Scouting the Warhorses:
The Owen Warhorses are coached by long-time head coach Ken Ford and is coming off a 7-4 record in 2007, with a 4-2 mark in conference play. The team just missed a sixth straight conference championship a season ago. Only eight lettermen returned to this year’s club, with only three starters on offense and defense, likely a key contributor to the team’s slow start.
Owen runs a Pro-I style offense and uses a base 4-4 defense to stop opponents. The Warhorses are young at many of its skill positions, but its offensive line returns the majority of its experience and has been relied upon to carry the rest of the club in the early season.
The Warhorses had a successful 9-1 junior varsity team a season ago and leans greatly upon a number of those athletes, hoping they mature quickly to continue the winning tradition established in the Black Mountain area.
Owen is led by a small core of seniors, including Josh Leake (6’2”, 315 lb. OL/DL) who was second team All-Conference, honorable mention All-Conference linebacker Adam Greenspan, All-Conference linebacker Seth Blankenship (5’11”, 175 lbs.), and wide receiver Robert Barker.
Senior Cody Craig (6’2”, 195 lbs.; 10 of 52 passing, 149 yards, 2 TD, 1INT in 2008) has emerged as the starting quarterback after battling with sophomore Kaleb Fowler in summer camp for the position.
A junior who has emerged as the offensive juggernaut for the Warhorses is RB/LB Adam Coleman (5’10”, 155 lb.). Coleman has rushed for 330 yards and five touchdowns thus far this season. Others running out of the Warhorse backfield include Cedric Johnson, Logan Newhouse, and Austin Myers.
The Low Down:
Avery demonstrated in its last game against Johnson County that it can have success running the football. The defense has been improving steadily with each game, but a handful of big plays have crippled chances for victory.
For the Vikings to leave Swannanoa with a victory this week, they will need a healthy Adam Pate, who pulled a hamstring in the fourth play of the game two weeks ago against the Johnson County Longhorns. Pate rested during much of the bye week to heal up for the Warhorses.
If Avery can limit the Warhorse running game keyed by the Owen backfield of Coleman and Myers, it will give itself an opportunity to start the conference season on a positive note and earn its first win of 2008.
By the Numbers:
3- rushing touchdowns by Owen’s Andy Coleman in last Friday’s 41-14 win over Enka.
7- pass receptions by Johnson County receiver Christian Prudhomme for 113 yards in Avery’s 27-14 loss to the Longhorns on September 12th.
83- yards rushing by Ethan Sluder in Avery’s last contest against Johnson County.
195- yards rushing by the Vikings in their last game against Johnson County.
216- yards in total offense gained by Avery QB Adam Pate in last season’s win over the Warhorses.
263- yards rushing on 40 attempts by Owen in last week’s win over Enka.
Read the Journal-Times next week for a recap of this week’s game with Owen, as well as a preview of next Friday’s home game against West Henderson.
