John Edwards just wants to win.
“John does everything we ask him to do,” said Buckingham coach Craig Gill. “He said ‘coach, I’ll play offensive guard, I just want to play.’ John would play nose guard if we asked him to. It’s been about team since day one.”
That’s why when Buckingham’s offense sputtered out of the gate against Appomattox with Edwards at quarterback and the Knights started exploring a change by putting Leon Ragland behind center, Edwards didn’t sulk or let it ruin his senior season. Instead, he became a critical part of the puzzle in a completely different way.
“Obviously it’s going to bother you a little bit, but anything that’s best for the team I’m willing to do it,” Edwards said. “I want to win just as much as the next guy. Since seven years old in football all I’ve know is winning and it’s something you get used to and you don’t want to settle for anything less.”
Edwards, who is a talented passer, had been the presumptive starter at quarterback during the entire offseason and it followed logically that the Knights would open the passing game up a little bit to help take the pressure off star running back Kenneth Johnson, Central Virginia’s leading rusher. But that didn’t pan out against Appomattox in the opener, and after a bye week, Ragland started taking off the reigns. The sophomore’s speed gives the Knights an added dimension and forces teams not to load up against Johnson.
“I’m so proud of him, he’s like a little brother to me and just seeing him succeed just really makes me happy,” Edwards said.
Edwards wasn’t going to be sitting on the sidelines though, and the Knights expanded the rugged senior’s role on defense, shifting him from outside linebacker to the more demanding middle linebacker spot that’s been the fulcrum of the Knights’ defense over the years. 2010 James River District defensive player of the year Taylor Boyers and Tariq Bartee have wreaked havoc in that spot over the last few years.
“It’s tough living up to Taylor Boyers and Tariq Bartee but you just get in there and coach (Seth) Wilkerson has got the best game plans in the district probably,” Edwards said. “If you just read your keys and do what coach tells you to, everything will work out fine.”
Edwards has taken on that mantle and exploded in the role, piling up 76.5 tackles including a team-high four sacks. He’s also forced four fumbles, come up with a safety and given the Knights and anchor on defense.
“I’m pretty much the quarterback of the defense at middle linebacker so it’s not really that different from playing offense, you’ve just got to lead your team,” Edwards said.
2A West Regional Semifinals
No. 7 Gate City (8-4) at No. 6 Buckingham (9-3), 2 p.m. Saturday
The basics: The Knights are past the wall that’s held them back for years. The second round has regularly been the stumbling block for the Knights, with Gretna, Goochland and King William ending their season over the past few years. Now the question is how far they can go. Being back at home should be a huge help, but most importantly, the Knights know who they are. There’s no identity crisis with this squad. The defense is staunch — they cut down Dan River’s big play ability last week in the 15-6 victory — and the offense is an unrelenting power run game led by Johnson who has amassed 2,132 yards at a clip of more than 10 yards per carry. Gate City pulled a solid upset over Union last week to advance to the third round, and the Blue Devils are going to keep the ball on the ground too with junior fullback Evan Baker. The Knights’ determined, large senior class seems to be on a mission right now though, and that could be a difference maker even with the Blue Devils bringing tons of fans up from southwest Virginia.
Key matchup: Buckingham quarterback Leon Ragland takes on Gate City quarterback Hunter Collier. This is awfully late in the season for a sophomore and a freshman to be matching up at quarterback, but that shows just how good Ragland and Collier are at their jobs. Collier is a game manager who doesn’t make many mistakes and rushed for 65 yards and threw for 77 more against Union. Ragland is an explosive athlete who has rushed for nearly 1,000 yards this year while not allowing opposing teams to lock in on Johnson. Whoever handles the pressure of the playoffs best and settles into a groove Saturday will give their squad a huge edge.
Who to watch: Buckingham’s Malik Jones-Bowling. Jones-Bowling leads the Knights in tackles for a loss with eight and he’s tied with Edwards for the team lead in sacks with four. If he can wreak havoc against the Gate City run game, it’ll be a huge piece of the puzzle for the Knights.
The line: Buckingham by 7. The Knights know how tough it is to get over the wall. Don’t expect them to squander this chance.
