Published Tuesday, August 26, 2008 9:21 AM
Updated Tuesday, August 26, 2008 10:32 AM

 

Timberland poised for Class AA title

Don’t go engraving that state championship trophy just yet.

While many across the Lowcountry have already christened Timberland as state champ presumptive in 2008, Wolves head coach Art Craig dismisses such talk out of hand.

His team still has 11 games to play and that’s before the playoffs start.

“A lot of people assume because we are going to 2-A that winning the state championship is automatic, but you have to be good and lucky to win it all,” Craig said.

Still, consider this.

In 2006, the Wolves advanced to the Class AAA title game only to lose at the last second to Blythewood.

In 2007, these same Wolves finished 9-3 and plowed through region 7AAA like Sherman through Atlanta before falling in the playoffs.

In 2008, a year older and a year stronger, touting three of the best blue chip college D-1 prospects in any classification in Quinton Washington, Rockaris King, and Gamecock signee Aldrick Fordham, Timberland drops down a class and will play at the Class AA level.

Okay, maybe you can start engraving that state champ trophy. This won’t just get ugly; this could take ugly to Biblical proportions.

“We hope to win the region championship, and make a long run in the playoffs,” Craig said, but the Wolves’ coach is quick to point out even region play won’t be a cakewalk.

“There will be no real adjustments, although in the region I think the competition will be tougher,” he said.

The Wolves lost an all-region caliber quarterback in Blake Wrens who will apply his skills to the ball diamond at The Citadel in 2008-2009, but replaced him with another blue chip college prospect in junior Cody Craig, 16 going on 21, 6’3” and 200 pounds already with a Howitzer for an arm.  

“Cody will be asked to play within the system,” the head coach said. “We will throw based on what will help us win; how much we throw will depend on the situation. Coach Pond had done a good job of working with the receivers on routes and catching the ball.”

Other top prospects lining up for the Wolves this season are OT Storm Moore at offensive tackle, Paul Jefferson who lines up at running back on offense and at linebacker on defense, running back and cornerback Rennis Black, defensive end Kaleb Caddell, safety and cornerback Denzel Willis, Laron Milford at linebacker and RJ Jefferson at safety.

The Wolves run an offense based on the wing-T but is multiple.

The defensive scheme is based on a 4-2.

The Wolves were set to kick off their 2008 campaign at home on Aug. 23, against Carolina Forest in a rare Saturday night contest.