Despite defeat, Nitro gained some respect
Tuesday, December 6, 2005
By RICH STEVENS - Charleston Daily Mail
WHEELING -- Morgantown starting center and noseguard Craig McIntosh may have too much time on his hands now, after the Mohigans won their second consecutive Class AAA state football title, 27-24 in overtime against Nitro at Wheeling Island Stadium on Saturday.
Then again, maybe he just hasn't had enough.
Since practice began four months ago, McIntosh has had little time to himself, juggling school with football practice and school.
How does he do it?
"I work about 36 hours a week," McIntosh said. "I work in the gas station at Kroger. I'm in that little kiosk all by myself and get to help people all day.
"(The Kroger) is in Sabraton, about five minutes away from the school. So, I can go from football to work every night. Sleep is overrated, I guess."
McIntosh anchors both lines for the Mohigans, but he refuses to take any of the credit for Morgantown's success.
"The other four or five guys around me, they strain so much and don't take plays off," McIntosh said. "They're the heart of our team."
The 5-foot-10, 220-pound senior, who said Saturday's championship game experience was "good and bad, because it's my last game with these guys," doesn't know if he's going to play football in college.
"I've talked to a few schools like Bethany and Waynesburg," McIntosh said.
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NITRO COACH Scott Tinsley said, if nothing else, his 12-2 team has gained the respect of teams around the state.
"Everybody kind of laughs at our defense, the way we stand up and we're so small," Tinsley said. "I don't know how many yards Josh Culbertson ended up with, but by gosh if he's not a great player, I don't know what one is."
Culbertson finished with 223 rushing yards.
"That's a really good Morgantown defense that at times he just shredded. At least we had to gain some respect."
The captains who met at midfield prior to the coin flip were quite a contrast.
Morgantown's were 6-foot-2, 230-pound fullback Max Anderson, 6-4, 285-pound lineman Adam Brandt, 6-foot, 250-pound lineman Mike Price and 6-2, 215-pound running back Justin Blankenship.
Nitro's were 6-3, 185-pound wide receiver Chris Fulmer, 5-10, 220-pound linebacker, offensive lineman and fullback Ross Martin, 5-10, 180-pound linebacker Jon Culbertson and 5-10, 165-pound wide receiver Gideon Casto.
If that's not enough, Nitro's largest player is 6-5, 305-pound junior Chad Snodgrass. The Wildcats have only 11 players who weigh 200 pounds or more. Morgantown has 33.
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WEST VIRGINIA Secondary School Activities Commission assistant executive director Kelly Geddis couldn't help but be a part of the Morgantown celebration. She taught at Morgantown High for 25 years and spent 15 years as the school's athletic director before joining the SSAC staff three years ago.
"There's no way I can't root for these people," Geddis said after the game. "I hired all these coaches. You can take the girl out of Morgantown, but you can't take the Morgantown out of the girl.
"It'll take a lot longer than three years."
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AFTER MORGANTOWN'S field goal in overtime, Nitro tried to cross up the Mohigan defense by going with play-action on first down and throwing to record-setting wide receiver Fulmer.
The play was defended beautifully. Two plays later Culbertson fumbled.
A good call on first down?
You bet, Morgantown Coach John Bowers said.
"I think it's a great call," Bowers said. "It didn't work and sometimes the great calls don't work. But, you have the best receiver in the history of high school football ... that's a great call."
"They had to expect Josh (to get the ball)," Tinsley said. "The corner route is one of our favorite routes. I was kind of far away, but it looked like their kid got his hand in there and knocked it away. If he doesn't tip it away, we win."
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MORGANTOWN quarterback Charlie Russell completed only 2-of-10 passes, and one was a 22-yard touchdown pass in the first period. However, on at least three incompletions he overthrew wide-open receivers. Two of those could have gone for touchdowns.
"I was just a little excited I guess," said the junior QB, who already has received a scholarship offer from West Virginia University. "The passes would just miss, but that's something I can correct."
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TACKLING Josh Culbertson wasn't easy, Morgantown middle linebacker Max Anderson said.
Just remember the fundamentals and always remember, it has nothing to do with the big hit.
"You can run with people hanging on your body," Anderson said, "but, you can't run without your legs."
On several plays, Anderson just dove at Culbertson's legs and took him down.
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MOHIGAN junior tight end and defensive end Junius Lewis had a sack, a fumble recovery and a touchdown catch in the victory. He said Culbertson is a lot better than the running back Morgantown contained in last year's 45-14 playoff quarterfinal victory over Nitro.
"Culbertson last year was a lot different than Culbertson last year," Lewis said. "He is a lot more explosive, a lot more jukes, a lot quicker ... overall, he's just a better player. He's a great player."
Believe it or not, the Mohigans, for the most part, did a good job of stringing plays out and keeping Culbertson running sideline-to-sideline, not getting his shoulders square.
"Our coaches told us if he's going side-to-side, we'll be fine," Lewis said. "But, if he gets his shoulders square, we'll be in trouble. They live on the big play and he got a couple big plays and we got a couple stops."
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BOWERS was sympathetic to Culbertson's plight.
"Not only is he talented, but he's a battler," Bowers said. "I wouldn't want to fight that kid.
"He was battling, battling and battling for more yards and (the overtime fumble) just popped out and I think that's the way he'd want to go out ... battling. The ball just came out.
"We had more points than them at the end of the game and we get to take the trophy home, but there's not a loser in the game."
