Red Riders know what Monarchs will bring
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WEIRTON -- The Weir High Red Riders have waltzed to two lopsided wins, but Tony Filberto's club faces a much more difficult task as they go into Week 3 against John Marshall, a West Virginia AAA team. The opening kickoff will be at 7 p.m. at Jimmy Carey Stadium.
The Red Riders went down to Moundsville last year and pulled out a 15-6 win over the Monarchs, who struggled through a 2-8 campaign. The game was played through rain, mud and two lightning delays.
It appears that things are going to be different for the Monarchs (1-1) in 2017 because Rick Goodrich's youthful, injury-riddled football team of last year returns with a ton of experienced athletes.
That's what concern's Filberto, whose next win will tie him for the second most football victories as a head coach in Weir High history with the legendary Jimmy Carey.
"We have studied films of the two John Marshall games and find we have to prepare for two different teams," the veteran coach said. "In the 34-8 loss to University, a very good Class AAA team, John Marshall opened up in a spread offense, but in the 34-21 win last week over Mountain Ridge, MD, they went back to the power football team we've been used to seeing the past few years."
Filberto said the coaches and players spent extra time watching the films at Monday's practice, and he feels the Monarchs will use the two-back power formation against the Red Riders.
"They have a lot of athletes and 10 of their players on defense have skill player numbers," Filberto said. "This will be the truest test we've had in three weeks."
Opening the season with eight new starters on offense hasn't been a problem for the Red Riders, currently ranked eighth in the West Virginia Metro News Class AA poll. They have romped to easy wins of 52-0 in the opener at Oak Glen and 47-6 last week at home against Anacotsia of Washington D.C.
Goodrich, who has become known in his five seasons at John Marshall for his deliberate style of play, said in the preseason that he and his staff believe they have the weapons at the skill positions to be much more versatile this season.
Senior Dereck Hess (6-0, 185) leads the Monarchs. He started 2016 as the quarterback but was injured, and when he returned was used in a running back role. Junior Jordan Wood, who was thrown into the fire last season when Hess went down, is the quarterback.
Hess will be at wide receiver this year but will play quarterback in the Monarch wildcat package. When that happens, Wood will move to the outside.
Last year's leading rusher (Chas McCool) returns, and Goodrich also has some other offensive weapons in senior Nick Coulter (6-2, 220), sophomore Justin Frohnapfel (6-0, 185) and some others.
Up front, the Monarchs will have some size in sophomore Colby Cubick (6-0, 260), junior Shane Hercules (6-5, 295), a Bishop Donahue transfer, and senior Andrew Simonton (6-1, 255).
While his team has adapted well to the inexperience on offense, Filberto's defense has seven returning starters, and that bunch has yielded just six points in two games.
The defense is ranked fourth in the 11-team Herald-Star/Daily Times coverage area, giving up 297 yards and six points. The offense is third in the area with 863 yards and 99 points.
"I like the harmony we have in our offense now," Filberto said, whose team last year played a power offense lining up and knocking someone down while two big backs plowed for yardage. "Our quarterback Tyler Komorowski is making the right reads, and our backs are making their reads when they get the ball. I like the way we're operating right now."
Filberto uses a trio of backs, none of which are as big as either Cory Enrietti or Domenick Murphy, but Chad Custer, Tyler Mack and Garet Hostuttler all have more speed and quickness.
Custer leads the Rider ground attack with 215 yards on 19 carries with three touchdowns. Mack has gained 133 yards with 13 carries and a score, and Hostuttler has rushed 14 times for 78 yards and two scores. Filberto does have a big back in Komorowski, who has rushed the ball 19 times for 168 yards and three touchdowns.
Komorowski is fifth in the area passing ranks, completing 8-of-17 aerials for 189 yards and three touchdowns. Three of his tosses have been intercepted.
What pleases Filberto perhaps most is the diversification. The Red Riders have had seven different offensive players score touchdowns in the two games.
"Not many coaches can say that let alone do it in just two weeks," Filberto said.
Filbert praises his line coach Tom Taylor, who is a former head coach at Oak Glen and Weir High, for the stellar play of the Red Rider offensive line, which had the only three returning offensive starters in Will Rupert at center and guards, Mason Rice and Zach Martin. Also starting on the line are sophomores, Mike Zias (5-11, 260), who had two fumble recoveries last week, and Matt O'Neill (6-0, 245).
Filberto rotates sophomore Isaiah Glasure to give the linemen breathers because he can play all of the offensive line positions.
"Tom Taylor is as good a line coach as there is in the Ohio Valley," Filberto said.