Cougars turn to ex-JV standouts

Last year's JV standouts carrying Courtland

Date published: 10/20/2006

By ADAM HIMMELSBACH

On a cold and rainy night last November, Courtland's JV football team capped an unbeaten season with a district championship.

Jay Madison remembers returning to the locker room and shivering from head to toe. He remembers gathering his equipment, thinking he had suited up for the final time that season.

Then the Cougars' coaches called Madison and a host of other underclassmen into an office.

"They told us the 12-0 JV record didn't mean nothing," Madison said, "because we were moving up to varsity."

Courtland head coach J.C. Hall called up 11 players for the Cougars' regional semifinal against Grafton.

On the first day of practice after the call-up, all 11 were called onto the field and put on defense. On the other side of the ball, the taller, older and stronger first-team varsity offense gritted its teeth.

Hall told his players it was a live scrimmage, meaning all hits and tackles were approved. Some of the JV players looked like they swallowed their mouth guards.

"I just wanted them to realize they weren't on JV anymore," Hall said yesterday, smiling.

And maybe that afternoon was when some of those young Cougars realized what it would take to become a varsity football player.

When the Cougars take on Chancellor tonight, continuing their classic Battlefield District rivalry, many of those 11 call-ups from last season will play important roles.

Courtland starts four sophomores on defense--Madison, cornerback Miles Cowan, safety De'onte Jones and linebacker Raheem Cardwell. Also, linebacker Tajh Pendleton, defensive end Sam Johnson and defensive tackle Justin Green--all sophomores--are in the rotation as reserves.

"I knew they'd have an impact in our future," Hall said. "To be honest, I didn't think it would be this soon."

The greenhorn bunch has helped Courtland establish one of the district's most capable defenses.

The Cougars (5-1) are allowing 14.7 points per game, while their offense is putting up 29.5 points per contest.

Madison, Cowan and Jones have helped anchor a muzzling secondary, as Courtland is giving up an average of just 46.5 passing yards.

Even though 11 underclassmen were called up for the playoffs last season, there were no guarantees that they would make the varsity this year.

Many of the rising sophomores performed well during an offseason passing league. During the summer, a group of them came to the high school and worked out with upperclassmen.

Following are the top five teams in The Free Lance-Star's weekly high school football power poll: 1. Louisa (6-0) 45 2. Stafford (6-1) 28 2. Courtland (5-1) 28 4. Essex (7-0) 16 5. Liberty (5-1) 7 Others receiving votes: Colonial Forge (6), Caroline (3), Brooke Point 2. TONIGHT'S GAMES All games at 7:30 unless noted Albemarle at Stafford, 7 Battlefield at Culpeper Brooke Point at Mountain View Colonial Beach at Chincoteague Courtland at Chancellor Handley at Liberty Hanover at Colonial Forge James Monroe at Spotsylvania King George at Riverbend Monticello at Louisa North Stafford at Massaponax Northumberland at Washington & Lee Orange at Caroline

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Date published: 10/20/2006