JF looks to avenge loss at Amherst in rematch

By Ted Allen

Published: November 20, 2008

FridayFootball.com

Jefferson Forest’s football team rides a five-game winning streak into Friday night’s Division 4, Region III championship at Amherst.

“What’s ironic is our last loss was against Amherst,” Cavaliers coach Don Rice said of the Lancers’ 35-6 rout of JF on Oct. 10 at Lancers’ Stadium, site of Friday’s rematch.

For Forest (9-3), making its first postseason run this decade, its three losses have come to opponents with a combined record of 32-1 — Pulaski County (11-0), Brookville (11-0) and Amherst (10-1).

Four of JF’s last five wins have come against playoff teams — Liberty and Bassett in the regular season and Rockbridge and Turner Ashby in the first two rounds of the Region III playoffs.

Its last, a 22-21 triumph over TA in Bridgewater last Friday night, was the most dramatic. Tight end Dustin Engledove caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Hunter Hannell to tie the game in overtime but was assessed a 15-yard penalty for spiking the ball in celebration, setting up Josh Storm’s 35-yard game-winning extra-point kick.

To keep their season alive, the Cavaliers must end Amherst’s 10-game win streak that dates back to Aug. 22, a 24-21 season-opening loss to Division 3 Brookville (11-0).

Rice said the Lancers may not have the same star quality as they did in winning the past two Group AA, Division 4 state titles, but they are just as formidable a foe, especially on the road.

“It’s a different team (but) they’re still as talented as they’ve always been,” he said. “You’ve got to go in and play your game. They are defending state champions (so) you’ve got to get by that mystique. If you get by that mystique, you’ll be OK.”

He doesn’t plan to change the strategy JF took into Amherst six weeks ago, but expects a different result because the Cavaliers are a different team.

“We know we’re a better football team than the last time we went there,” Rice said. “Hopefully this time, we’ll have pretty much the same scheme, but a better plan of attack.”

The Lancers, which dominated the line of scrimmage in the first meeting and held Forest to 150 yards of total offense, have only gotten stronger themselves.

“The kids have just gotten better and better and better each and every week and it’s allowed them to gain a lot more confidence,” Amherst first-year coach Cecil Phillips said. “They’re really playing at a high level and they’re really playing at a fast level, too, because there’s no more thinking, there’s no more hesitation. We just need to execute.”

Phillips said the Lancers came out more fired up for Forest than they have for any other opponent this fall the first time out and expects the same on Friday, with a state playoff berth at stake.

“They’re an extremely physical ballclub, so we’ve got to be able to match their level of intensity and their level of play, and we pretty much need to set that tempo ourselves,” he said. “That’s what we were able to do the last game … and we need to have that same emotion again.”

He is wary of JF’s 4-3 defense.

“They’ve got a very, very active linebacking corps (and) they’ve got a solid front eight, so we’re going to have to take that on again,” Phillips said. “They’ll be bringing it.”

Amherst has spread the wealth on offense this season offensively. Quarterback Anthony Rose, who rushed 19 times for 167 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s 28-21 come-from-behind win over Harrisonburg, has accounted for four of the Lancers’ five 10-plus carry performances with Mario Vaughan, the team’s leading rusher before last week, recording the other.

“That’s a luxury right now to have a lot of multiple threats,” Phillips said. “Our kids are averaging five to seven carries per ballgame. Some of these teams have been dependent on one or two kids getting 15 to 18 to 20 carries per ballgame.”

That’s true for JF, which has leaned heavily on Desmond Goode. The junior tailback rushed 23 times for 205 yards and two TDs at TA and leads the area with 1,467 yards rushing and the Seminole District with 16 touchdowns.

But the Cavaliers, who start completely different personnel on the offensive and defensive lines, often have a fatigue advantage in the trenches when they’re in the game late in the fourth quarter.

“It’s going to be a pretty physical game both sides of the ball,” Rice said. “They’re a very good football team and so are we. Right now they’re 1-0 in the playoffs and we’re 2-0 in the playoffs. Hopefully, we’ll be able to play the winner of the Pulaski County-Salem game in the first round of the (Group AA, Division 4) state playoffs.”

JF only lost to Pulaski County by a 10-7 count and to Brookville by a 19-7 margin.

Amherst has beaten Salem en route to its past two state titles — in the Region III final in 2006 and the Group AA semifinal last fall.