The Bulldog Football Report

Volume 2, Issue 2
September 29, 2016

In this week’s edition of The Bulldog Football Report, we will:

Break down the Fayetteville Christian game with Coach Stephen Cochran.
Look ahead to this week’s game against Harrells.
Take a look at how other Big East Conference teams fared last week and preview this week’s games

Fayetteville Christian Game Review

WCA traveled to Fayetteville Christian this past Friday to renew their rivalry with the Warriors. Fayetteville Christian came into the game at 2-3 on the season and looked to avenge a loss at WCA last year. The Bulldogs entered the game at 4-0 looking to extend their perfect start to the 2016 season.

The Bulldogs opened the scoring on a Jermaine Callum 1 yard TD run. Matthew Buffaloe added the PAT and this would be the only scoring the game would see in the first quarter.

The Warriors, determined to make a game of it, were on the board early in the second quarter through a Matt Willis 36 yard FG to make the score 7-3. The Bulldogs responded with a series of plays that would effectively put the game out of reach before the half. First Nathaniel Williams hit Paul Gore with a 34 yard TD pass, followed by a Matthew Buffaloe PAT to put the score at 14-3 Bulldogs.

After the Williams-Gore TD, WCA special teams jumped on an onside kick to give the ball back to the offense. WCA then had a shaky moment with a fumble in the end zone, which was fortunately recovered by Trevin Muse. Another Matthew Buffaloe PAT extended the WCA lead to 21-3, but the Bulldogs weren’t finished. Connor Collins ran one in which, combined with the Matthew Buffaloe PAT, gave the Bulldogs a 28-3 lead. Collins was in on the scoring again as he hauled in a Nathaniel Williams TD pass, the extra point making the score 35-3 Bulldogs at the half.

The Bulldogs continued their assault on the Warriors in the second half. Jermaine Callum added a second TD run to his tally, this time from 13 yards out. The extra point was not converted, making the score 41-3 WCA. Later in the third quarter Jonathan Perry scored on a rushing touchdown. Matthew Buffaloe added the PAT and the Bulldogs enjoyed a 48-3 advantage.

Both teams would score before the final whistle, Fayetteville Christian on a 1 yard run TD, with a failed PAT and the Bulldogs Trevin Muse on a 49 yard TD run from the QB position. One more Matthew Buffaloe PAT and, as time expired, the scoreboard read WCA 55 Fayetteville Christian 9.

With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 5-0. The loss drops Fayetteville Christian to 2-4, as they face Kestrel Heights on the road in their next game.

Quick Notes from the Fayetteville Christian Game

WCA produced 425 yards total offense…Nathaniel Williams had an efficient game, 13-17 for 233 and 2 TDs against 1 INT…Trevin Muse led the WCA receiver corps with 88 yards…Paul Gore added 34 and Connor Collins added 30…Both Gore and Collins had a TD reception…Jermaine Callum led the Bulldog rushing attack with 76 yards and 2 TDs…Trevin Muse picked up 49 yards and a TD…Greyson Williams had 35 yards…Connor Collins and Jonathan Perry each had a rushing TD…The Bulldogs defense did a solid job against a Fayetteville Christian team that protected the ball well, despite the final score.

The Post-Game with Coach Cochran

TBFR: What are some things we did against Fayetteville Christian we should continue to build upon as we start conference play?
CC: I loved how physical we were and we need to keep it up. Pads were popping and physicality is something we continue to improve upon.

TBFR: Where are some areas we can improve as we head into the Harrells game?
CC: We did a good job reading the game, but we didn’t trust our team mates to do their jobs, so there were some lapses in following assignments throughout the game. We must eliminate that.

TBFR: What can we expect from Harrells on offense? Anyone who has been following WCA football for a number of years knows to expect a very efficient Harrells offense.
CC: They execute their offense better than anyone I have ever seen. Their quarterback, Gray Fussell (#3), does a great job controlling their pace of play. Their offense runs through fullback Derek Bryant (#1) and halfback Tyshii Scarborough (#2). It is going to be imperative to slow them down and contain them as much as possible. We will also need to keep an eye on wing back Shaquor Newkirk (#8) and wide receiver Jalen Washington (#5). All of this happens behind a very aggressive offensive line that is very physical. We will need to match that physicality if we want to be successful.

TBFR: And on defense?
CC: They run a 40 base and jump into a 3-3 stack. Two players we will have to battle all night are their defensive tackles Robert Malpass (#93) and Wilson Escalante (#70). Both these young men are fast and physical. I mentioned Shaquor Newkirk when we discussed the offense. We will see him on defense, as he plays both ways, at defensive tackle. He is a special talent. Speaking of which, I think we will probably see Tyshii Scarborough on corner. He is another fantastic athlete.

TBFR: Do you do anything the week before a rivalry game such as this in terms of preparation?
CC: We go through the same practice schedule. Obviously we run through things differently based on the offense we will face that week, but from a preparation standpoint we don’t really alter our practice plan that much. It should be a great high school football game Friday night.

Looking Ahead

Coach Mike Brill’s team enters the game at 3-3, coming off a 52-12 home win against Pine Lake Prep. The Bulldogs come in at 5-0 on the 2016 campaign. This is the conference opener for both teams.

If you’re going…

Kickoff is at 7:30PM at Bulldog Field.

Big East Conference Scores – September 23, 2016

WCA 55 Fayetteville Christian 9
Harrells 52 Pine Lake Prep 12
NRCA 46 North East Carolina Prep 8
Ravenscroft 21 Charlotte Country Day 20

Big East Conference Games – September 30, 2016

Harrells at WCA
NRCA at Metrolina Christian
Ravenscroft at Granville Central