Williamsburg hopes passing game is developing with sophomore Caden Morris at quarterback
Morris passes for 245 yards and 2 TDs in 42-8 victory over Orangeburg Prep
Kingstree – The Williamsburg Academy football team improved to 4-1 on the season and 2-0 in SCISA Region 2-AA with a 42-8 road victory over Orangeburg Prep on October 2. However, a curveball that the Indians threw WA’s way may prove to be just as valuable in shaping its season.
“Orangeburg Prep surprised us when they really focused on stopping the run,” said Stallions head coach Will Furse. “They forced us to throw the football. We won a game where we threw for more yards than we ran for. That’s not a common thing for us.
Sophomore quarterback Caden Morris completed 9 of 14 passes for 245 yards (compared to 156 rushing yards) and two touchdowns. Morris entered the game having thrown the football only 35 times, completing 22 of them for seven touchdowns and 407 yards.
Furse is pleased with the progress of Morris, who started at wide receiver on last season’s Class A state championship team.
“He gets better every day,” Furse said. “What I tell him is, ‘As long as we're better tomorrow than we were today, we’ll be fine.’ There are still things to work on, but he's really performed well. I look forward to watching him improve.”
Furse is hoping this game will provide an added dimension to what Williamsburg does offensively and how the opposition has to approach defending it.
“I think it makes us very difficult to defend,” Furse said of the Stallions, who are ranked fifth in the most recent High School Sports Report AA poll. “If we can do that, then there’s no down where you’ll know it’s going to be 100 percent run, and there’s no down where you know it’s going to be 100 percent pass. It will allow us to find more balance.”
Entering the Orangeburg Prep game, senior tight end Charlie Caulder was far and away Morris’ top target – and a big play target at that. Caulder had a 26.7 yards-per-catch average with 11 receptions for 294 yards and four touchdowns.
Junior Jordan Green was the only other player with more than two catches with four for 41 yards. Junior Ethan Morris, senior Al Casselman and senior Michael Ard accounted for Morris’ other three touchdown tosses.
Senior running back Grant Small, who rushed for over 2,000 yards last season, has been hampered by an injury that caused him to miss one game. However, in the four that he played, Small was averaging 120 a contest with 480 yards and six scores on 59 carries.
Senor Eli Brown had 238 yards and four touchdowns on 34 carries.
The Stallions’ defense has allowed just 62 points thus far with 26 of those coming in a 4-point loss to defending AAA state runner-up Wilson Hall. Furse has no issues with Williamsburg’s defensive performance.
“Our defense is playing fantastic,” Furse said. “It has allowed zero touchdowns the last two weeks (shutting out Lee Academy 38-0 and giving up a kickoff return for a touchdown against Orangeburg Prep). That’s eight quarters in a row without anyone getting in the end zone. It’s hard to lose if you don't allow the other team to score.
“They’ve done a really good job all season. They're playing better each week. They’re fast and physical. They’re a hungry defense and hopefully they’ll stay that way.”
Tackles are spread out across the roster with Ard leading the way through four games with 3- from his niddle linebacker slot. Junior Wyatt Williams had 23 stops followed by junior free safety Lane Patrick with 16.
The Stallions had 22 tackles for a loss. Junior cornerback Gamble Wilson led in this category with four. Ard followed with 3 ½ TFLs, and senior defensive end Marlin Morris had 2 ½.
Williamsburg had only one quarterback sack as a team, that being shared by Ard and Marlin Morris. However, it did have 19 quarterback hurries, five of them coming from Marlin Morris. Sophomore defensive end Gavin Matthews, defensive lineman Christopher Cherinko, sophomore defensive end Jack McGill, senior defensive end Sammy Tomlinson, Williams and junior outside linebacker Brycen Wheeler had two apiece.
The Stallions had seven interceptions with Patrick and senior cornerback Hall Dukes having two apiece. Caulder, junior safety Weston McKenzie and Wheeler had the other ones.
Furse credited defensive coordinator Chris Rowland along with assistants John Floyd, Britton Morris and Sam Plowden for the unit’s performance.
Caulder and Green are having big seasons on the return teams. Caulder is averaging 29.2 yards per return on six kickoff returns while Green had four punt returns for an even 100 yards.
