|
Has anyone really grasped the magnitude of Catawba College’s football season?
Every single time football fans look at the Division IInational poll, whether they live in California or New York, they see the name “Catawba” lodged at No. 3. Everyone knows Catawba must be a very good football team.
They see a big fat zero in the loss column and know that Catawba must be a very good football team.
But what none of the poll watchers in other parts of the country know is what a tough, tough assignment Catawba has today in its final regular season game of 2000.
The Indians are making that hour trip to Lenoir-Rhyne.
So listen up, all you fans from California to New York. David Bennett, the director and producer of the greatest season in school history will be glad to run the credits of this annual Oscar-winning skirmish.
“Alumni from Lenoir-Rhyne tell their kids, ‘Beat Catawba and you’ve made your season.’” Bennett explains. “Alumni from Catawba tell our kids, ‘Beat Lenoir-Rhyne and you’ve made your season.’”
In other words, the Bears’ 4-6 mark and Catawba’s 9-0 record mean absolutely nothing.
This is a bona fide rivalry. A heated one. A game that is talked about and dissected around the water coolers in Salisbury and Hickory.
Think about this for a minute.
Today is the 80th meeting of these two schools, dating back to 1907. Catawba holds a 38-37-4 edge but only because the Indians have not lost since 1994 and have taken eight of 10 in the 1990s.
Last season, Catawba won 24-7, which, ironically, is the exact score the Harmon Report picked Catawba to win by this week.
Senior safety Dyran Peake has never lost to Lenoir-Rhyne in his four seasons.
Know what that means? Absolutely nothing.
“It’s always a tough game,” said the Duncan, S.C. native.
Before moving to Salisbury, Catawba was situated in Newton, just 15 minutes from Lenoir-Rhyne’s campus. That’s incentive. For Lenoir-Rhyne, it will be the last game for their seniors.
One Bear senior with more incentive than anyone is South Rowan’s Chris Kotish, a 5-11, 240-pound defensive end. He is rated as the strongest man on his team.
But can Kotish get past a strong offensive line of Catawba and get to quarterback Mitch Ellis?
n
Better yet, will Ellis even play?
The word out of Catawba is that Ellis is doubtful but could play if needed. The senior quarterback twisted his knee in the third quarter of last week’s 24-13 win at Mars Hill.
“If Mitch plays, it wouldn’t be a surprise and if he doesn’t play, it wouldn’t be a surprise,” said offensive coordinator Jamie Snider. “He’s questionable, that’s the best way to put it.”
If Ellis is on the bench, look for former Ledford star Scott Sensing to be under center. The junior backup hasn’t seen that much action this year but Snider isn’t worried about that. He could easily tailor the offense to fit Sensing’s strengths.
Is Sensing nervous?
“It’s not like he’s a true freshman,” said Snider. “He has been in the program for three years. And he has been great this week.”
If Snider decides to run more, look for Kevin McKenzie to tote that rock. He needs just 71 yards to break the school’s single-season rushing record.
n
On the other side of the ball?
For the second straight week, Catawba will face one of the South Atlantic Conference’s top running backs. Last week, it was Mars Hills’ Terrance Stokes, who finished with 191 yards.
Today, the defense will meet Jameil Surratt, who has run for 1,244 yards in 10 games. Surratt, who is from Forest City, ran for 190 yards on 25 carries and scored twice. He is 20th nationally in rushing and leads the league with 16 touchdowns.
Quarterback Dave Robbins is averaging 122 yards passing.
n
Ronnie Gallagher will be in Hickory to cover Catawba-Lenoir-Rhyne.
|
Ronnie