Deep Run’s Junior Varsity football team is making a comeback this year, starting the season with a blowout win against Mechanicsville High School. Being up 52-0 by halftime of that first game was an immense accomplishment. This win also meant a lot to the players and coaches since it was the first victory in five years.
“The coaches were happy, parents were smiling, everyone was just happy because it was something that hadn’t happened in so long and we made it happen,” freshman and starting running back Jamel Howard said.
Coaches made sure to prepare the team for what was coming by watching the film of Mechanicsville’s previous games. Using different strengths like speed and agility from the players on the team, the coaching staff was able to successfully out-execute the competition with their decisions.
“They looked like they were bigger than we had expected but we were quite a bit faster and they couldn’t handle our speed, so we were able to exploit that right from the beginning,” assistant coach Rob Doolidge said.
For many of the players, playing at the high school level was a very new experience. The majority of the JV team this season are freshmen new to DRHS. Many of the new players contributed to this milestone, however, their lack of experience led to some nerves on and off the field.
“A lot of us were confused. It was our first time on a high school football team so we were definitely nervous,” said Howard.
The team continued their success with a win in their second game against Atlee High School. Coaches have focused on a foundational approach, implementing the basics like making tackles and learning to properly block. These changes helped with JV’s win against Atlee and Mechanicsville and will help in the near future.
“Making plays in key moments–that is something that has been absent in our program,” said head coach Joe Mullinax.
The team had their first loss against Prince George High School in the third game. With a by-week due to Meadowbrook High School not having a JV team, the team focused on their technique and the future. Although their winning streak ended against Prince George, the team planned to use that loss as a source of motivation.
“Winning is a by-product of the way we carry ourselves every day,” Mullinax said.
The JV team ended the season 4-5.
