PREP FOOTBALL: Rams' running game will test Warriors' 'D'

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on September 9, 2016 9:57 AM

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Assignment football.

The phrase is tossed about casually this time of year, a recurring bit of ad nauseum used by coaches to bridge the gap between their mid-week install and Friday night's go-time.

This week it actually means something.

Eastern Wayne, now 2-0 on the season, entertains neighboring Greene Central this evening, which means one thing -- finding a way to manage the prolific tailback committee of Unique Johnson and Willie Edwards.

And yes, the task requires handling a bevy of individual errands.

The chores begin up front, where the Rams boast a bruising, Rushmore-like offensive line. Led by 6-foot-4, 298-pound Bailee Bunn, the Rams have cleared the way for their ground-gaining duo to post 849 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns this season -- absurd metrics by any measure.

Stout, yes.

But per EW head coach Leander Oates, not impossible to stop.

"I think we have a group that can match up," EW head coach Leander Oates said of his personnel. "We are pretty versatile with speed, and I'm looking for our guys to attack... fill our lanes, contain space."

When not pounding the luggage, the Rams' attack is augmented by junior signal caller Jackson Batchelor, who has thrown for 626 yards and seven touchdowns while boasting a QBR (quarterback rating) of 165.7.

And that's not the only problem.

Greene Central is also hawkish defensively, having forced five fumbles in three games this season. In total, the Rams have four players averaging at least 8.5 solo tackles per contest.

That's not to say, however, that tonight's tilt will be painted in red, white and blue.

The Warriors enter the game anchored by do-everything star Malyk Williams, who torched Goldsboro High for 231 all-purpose yards and a touchdown two weeks ago.

And while the performance was a stellar one, Oates has counseled his team about the need to continue working as a unit.

"With kids, they look at the paper and see who was that guy," the coach noted. "And he'll be the guy most of the kids focus on."

Williams will likely be aided by the return of senior Mathew Askew-Betts, a transfer tailback who missed a large portion of the Goldsboro matchup after suffering an ankle injury in the game's opening quarter.

Quarterback Ezekiel Best will also factor in the outcome, having shown the ability to make plays in the pocket or in scramble mode. The junior, dedicated to every nuance of the EW playbook, has posted modest returns during the team's undefeated start.

As a unit, the Warriors are a studious group, one that spends ample time analyzing film each week, intent on mastering the habits of their opponent -- down to the tiniest grain of detail.

"We are watching film, studying... looking at habits," the coach said. "You have to become a student of the game."

And tonight, they must deliver a complete assignment.