’ve done a good job all year. It’s going to be a challenge.’’Wayne’s defense has improved tremendously since its last meeting with Tolsia. The Pioneers have allowed just six TDs in six games since then and shut down a pretty potent Poca team twice, surrendering just seven total points and 280 yards in two meetings with the Dots.

“With that team speed, they fly around all over the place on defense and come to the ball,’’ Waller said. “That’s a little different than what they’ve had in the past, too. With that speed, they’re very, very dangerous.’’

Senior defensive lineman Harry Sowards collected 30 tackles in Wayne’s first two playoff games, 15 of them for lost yardage.

Evans said the teams’ familiarity with one another won’t play as big a role in the outcome as which performs better.

“We know a lot about them,’’ he said. “We know their formations. We’ve practiced before on them. We know pretty much what they do.

“It’s a matter of who’s more focused and who’s ready to play, who blocks better and who tackles better. It should be a well-fought game. A fun game to watch. We’re all going to know who’s doing what and what time they’re going to do it. There won’t be very many more things put in for this game. I don’t think either team’s going to change much.’’