Best Battle Lies Within The Trenches
STEPHENS CITY, VA - The coaches, the quarterbacks, the receivers, they all are great match-ups and storylines in the regional title game featuring Sherando and Park View. However, the best battle will take place in the trenches with the Park View's Thomas Mulabah and Sherando's Joey Christine.
Both players are All Gameday, All State, and flat out nasty. Ask any player or coach preparing for this game about Mulabah and Christine, and their facial expression changes when they try to describe what type of players they are.
Mulabah is once again one of the state's best defensive linemen with 12.5 sacks and 38 tackles for a loss in the 11 games Park View has played this season. His 46 tackles for a loss were a state best last season, and he is on pace to match it again.
In Friday's game against the Warriors, Park View will most likely move Mulabah around to give the Patriots the best chance to stop the vaunted Warrior running game. The one spot every knowledgeable football fan wants to see Mulabah line up in is right over Sherando's Joey Christine.
Christine was arguably the state's most dominating offensive guard last season, and according to his head coach, his play has only gotten better this year.
"It's amazing when you watch Joey on the film because he is constantly pancaking his guy over and over," said Hall.
If Park View is going to have success stopping the Sherando running game that features Markeith Brisco (20TD's) and David Hoopengarner (7TD's), Mulabah will need to reck havoc, which he often does on Friday nights.
The best compliment an opposing coach can give a player is the one Hall gave Mulabah this week on his weekly radio show on the Gameday Radio Network.
"He is definitely a guy that stands out on the film," Hall said. "He is really quick getting off the ball, and obviously his size is a big factor. It will be interesting to see what they do with him. Wherever they put him, we have to pay special attention to where you have a single blocker on him. If he is matched up on Joey, it will be a heck of a battle."
Seldom do you have a game that features two of the best opposing lineman in the state of Virginia. Both Mulabah and Christine play a major role in their team's success on both sides of the ball. While Mulabah is a dominant defensive lineman, in recent weeks he has started to carry the football more on the offensive side of the ball. Christine also plays both ways and he is the anchor of the Sherando defensive line.
While most people watch the skill position players each play, there will be some, including me, that watch this battle on more than one occasion in this game.
Coaches often say that the team that is most physical in the trenches is the team that will win the game. With Mulabah and Christine on opposite sides, the battle for physicality supremacy could be dead even by the night's end, which brings up the most important point.
With both coaches focusing on neutralizing the impact Mulabah and Christine have in disrupting their respective game plans, the really interesting bi-factor of this match-up is the players around these two talented studs.
Both players will garner plenty of attention, which will open up opportunities for guys like Park View's Garrett Smith, and Sherando's Nick Merchant to have big games. Smith plays opposite of Mulabah and is no slouch himself as a defensive end. Should Mulabah get double teamed, Smith could prove pivotal for the Patriot's defense against the run and pass.
Merchant is the lead fullback for the Warriors and his job will be just as important on Friday night. He will be asked to take care of the Park View linebackers on most running plays featuring Brisco and Hoopengarner.
The Mulabah and Christine battle will surely open the door for others to step up, and that is something Hill has been stressing to his team this week in practice.
"We can talk about the big match-ups in this game, but the focus for us is we have to have everyone making plays. Our backups have to be ready to step in and make plays as well," Hill said.
Who will win this battle you ask? My answer to that question is outlined below.
Thomas Mulabah's Strengths:
Great Speed and Quickness off the ball.....His ability to beat his man starts with his first move, and then his upper body strength. His speed is special for a guy his size and he will cause problems for Sherando's shotgun passing attack if Metheny holds the ball too long.
Joey Christine's Strengths:
Christine stands 6'2 and weighs around 280 pounds, but his technique coupled with his strength is what makes him a dominating player. On top of those attributes, Christine has a mean streak that should make every college coach pay attention. When he locks on to a defender, he doesn't just block you, he tries to destroy you. This is what makes him special.
Mulabah vs Christine:
Mulabah will win this battle in a pass rushing scenario because he has better quickness and speed. However, in a power running scenario, Christine has the advantage because of his strength and ability to use his leverage to run his guy out of the play. If these two guys go at it 50 times in this game, they might both win 25 of them.
