MT. ULLA — Five days later, they’re still talking about it.Then again, Myrick Parker could still be
picking mud out of his nose, mouth and eyes five days after being buried by Jason Fink.
By his own admission, Fink
doesn’t make many big plays. But the West Rowan defensive end made a huge one in
Friday’s 38-0 defeat of Piedmont. That’s when the senior exploded into the
backfield and blindsided the Panther QB, sending the ball flying some 20 yards toward the
sideline.
Parker was less fortunate. He went
straight down into the quagmire that was Piedmont’s field, propelled by all 6-foot-2,
250 pounds of Fink. Eventually he got up. There were doubts.
“When he hit that quarterback
at Piedmont it was unreal. I’d never seen anything like it,” Falcons QB Jared
Barnette said. “I didn’t know if he’d get up from that or not. Jason looked
like he just planted him in the ground.”
It was no more than any
self-respecting lineman would do, given the chance.
“That was real fun, one of
those hits the quarterback didn’t even know I was coming,” Fink said.
“It’s a defensive lineman’s dream. It’s a great feeling unloading on a
quarterback.”
Fink savored the moment because he
won’t record that many sacks in a season. The big defender generally mans his end
position and stops the running backs in the tough South Piedmont Conference.
While he doesn’t get to the
quarterback all the time, Fink clearly can be seen climbing off nearly every pile of
tacklers.
“He doesn’t make a lot
of flashy plays, but he never makes a mistake to hurt our defense,” West head coach
Scott Young said. “The reason he’s so consistent is because he does what we ask
him to do. Because of that you don’t see him in the backfield as much as other guys.
How you ask him to play defense is exactly what he’ll give you.”
To this point in the season,
Fink’s job has been to anchor a West Rowan defense that helped the team to its 6-3
overall record and 3-3 mark in the SPC. The Falcons recorded three shutouts in those first
nine contests and surrendered an average of 111
If West can win its final two
games against Sun Valley and Central Cabarrus — also Senior Night for players like
Fink — the playoffs are within reach.
“Last year it was like a
job,” Fink said. “Friday nights this year are on a different level from last.
When you’re winning you have a lot of fun, and football is a fun game.”
Fun for some, perhaps. Not those
who Fink hits.
“He’s been a pleasure to
work with. You don’t have to tell him to play physical. He knows how to do
that,” said defensive coach Ralph Ellis, in his 19th season with the Falcons.
“He’s one of the best defensive linemen we’ve had since I’ve been
here.”
It doesn’t take long for Fink
to stamp a “return to sender” on praise like that
“I just do what the coaches
tell me to do in practice,” Fink said. “They’ve been in football for longer
than I have and whatever they tell me, I do.”
But that’s not the whole
story. Fink jumped head first into Young’s weightlifting program when the second-year
coach arrived in 1998. A smaller Fink played linebacker on the junior varsity squad in his
freshman and sophomore seasons, then started at the position three games on the varsity.
By that time, though, his strength necessitated the move to defensive lineman.
Fink’s massive size also
hides deceptive speed. When he’s not in the weight room benching 340 pounds,
he’s running sprints with West Rowan’s tailbacks and fullbacks — and
keeping up with a 4.8 second time in the 40-yard dash.
“He’s probably the
biggest part of our defense. He influences everybody,” Barnette said. “It’s
always good to know you have a Jason Fink on your side.”
As the season winds to a close,
Fink’s days in a Falcon uniform are numbered. He hopes to continue playing in college
and has received interest from schools like Elon, Appalachian State and East Carolina. He
said he especially liked what he saw on a visit to see the Fighting Christians, but Young
knows Fink will fit in wherever he goes.
“His athleticism, size and
strength are going to get him to the next level,” Young said. “What will make
him successful at the next level is that he’s so coachable.”
The hard hits might come in handy,
too.
“I’m especially glad
about them not being able to hit us in practice,” Barnette said with a laugh as he
thought back to his Piedmont counterpart. “I’d be sore every day.” |
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