Golden Falcons will try to weather the Storm

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on November 14, 2014 1:48 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock head coach Steve is pleased with the attitude his team has shown this week.

The players are upbeat, they're positive, they hungry.

Which gives an answer to the adage 'what's in a number?'

It's more about confidence for the Golden Falcons.

"They see a '3' next to the name and not a '4'," said Brooks, whose team has struggled against 4-A teams, especially in Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference play.

But 16th-seeded Aycock doesn't see all those numbers that come with Southern Guilford -- the state's No. 1-ranked team that's 11-0, has outscored its opponents by 290 points this season and has N.C. State commit Reggie Gallaspy, who has rushed for 2,400-plus yards, carrying the load out of the backfield.

"I really do think that 3-A is a big deal for these kids mentally," Brooks said. "That and they don't know anything about these kids. No one in the community is telling us how good they are."

They do, however, see a team that plays hard, a strong running back who is a powerful runner, and a long chartered bus ride the players have never encountered before. The community and administration picked up the transportation tab.

"We're driving to the other side of the planet," Brooks joked. "So that's going to be something these guys really have to be mentally tough about. They're going to have to go on the road five times if we're going to win this thing."

Gallaspy has done a number on the competition this season. He scored 40 touchdowns and accounted for more than 52 percent of the Storm's total offense. He's registered four sacks on defense.

But to Brooks, stopping him is simple.

"We have to go tackle him," he said.

Brooks compares Gallaspy to conference foe South Central running back and ECU commit Shawn Furlow, but said Gallaspy is a bit more powerful.

There's no secret to what Southern Guilford will do.

Nor is Aycock's offense a secret. Brooks plans to spread out the Storm's defense and let senior quarterback TJ Morrow attempt to pick them apart with passes all over the field. Morrow has thrown for 1,935 yards and 20 TDs.

Brooks wants to be able to establish a running game with R'Keesh Greene, who, at first, appeared to suffer a season-ending injury against Eastern Wayne. But Greene is healthy and looks to add to his 411 yards and five TDs.

Aycock's 'X' factor is sophomore Chandler Matthews. Ranked among the area's top five receivers, Matthews (71 catches, 727 yards) needs to get separation on his routes.

"When he gets open a lot of things click for us and he makes plays," Brooks said. "When he gets locked up everyone else kind of tightens up, too."

But the Golden Falcons can't get locked up now. There is only one thing on Brooks' mind.

"Survive and advance," he said.