WILY CAPITAL DEFENSE, HOUSE INTRIGUING

Publication: THE SUNDAY GAZETTE-MAIL
Published: 11/17/1996
Page: P1D
Headline: WILY CAPITAL DEFENSE, HOUSE INTRIGUING
Byline: MITCH VINGLE

Saturday's high school playoff game between Nitro and Capital was like
an old Roadrunner cartoon.

You knew what was going to happen.

There was Capital. (Speedipus-Rex)

And there was the playoff-starved Nitro. (Famishus-Famishus)

You knew the front of the truck was coming. You knew Wile E. Coyote
would smack into the facade of the tunnel.

Apparently even the players knew.

"We were just playing on pride and trying to earn some respect,'
admitted Nitro quarterback J.R. House. "We knew it was going to be
kind of a lopsided game.'

And it was. 56-20. The ol' flipped cannon to the mug.

The intriguing part was watching how House would handle Capital. And
how Capital would handle House.

Answer: They both fared well.

House finished by completing 37-of-an-astounding-61 passes for 376
yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions. Two interceptions were
meaningful, one being House's fault and the other caused when the
receiver ran the wrong route.

The sophomore phenom and his receivers simply had no help. Especially
defensively. Nitro's defense is the high school equivalent of West
Virginia University's offense. Only worse. The Wildcats didn't earn a
stop on Capital's offense until 10:28 of the fourth quarter.

Capital coach Roger Jefferson only needed to use about five plays. And
with the likes of Ken Brooks, Willie Hampton, Ricky Sherrod and Clyde
Tyler handling the ball, that's all the coach needed. (Quick sketch:
The Cougars had 5-foot-10, 297-pound Larry Moore at nose guard, while
the Wildcats had 5-7, 187-pound freshman Justin Strader in the same
slot. Strader, who will become a fine player, had to go against
Capital center Matt Harlan, a converted tackle, at 6-1, 249 - a
difference of 62 pounds.)

In other words, a crushing boulder.

More interesting was how Jefferson and the Cougars dealt with House.

First, the coach, known for his zone, jammed Nitro's receivers at the
line. After a few House bullets, though, the coach backed off.

"They started out in man-to-man, we burned them a few times and then
they went into the three-deep zone,' said House. "That's where I feel
they're a better defensive team. They do a great job with that
three-deep zone.'

Jefferson said he made the move to relieve his free safety of
one-on-one responsibilities.

Whatever the case, the coach's real surprise was shifting linebacker
Willie Hampton to the defensive line.

"He started as a sophomore at defensive line and last year we moved
him to linebacker,' said Jefferson. "He's worked some with our scout
team along the line.

"We just felt we had to give more pressure than we had been giving. I
think it paid off.'

Big time. Although House throws some 12 yards behind the line of
scrimmage, Hampton's pressure was impossible to ignore. Bundle Hampton
with Moore and you have a real problem.

Danger. Bridge out.

Nitro tried everything. Sixty-one passes. Onside kicks. Everything but
Acme birdseed and female roadrunner costumes.

Capital just would not be stopped. In sum, because the Cougars are a
terrific high school football team.

Hampton, Brooks, Tyler, Sherrod, Moore, David Kinney, Harlan, Adam
Withrow, etc.

Simply dynamite.