Coleman, Johnson Steal the Show for Seneca
GERMANTOWN, MD - Not often in the summer do you get to see a showcase of some of the finest football players in Montgomery County. The Seneca Valley Eagles faced off in a Passing League game against rival Northwest.
Surprise surprise, the bitter rivals were actually willingly on the same sidelines as each other, an oddity for even the most neutral of teams.
The game itself, which at this stage in the off-season is not as important as the players themselves, ended in a 7-6 victory for the Eagles. The outcome was almost completely hinged on the two interceptions by soon-to-be juniors Kendall Johnson and Kyle Coleman, both coming at critical times.
The game started off very monotonous. Quarterbacks Jarrhett Butler for Northwest and Max Nicholson for Seneca frequently settled for short passes on the edges.
Butler and Nicholson both attempted to gun deep passes here and there, though both teams' secondary stifled the aerial onslaught, throwing off either team from gaining any significant momentum.
After Seneca QB Nicholson threw a pass behind his intended target at the Northwest goal line, the Jags picked off the errant pass after it was tipped in the air.
Taking advantage of the momentum swing, soon-to-be senior Butler was the first of the two QB's to connect on deep passes hitting WR Tyler Gasaway on a slant route for about 25 yards. Soon-to-be senior Gasaway had an excellent game showing off his agility and soft hands, catching the majority of the long passes for the Jags.
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This prompted a solid Northwest drive midway through the first half. The Black and silver though stalled at the 1 yard line, in large part due to Seneca CB Kwame Rodgers tight coverage.
The Jags then turned the ball over on downs. Keep in mind, in passing league there is no running the ball. Getting the ball at the opponent's goal line is no guarantee.
The Eagles once again reached the Northwest goal line after an impressive,strategic, and patient drive led by QB Nicholson and shifty WR Tevin Bright. Bright had 3 catches on this drive alone, all for significant gains.
Bright, although small, has exceptionally soft hands who uses his stature to his advantage- the perfect option at slot WR. Seneca WR Demetri Parker also added a couple of key catches on the drive.
The drive though remarkable, stalled once again after a dropped potential TD catch and a good stand by the Northwest defense. The drive was an example of the fatal inconsistency shown by both teams early on.
Seneca CB Kwame Rodgers held down the fort to close the second half after Butler of Northwest connected on a couple of key passes as the second half winded down. Rodgers could be a key element of the Eagles defense this fall, showing signs of a shut down corner that could surface into something spectacular.
The game remained 0-0 at halftime, a peculiarity in a league where passing is mandatory.
The halftime hero from the Jags was Tyler Gasaway, who made his mark every time his number was called. He was involved in the majority of the Northwest big plays, as the Seneca secondary had a hard time containing his speed.
For the Eagles, the halftime hero was a split between CB Kwame Rodgers and WR Tevin Bright, both of whom fueled Seneca and kept them in the game every time the Jags picked up momentum. Seneca really never gained much of a stride in the first half.
The Jags entered the second half with the same pace they ended with in the first hand, and this time Butler was able to seal the deal. He connected on a 10 yard pass to WR Tyler Dement to put the Jags up 6-0.
The PAT conversion failed. In passing league games, you must go for it, as there is no field goal kicker involved in this junction.
Butler, who is not particularly big, makes up for the disadvantage with his quickness, and his playmaking ability. He also plays very passionately, displaying his dissatisfaction as well as his desire throughout the contest, a quality that is a requirement as a quarterback. He draws comparisons to Pat White with the way he plays.
The Eagles offense continued to dig holes for themselves, even resorting to punting the ball at one point. Luckily the Eagles defense played stellar, keeping them in the game. Coach Kim from Seneca was hoping and banking on one of his players to step up, only to get it from one of the most unlikely sources.
Soon-to-be Junior Linebacker Kyle Coleman snatched a tipped ball after Butler threw a pass behind his intended target, just as Nicholson did earlier in the game, and suffered the same effect as Coleman took the ball at the 40 yard line and took it all the way to the opposing team's five yard line. Coleman's heroics sparked a Seneca team that was on the verge of self-destruction.
This is particularly remarkable because Linebackers are a very stagnant part of the passing league game; they often are not needed much as quarterbacks typically look much farther down the field than what the linebackers cover.
If the linebackers do get action, it is usually up close, short routes in which they are only required to two hand touch players running right in front or by them.
The same deal goes for running backs who are often not utilized, even when there is star caliber at the position. Both teams sported two potentially game-breaking backs who were not used really at all during the game.
The Jags have last year's Good Council transfer Hassan Dixon who runs a 4.44 forty time, a deadly weapon to his arsenal of athleticism.
The Eagles on the contrary have a big bruising Fullback/Halfback in Bernard Woolley, who is over 200 pounds combined with raw speed and athleticism; thunder and lightning all in one package.
After Coleman's bold play, the Eagles thrived off the swing, converting on a short TD pass from Nicholson to WR Demetri Parker, tying the game 6-6. The Decisive PAT came accordingly after Nicholson made a quick read to Parker to go up 7-6.
Nicholson looked poised, unworried during the course of the game, not letting the turbulence of the offense get to him. When the opportunity to strike came about, the soon-to-be junior QB capitalized.
Northwest's Butler would not go silent though, leading a quick strike with a series of passes over the middle of the Seneca defense to march down to the goal line with only a few minutes remaining. Once again, Seneca would need a miracle to stay in the game, especially now with the clock working against them.
Linebacker Kendall Johnson (who will probably play defensive line and fullback in the fall season) intercepted a touchdown bound pass in the corner of the end zone and ran it out to about the 40 yard line to cement the game.
Johnson, who displays the same brand of skill of teammate Bernard Woolley, will be factored into the Seneca rotation much more than he was last year, where he made contributions as only a sophomore on the regional champion team.
The Eagles closed the game, defeating rival Northwest with a final score of 7-6. Though the Eagles were seemingly outplayed, Johnson and Coleman were able to capture the game making the big play when the time struck.
Both teams showed off some great talents, though the team candor and cooperation of both still need time to develop. The teams are taking advantage of a grand opportunity to get better as are the players, who are also trying to utilize making their presence felt. Stealing the show is certainly a helpful qualification.
