Sports

RUNNING BACK DEPTH LEADS BEARS TO WIN

By Josh Tinker/COMMERCIAL SPORTS EDITOR
Tuesday, November 3, 2009 9:13 AM CST

RISON — For much of this season, Woodlawn has relied upon the running of Davy Earnest. The bell cow in the middle of the Bears run-orientated offense, the fullback is often called upon to pick up tough yards when they’re needed most.

But when Earnest, who was playing his final home game for the Bears on Monday night, hobbled off the field field with a left ankle injury that has limited him in several games this season, Woodlawn coach Marion Glover didn’t panic. Instead, he turned to a younger group of backups, who came through when they were needed, as the Bears methodically carved up the Smackover Buckaroos 28-7 Monday night in a game that was delayed because of poor weather Friday.

“We worked all our backs real hard this week,” Glover said. “We repped everyone of them just for that purpose. Davy was hobbling on one leg and so was (halfback) Hank Long.”

As a result, the Bears (6-3, 6-2 8-2A Conference) responded with a by-committe approach. Earnest had only one carry for three yards in the first quarter, but reinjured his nagging left ankle and didn’t return. Long, another senior and staple in the Woodlawn backfield, gained 45 yards on only five carries, and the rest of the Bears’ 240 rushing yards came from players who had been predominately backups this season. Blake Brown led the Bears with 76 rushing yards, Dalton Fowler added 60 and Dillon Aldy added another 31 on only six carries.

Woodlawn used the group to sustain three scoring drives, and score another touchdown on a long run by Fowler that followed a fumble by the Buckaroos.

“The running game was really big. It had to be because that was the gameplan — run the football,” Glover said. “They put a lot of people on the line of scrimmage, and we were still able to pound out a few yards.”

Woodlawn was able to jump on the board early, driving 75 yards in only eight plays on the Bears’ first possession of the game. The drive was sparked by a 39 yard run by Long that helped set up the 6 yard scoring run.

The Buckaroos fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Woodlawn recovered. The Bears padded their lead on the very next play when Fowler rushed 36 yards for a score. Ryker Smith’s PAT gave Woodlawn a 14-0 lead with 5 minutes 54 seconds left in the first half.

Smackover tried to fight back. Trailing by two scores, the Buckaroos struggled to establish drives in the first half as all but two of their possessions in the first 24 minutes ended with a turnover. The Buckaroos drove to the Woodlawn 28 on their third possession of the half, but a fumble by Chase Rowan was recovered by Woodlawn’s John Erstine.

Then, after Ryan Dorman ripped the ball away from Aldy, Smackover proceeded on a nine play drive to the Woodlawn 29, but couldn’t convert on fourth-and-2, turning the ball over on downs.

Smackover’s next drive, a 10-play affair that took the Buckaroo’s down to the Woodlawn 38 ended with another fumble by Rowan.

Smackover ended the contest with only 132 yards rushing, 67 of which came on a touchdown run by Rowan in the third quarter.

“(Woodlawn) is a tough bunch of kids,” Smackover coach Joe Black said. “They’re very tough and hard-nosed and they just whipped our butts. Simple as that. They beat us in the trenches both offensively and defensively.”

Woodlawn padded its lead in the third quarter, marching 45 yards in 10 plays on its second possession of the second half, and scored when Aldy found the right corner of the end zone on fourth-and-5.

Smith added the final score with 3:24 left in the game on 2 yard run.

Woodlawn has a short turnaround this week, playing at Dermott on Thursday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

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