HOUSE FILLS THE AIR AS NITRO BREEZES
Publication:
Published: 08/31/1996
Page: P1B
Headline: HOUSE FILLS THE AIR AS NITRO BREEZES
Byline: MIKE CHERRY
DAILY MAIL SPORTSWRITER
Sure, Nitro High misses its
top two receivers from 1995.
But as Friday night proved,
the Wildcats are not sitting by the phone,
using a box of Kleenex an hour or staring at old tapes.
Jason Redman and Ryan Blake
may have left Nitro for different 1996
uniforms. The Wildcats, however, are still playing their song.
"They might not have
Redman," Winfield Coach Jack Erwin said. "But I
don't know if that's good or bad. They don't have (Redman's) breakaway
speed, but they are good possession receivers."
Led by wideout
Chris Martin and back Zack Collins, eight different
Wildcats caught a combined 31 passes for 457 yards and four scores as
Nitro won its first game under Coach Robert "Little" Burdette, 52-6
over visiting Winfield.
An opening-night crowd of
about 1,800 at Underwood Field - where
visiting fans sat on temporary bleachers in front of the condemned
main seats - watched sophomore quarterback J.R. House complete
25-of-35 throws for 409 yards and four scores. He was intercepted once
before retiring with more than 17 minutes left and the score 45-0.
"Our offense is a lot
better than last year," said Burdette, who was
doused by his players after the game.
"I think the
difference this year is the other kids (in addition to
House) know it now," Nitro offensive coach Scott Tinsley said.
"Accuracy,
competence," said Erwin when asked what was improved about
that offense. "To me, they've taken the offense beyond where most high
school passing offenses go. They do it right."
The 16-year-old House is
improved, if for no other reason than he has
grown in a year about three inches and 25 pounds to 6-foot-1 and 194.
He hit his first seven
attempts on the warm evening for 114 yards.
Two of his touchdown
passes, covering a combined 104 yards, were
gathered by Martin. A 5-8 sophomore, Martin finished
with eight
catches for 193 yards.
His spin after catching a
short pass created the 42-yard touchdown
that opened scoring. In the second half, Martin caught a House bomb in
stride on the right side for a 62-yarder.
"It gives me more of a
chance," he said of the departures. "It's
easier (this year). The coaches explain stuff better. We're getting
the ball to more people. Last year with Redman, people were keying on
him."
Not that Martin was a 1995
afterthought. He caught 37 passes,
including three touchdowns.
Two other wideouts, junior Issac Eastwood
and senior Robbie Sigman,
combined for seven catches for 90 yards and a score.
Collins, a sophomore,
actually won the receiving race with nine
catches for 118 yards and a touchdown. He broke tackles on both his
touchdowns, a 23-yard run and a 45-yard chug with a shuttle pass.
In all, Nitro, which used a
no-huddle, shotgun formation once from
Winfield's 1, gained 569 yards.
Nitro's defense, weak last
season, limited Winfield to four first
downs and 112 yards. The Generals, winless since 1994, did not cross
the Wildcats' 40 until the score was 45-0.
Whether Nitro can score
seemingly at will against future opponents,
such as next week's foe Hurricane, is debatable. But
the Wildcats have
one edge.
"It's the same as when
a team faces a wishbone once a year," Tinsley
said. "Putting a whole new defense together in a week is hard to do."
Tinsley, by the way, will
not be available for Labor Day picnics. He
is coaching a JV game Monday morning, will work at varsity practice in
the afternoon and then help coach the Charleston Rockets at night
against
As if there was not enough
offense floating about in Nitro, the
Wildcats possess a kicking prodigy.
Sophomore Barry Dickerson,
a starting fullback on the soccer team,
made all seven extra points, easily kicked a 42-yard field goal and
booted three touchbacks.
"I like to think we've
got as good a kicker as anyone has," Burdette
said.
Chances are if he plays at
Nitro, he can catch, too.