Protection is a full staff effort for undefeated Mohigans

MORGANTOWN — It was a second Jaylon Hill will always remember.

The clock was ticking down and his Morgantown Mohigans have been clinging to a lead late in final week’s highschool soccer sport in opposition to Bridgeport.

Bridgeport’s Zach Rohrig had been a workhorse all sport and with the sport on the road, the Mohigans knew the ball can be in his palms.

On Rohrig’s thirty third carry of the evening, with 1:19 left in regulation, he took a handoff and ran off his blockers, however right into a bevy of MHS defenders. Seniors Caleb Nutter and Marcus Ullom have been capable of get their palms on Rohrig and disrupt the play. The ball got here unfastened and Hill, a fellow senior, got here flying in to get well the fumble and safe the victory.

“It was thrilling,” Hill stated. “Popping out with the ball, the gang cheering and simply realizing that fumble restoration sealed the sport — it felt nice.”

There have been a number of different large moments on this sport, however Hill and MHS head coach Sean Biser each acknowledge that it was a complete staff effort, headed up by defensive coordinator Adam King’s sport plan. 

“Everybody stepped up on this win and did their jobs, so we executed nice as a staff,” Hill stated. “Our scout staff offense labored actually onerous to present us an excellent look day in and day out of shape to be ready for an excellent Bridgeport offense.”

The Indians did what they do finest, nonetheless gaining over 230 yards on the evening and Rohrig completed with 185 speeding yards, lifting him to greater than 2,200 for his profession. The Morgantown protection needed to maintain tight and never let up, particularly to defend an early 15-0 lead.

Biser stated they by no means received complacent. 

“They’re enjoying onerous and so they’re enjoying for one another,” Biser stated. “Simply getting the reps and enjoying on the market provides them extra confidence every time.”

That’s been the case for Hill, as he’s getting extra enjoying time as a senior.

“Figuring out with the staff within the offseason and carrying that into the primary two weeks is what improved my total efficiency, data of the sport and execution,” Hill stated. “I actually targeted on getting larger and bettering my velocity.”

Hill spent earlier years enjoying on particular groups, a unit that ought to by no means be ignored. Even within the Bridgeport win, particular groups got here via in large moments, like on a two-point conversion try when kicker Aidan Stire ran it in and noticed the ball on a botched snap when the Indians have been trying to punt.

“We put an excellent concentrate on particular groups,” Biser stated. “John Fowkes is our particular groups man and he will get them fired up. Not each child needs to play particular groups, however he makes certain to emphasize the significance of enjoying particular groups each sport.”

A battle of the unbeatens awaits Morgantown this week, internet hosting 2-0 Musselman. The Applemen additionally had large defensive stops of their week two additional time victory in opposition to Loudoun Valley (VA). Musselman intercepted a move within the waning seconds to drive additional time and Zavier Pollard picked off a move to safe the victory, 22-15, within the further body.

The MHS protection must be ready for a novel speeding assault from the Applemen, led by dual-threat quarterback Eli Fleming, Blake Sanders and Zachary Miller. 

“They’re fairly athletic and so they play actually onerous,” Biser stated. “They run the ball rather well. They get off blocks and take off. They create issues on offense as a result of they run a number of completely different packages.”

Morgantown enters the sport 2-0 for the second consecutive season. Musselman got here out with a 36-33 win in week 4 final yr, Morgantown’s first lack of the 2022 marketing campaign. 

BY MATTHEW PEASLEE