[Baltimore Sun] Marriotts Ridge football controls the second half in 30-14 win over Guilford Park
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Of the many qualities necessary to be a successful quarterback, one you can’t teach is confidence. Confidence in yourself, but also belief in those around you.
Marriotts Ridge sophomore quarterback Blake Willingham fits the bill. Willingham was called up from junior varsity last week to be the Mustangs’ starter for their homecoming game against Guilford Park. Willingham had plenty of nerves entering Friday. However, his teammates encouraged him, telling him, “You’re here for a reason.”
The sophomore proved his teammates and coaches right. He was efficient and showed off his athleticism, and combined with senior Ashton Clark’s dominance on the ground, produced a 30-14 win.
“Blake’s just got really good presence about him,” Marriotts Ridge coach James Holzman said. “He’s just a very confident kid. He’s pretty athletic. So, when a play breaks down, we think that he gives us a really good opportunity to make a play with legs. He’s really good out of the pocket and I expected him to show up and have a good presence about him. That’s what our team needed, just to calm them down.”
Willingham’s self-assurance is a byproduct of those around him. Holzman and the Mustangs coaching staff trimmed the playbook to maximize his effectiveness. They ran similar concepts and plays to what he was running on junior varsity, also utilizing his athleticism on designed quarterback runs and rollouts. The Mustangs also took advantage of a luxury for any new quarterback, a veteran running back.
“I was definitely a little nervous, but I trusted the game plan we had this week,” Willingham said. “We had a great week of practice. I trust everybody on this offense, all the coaching staff. I felt confident coming into the game.”
A tight battle, Marriotts Ridge (3-1) led by two at halftime. The Mustangs’ coaches preached several points of emphasis, including improved tackling. In turn, the Mustangs’ relentless pursuit pinned the Panthers deep on their opening drive of the second half.
Marriotts Ridge’s special teams followed, blocking its third punt of the season, setting up the Mustangs on the Panthers’ 12-yard line. One play later, Willingham connected with fellow sophomore Emmanuel Williams for a touchdown, pushing the lead to nine.
During the offseason, the Mustangs worked 20 to 30 minutes on special teams at every practice. A blocked punt won them last week’s game at Wilde Lake, while Luke Holland’s first-quarter pick-six Friday night gave them an early lead. Holzman and his staff emphasize those “unexpected touchdowns” and the difference they can make in games.
Feeding off special teams, Marriotts Ridge dictated the line of scrimmage in the fourth. The defense bottled up the Panthers’ dynamic running back Tyler Lee, while the offensive line created consistent holes for Clark. The senior, who had been bottled up in Marriotts Ridge’s last two games, rushed for over 100 yards and two touchdowns in the second half alone. The highlight of that was a 41-yard run where he shed multiple tacklers, including an emphatic stiff-arm to cap it off.
“I got together with my linemen, and I said, ‘Let’s finish it,’” Clark said. “Homecoming, we’ve got to finish. It’s going to be great. It was huge to respond the way we did. If we didn’t respond, what’s the point of being out here? We’re out here to play ball. It’s a part of our job.”
Marriotts Ridge’s offense took the field with just under six minutes remaining. The Mustangs never gave the ball back, churning the clock with critical first downs. Clark bookended the night with one final first down run, setting up every team’s favorite formation: victory.
As he did all night, Willingham calmly took the snap before touching his knee to the turf. Flanked by his experienced tailback, that proved to be the lasting image of a joyous Mustangs homecoming night.
“I knew Blake was a dawg,” Clark said. “I told him, ‘We pulled you up for a reason. You know you’re going to carry us to the promise land.’”
Willingham added on Clark: “It’s awesome. It makes me look way better than what I am. He makes plays and as you can see he had two big touchdowns for us. He makes a lot of plays for me.”
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