Davidson wins with defense
By Mark Znidar The Columbus Dispatch Sunday November 14, 2010 6:50 AM
DELAWARE, Ohio - Football teams at every level are taught to play until the whistle in practice to make sure an opponent doesn't get any second or third chances.
The process is very different at Hilliard Davidson.
"We have two whistles," linebacker and defensive end Keith Heitzman said. "The first whistle is when the ball carrier is stopped. The second whistle stops everyone."
The all-out hustle to the ball went to extremes last night. The Wildcats overwhelmed the Springfield offensive linemen and stuffed every ball carrier in a 9-0 victory in a Division I regional semifinal before approximately 6,500 at Ohio Wesleyan.
Davidson (12-0) advanced to the regional championship game against Pickerington Central (11-0).
Springfield, which boasted jet-like tailback George Walker and 235-pound Alabama-bound linebacker and running back Trey DePriest, had five first downs, minus-1 yard rushing and 71 yards passing
"They are a very good team. What else can I say?" Springfield coach Rick Robertson said. "They had too much up front for us defensively."
Robertson laughed when told that his team kept the game close.
"Close doesn't count in week 12," he said.
The Wildcats got the only points they needed off a 12-play, 74-yard drive that ended with Alex Mickley running over left guard for a 1-yard touchdown with 6:35 left in the first quarter.
On its third possession, Davidson converted two fourth downs during a 15-play drive that J.D. Detmer culminated with a 28-yard field goal.
Quarterback Jimmy Curtis was disappointed, nonetheless.
"We couldn't establish what we wanted to - running the clock and getting first downs," Curtis said. "We can't have less than nine points against Pickerington Central and hope we can win. But the first drive set the tone."
The defense took care of the rest in preventing Springfield (9-3) from getting Walker, DePriest and quarterback J.C. Wallace into open space.
Heitzman had two sacks and Chase Delande an interception. There were six tackles for loss.
"That's all we heard all week was George Walker and Trey DePriest," Heitzman said. "We didn't play a great team like this all season. We thought this was a true test. Everyone was motivated in the locker room. We knew their offensive threats and they were good. We had to take it to them. We just flew to the ball."
Since becoming a power in 2006 with their first state championship, the Wildcats have been known for their conservative, smash-mouth, triple-option offense.
Coach Brian White, however, said the team has been built on defense.
"For us to get a shutout against that team is truly remarkable," White said. "That's the way we had to play because they are so explosive."
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DELAWARE, Ohio - Football teams at every level are taught to play until the whistle in practice to make sure an opponent doesn't get any second or third chances.
The process is very different at Hilliard Davidson.
"We have two whistles," linebacker and defensive end Keith Heitzman said. "The first whistle is when the ball carrier is stopped. The second whistle stops everyone."
The all-out hustle to the ball went to extremes last night. The Wildcats overwhelmed the Springfield offensive linemen and stuffed every ball carrier in a 9-0 victory in a Division I regional semifinal before approximately 6,500 at Ohio Wesleyan.
Davidson (12-0) advanced to the regional championship game against Pickerington Central (11-0).
Springfield, which boasted jet-like tailback George Walker and 235-pound Alabama-bound linebacker and running back Trey DePriest, had five first downs, minus-1 yard rushing and 71 yards passing
"They are a very good team. What else can I say?" Springfield coach Rick Robertson said. "They had too much up front for us defensively."
Robertson laughed when told that his team kept the game close.
"Close doesn't count in week 12," he said.
The Wildcats got the only points they needed off a 12-play, 74-yard drive that ended with Alex Mickley running over left guard for a 1-yard touchdown with 6:35 left in the first quarter.
On its third possession, Davidson converted two fourth downs during a 15-play drive that J.D. Detmer culminated with a 28-yard field goal.
Quarterback Jimmy Curtis was disappointed, nonetheless.
"We couldn't establish what we wanted to - running the clock and getting first downs," Curtis said. "We can't have less than nine points against Pickerington Central and hope we can win. But the first drive set the tone."
The defense took care of the rest in preventing Springfield (9-3) from getting Walker, DePriest and quarterback J.C. Wallace into open space.
Heitzman had two sacks and Chase Delande an interception. There were six tackles for loss.
"That's all we heard all week was George Walker and Trey DePriest," Heitzman said. "We didn't play a great team like this all season. We thought this was a true test. Everyone was motivated in the locker room. We knew their offensive threats and they were good. We had to take it to them. We just flew to the ball."
Since becoming a power in 2006 with their first state championship, the Wildcats have been known for their conservative, smash-mouth, triple-option offense.
Coach Brian White, however, said the team has been built on defense.
"For us to get a shutout against that team is truly remarkable," White said. "That's the way we had to play because they are so explosive."
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