supercentex
09-08-2005, 03:24 PM
Colerain Faces Big Road Trip As Well
Looking at Robert E. Lee and Cincinnati Colerain, take a guess on which teams will be more affected by the travel to Columbus, Ohio?
Sounds like an easy answer, judging by Lee having to travel more than 1,000 miles to Ohio. But Cardinals head coach Kerry Coombs said this week's 101-mile drive from Colerain to Columbus would mark one of the longest trips for Colerain in years.
"We are not used to playing a game more than 30 minutes from our high school," Coombs said. "We are not even going to do a walk-through at Crew Stadium. I think for us, the awe of this thing would be overwhelming.
"I am afraid the more we get caught up in all of this extra stuff, the less effective we'd be on the field. We are going to go to school on Friday, and then get on a bus and go up there."
In comparison, Lee's 2½-hour flight from Dallas to Columbus will take a shorter amount of time than it took for the Red Raiders to travel to Waco last weekend.
The Red Raiders (2-0) and Cardinals, both defending 2004 state champs, will meet Friday in the signature game of the Kirk Herbstreit vs. USA Challenge at 8 p.m. CST at Crew Stadium in Columbus.
Colerain (1-1) is fresh from pasting Highlands (Ky.) 45-14 last weekend in the Fox 19 Prep Classic at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.
Highlands, the defending Kentucky AAA champion, was 2-0 going into the game, winning by a combined 70-0 score. Colerain changed those statistics in a hurry, rushing for 393 yards and scoring five rushing touchdowns.
This after Colerain lost 7-0 to St. Xavier - currently ranked No. 1 in the Ohio Coaches Poll - in its opener. The Cardinals were ranked No. 13 by USA Today in the Super 25 Preseason rankings and are currently No. 4 in Ohio.
"I think we bounced back real well last week," Coombs said of the Highlands win. "We tried to take the game to them a little better (than against St. Xavier). We played Colerain football."
Colerain quarterback Gary Pride rushed 13 times for 128 yards and two scores while running back Terrence Sherrer racked up 105 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. Pride was playing in just his second game under center for the Cardinals after transferring from Cincinnati Roger Bacon High School. Pride struggled in Colerain's loss to St. Xavier, but impressed Coombs last week.
"I think he's a real good football player, but he was in a tough spot (in our first game)," Coombs said. "I was pleased with how he hung in there (against Highlands) and showed some real character."
Colerain's defense now faces Lee's Jason Williams, who has already broken the school's single-game rushing record, and sits with 388 yards through two games. Coombs said the Cardinals know they can't stop Williams, but hope to slow him down.
"In the 14 years I've been here, we've not had a kid like that on our schedule," Coombs said.
Coombs said Colerain also faces a test against Lee's passing game and offensive front.
"Offensively, they are the best team we've seen this year," Coombs said. "They have the combination to run it down your throat and also pass it over your head.
"Their quarterback is not only a good passer, but he can run the ball. But what I think makes them go is their offensive line, they are as good as any I've ever seen. I don't know who coaches their offensive line, but he's a heck of a coach."
Coombs also is impressed with Lee's defense.
"They are really fast and really physical," Coombs said. "They just seem like they have eight guys around the ball all the time."
Notes: The game can be heard live on KTBB 600-AM. Out-of-state audiences will also be able to watch the game on ESPNU on DirecTV. Tickets for the game will be $20 at the gate. Due to the Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Shreveport, La., the scheduled bus trip for fans to watch the Lee-Colerain game on Friday has been canceled.
Looking at Robert E. Lee and Cincinnati Colerain, take a guess on which teams will be more affected by the travel to Columbus, Ohio?
Sounds like an easy answer, judging by Lee having to travel more than 1,000 miles to Ohio. But Cardinals head coach Kerry Coombs said this week's 101-mile drive from Colerain to Columbus would mark one of the longest trips for Colerain in years.
"We are not used to playing a game more than 30 minutes from our high school," Coombs said. "We are not even going to do a walk-through at Crew Stadium. I think for us, the awe of this thing would be overwhelming.
"I am afraid the more we get caught up in all of this extra stuff, the less effective we'd be on the field. We are going to go to school on Friday, and then get on a bus and go up there."
In comparison, Lee's 2½-hour flight from Dallas to Columbus will take a shorter amount of time than it took for the Red Raiders to travel to Waco last weekend.
The Red Raiders (2-0) and Cardinals, both defending 2004 state champs, will meet Friday in the signature game of the Kirk Herbstreit vs. USA Challenge at 8 p.m. CST at Crew Stadium in Columbus.
Colerain (1-1) is fresh from pasting Highlands (Ky.) 45-14 last weekend in the Fox 19 Prep Classic at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.
Highlands, the defending Kentucky AAA champion, was 2-0 going into the game, winning by a combined 70-0 score. Colerain changed those statistics in a hurry, rushing for 393 yards and scoring five rushing touchdowns.
This after Colerain lost 7-0 to St. Xavier - currently ranked No. 1 in the Ohio Coaches Poll - in its opener. The Cardinals were ranked No. 13 by USA Today in the Super 25 Preseason rankings and are currently No. 4 in Ohio.
"I think we bounced back real well last week," Coombs said of the Highlands win. "We tried to take the game to them a little better (than against St. Xavier). We played Colerain football."
Colerain quarterback Gary Pride rushed 13 times for 128 yards and two scores while running back Terrence Sherrer racked up 105 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. Pride was playing in just his second game under center for the Cardinals after transferring from Cincinnati Roger Bacon High School. Pride struggled in Colerain's loss to St. Xavier, but impressed Coombs last week.
"I think he's a real good football player, but he was in a tough spot (in our first game)," Coombs said. "I was pleased with how he hung in there (against Highlands) and showed some real character."
Colerain's defense now faces Lee's Jason Williams, who has already broken the school's single-game rushing record, and sits with 388 yards through two games. Coombs said the Cardinals know they can't stop Williams, but hope to slow him down.
"In the 14 years I've been here, we've not had a kid like that on our schedule," Coombs said.
Coombs said Colerain also faces a test against Lee's passing game and offensive front.
"Offensively, they are the best team we've seen this year," Coombs said. "They have the combination to run it down your throat and also pass it over your head.
"Their quarterback is not only a good passer, but he can run the ball. But what I think makes them go is their offensive line, they are as good as any I've ever seen. I don't know who coaches their offensive line, but he's a heck of a coach."
Coombs also is impressed with Lee's defense.
"They are really fast and really physical," Coombs said. "They just seem like they have eight guys around the ball all the time."
Notes: The game can be heard live on KTBB 600-AM. Out-of-state audiences will also be able to watch the game on ESPNU on DirecTV. Tickets for the game will be $20 at the gate. Due to the Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Shreveport, La., the scheduled bus trip for fans to watch the Lee-Colerain game on Friday has been canceled.