#3 Salem at #1 Wm. Fleming Preview
Salem quarterback Derrick Hickman is a threat offensively with his passing and running skill. While defensively, he is a speedster at his defensive back slot.
Photo by David Grimes
#3 Salem (3-1) @ #1 William Fleming (4-0)
Kickoff: 7:30 pm, Merrill C. Gainer Field
Expected Weather Conditions at Kickoff: 63 degrees, 70% chance of showers, Winds NE 10-20mph.
Strap those chinstraps on tight tonight as the GameDayNRV game of the week is a top three battle of former district foes as the Salem Spartans travel to Roanoke to face the William Fleming Colonels on what expects to be a soggy night. This game has been the unofficial measuring stick of who has the best football team in the Roanoke Valley for the past few years and this one expects to be no different.
The Spartans come into the contest with a 3-1 record with the only loss being to Virginia's #1 ranked team in Group AA, the Brookville Bees. William Fleming is the top ranked team in the GamedayNRV Power Poll since the season started and is a perfect 4-0 so far this year. Salem and Fleming have a common opponent this year as both teams have defeated Northside, Fleming by a score of 37-7 and Salem beating the Vikings 14-12 last week.
These teams battled for many years as members of the now-defunct Roanoke Valley District back in the 1970s through the 1990s. They were also members of the Blue Ridge District in the late 90's until two years ago when Fleming was bumped back up to the Group AA ranks.
Last year Salem got a scare for a half against the Colonels as Fleming was up 14-7 in the second quarter, before the Spartans basically held the ball for the last two and a half quarters, pulling away for a 27-14 victory in Salem Stadium. Salem had 311 yards rushing and two backs go over 100 yards for the game, while the Colonels managed just 217 yards for the contest with very little of those yards coming in a second half where the Spartans owned time of possession.
Key Matchups:
Salem Offensive Line vs. Fleming Defensive Line
This is the battle Salem must win in order to come out on top in this game where they are considered a slight underdog. "The Mules" as the Salem O-Line is called, dominated the Colonels 5-3 scheme last year as now departed running backs Jonathan Clemo and Harrison Hudson each topped the century mark on the ground. Fleming's linebackers are very experienced with a pair of two year starters flanking new middle linebacker Jesse Johnson, who was a starter on the defensive line last year.
William Fleming Receivers vs. Salem Secondary
Coach Rob Senseney employs a spread-option offense that has become very popular in college and high school recently. The Colonel receivers have caught eight Derek Brown TD passes this year with Shaquan Manning hauling in three scores and AJ Johnson and Brian Taylor each catching a pair of TD passes. Salem's secondary cannot let the Colonels get behind them in the open field as five of those scores have covered 27 yards or longer.
Keys to Victory:
Salem
1. Disciplined D - The Spartans cannot let the Fleming wideouts roam free in the secondary in addition to keeping an eye on the pigskin in the spread option attack ran by Brown.
2. Hickman Comes Up Big - Senior Derrick Hickman is the fifth straight senior signal caller to start for Coach Stephen Magenbauer. He needs a big game tonight as he has two 100 yard rushing games and one passing game over 100 yards. He needs to go over 100 yards both ways tonight.
3. Hold Brown in Check - The senior quarterback for the Colonels has hit many big plays this season, including an 84 yard TD run. The Spartan defense has to make the Colonels go on sustained drives where Salem can force turnovers.
William Fleming:
1. Hit Big Plays - If the Colonels can turn this game into a shootout, they will win. Salem's offense is not as much of a big play threat this year as in years past due to graduation.
2. Play Smart - Make those officials keep the flags in their pockets. Fleming already has two games with 11 and 12 penalties so far in 2008. Those mistakes do not hurt against other teams, but will against the Spartans.
3. "S" Does Not Stand For Superman - Salem has a mystique around the program in being able to make plays when they have to be made. The Colonels should not look at the name on the opposing jersey and play their own game.
Players to Watch:
Salem - Senior Quarterback Derrick Hickman
Hickman a 5'9, 180 pound senior is the Spartans leading rusher on the season with 298 yards. He was bottled up pretty effectively by Northside last week as he just had 18 yards on the ground. He needs to step it up this week and have a 100 yard game on the ground to take some pressure off of junior running back Kirk Coles.
William Fleming - Senior Running Back LaCalvin Hickman
The Colonels have an explosive passing attack, but it all starts with the play of their 5'10 170 pound workhorse in the backfield. Hickman is averaging over 100 yards a game on the ground and has found the end zone six times on the season so far. If he can make the Spartans pay extra attention to him, that will open up the potential big play in the passing game for Brown and his receivers.
Final Analysis:
Weather might play a factor in the game, but that is becoming less likely as the wind and rain are not supposed to blow and fall that hard throughout the game. This game comes down to the trenches. Can Salem dominate time of possession and keep the Colonels offense on the sidelines for most of the game? Can the Fleming line open up holes for Brown and Hickman and give Brown time to find receivers downfield?
Salem probably got caught looking ahead last week against Northside, who Fleming beat by 30 earlier in the season. In the end though, the Colonels simply have too many weapons on offense for Salem to contain. Brown will have a huge game and will hit a couple of big plays in the passing game. Hickman will have another 100 yard game to add to his resume. The Spartans Coles and Hickman will keep this thing close for a bit, but the talent of Fleming and the fact that the Spartans are not in Salem Stadium for this game will be too much for them to overcome.
Final Score - William Fleming 31, Salem 17.
