Rams prepare for yet another tough RB

By STEVE CANNULI
Sports Editor
On their way to a perfect 12-0 record, the Reidsville Rams have made a very good living shutting down featured running backs. Friday night will be another challenge for the Rams, who will play host to the second round of the state 2-AA playoffs at Community Stadium.
Cedar Ridge, which knocked off Warren County, 31-18 Friday night, will showcase Domonic Currie and pit him against a defense that has allowed 175.1 yards per game and 10.7 points per game to its opposition.
Currie, referred to as one of the best running backs in the Hillsborough area, has rushed for 1,425 yards and 17 touchdowns this season for the Red Wolves (7-5).
So far this season, Reidsville has put the clamps of such running backs as KaShaun Johnson (Morehead), Audi Smith (Cummings), J.R. McGee (Rockingham County), Kendall Bratcher (Northeast Guilford), Jonathan Adams (West Stokes), Gerrod Herbin (Eastern Guilford) and Mike Williams (Orange).
In Friday's win over Warren County, Currie rushed 30 times for 209 yards and scored four times. The Red Wolves also got a 22-yard field from Jeremy Gerlach, who was 4 for 4 in point after attempts.
Through 12 games this season, the Rams have only allowed two 100-yard rushers - William Graves (Southern Guilford) and Kenny Harris (McMichael).
Orange attempted to bring its one-dimensional Wing-T offense into Reidsville and found out how difficult it was to handle the Rams' defense. The Panthers were held to 116 yards on 51 carries (2.3 per rush) and Williams was held to 10 yards on 13 attempts.
Through the air against Warren County, Cedar Ridge was 3 of 6 passing for minus-five yards. The Red Wolves are quarterbacked by Alex Gregory.
Gregory, in the regular season finale against Orange (won by Orange, 15-14), was 7 of 18, but for just 44 yards. Currie rushed for 144 yards on 25 attempts in the loss.
Cedar Ridge's season did not get off to the start the Red Wolves had hoped it would. At least that's what it looked like. Cedar lost to Chapel Hill in its opener, but it was found Chapel Hill had an ineligible player the Red Wolves went from 0-1 to 1-0. Three more wins moved the team to 4-0 heading into a date with Eastern Guilford. The Red Wolves dropped back-to-back games with Eastern Guilford and Eastern Alamance before rebounding with wins over Cardinal Gibbons and Graham.
A late-season three-game slide (Cummings, Northwood and Orange) put Cedar Ridge at 6-5, but in the playoffs.
The Red Wolves have allowed just 203 points all season (16.9 per game), but the offense has not posted gaudy numbers, scoring 230 points in 12 games (19.2).
Reidsville, with one of the best scoring teams in the state, has piled up 576 points (48.0) and has not been held to under 30 points since last season's state semifinal loss to Cummings.
Following the team's win over Warren County, Cedar Ridge head coach Lou Geary told the Henderson Dispatch, "to tell you the truth, we're just happy to be in the playoffs. We had lost three games in a row on a downward spiral, but things were clicking for us tonight."
Warren County had the more balanced offense, rushing for 160 yards and passing for 191, but all three Currie touchdowns came before halftime as the Red Wolves built a 21-12 lead.
Geary also told the Dispatch, "we're going against the number one team and we feel like if you're going to be a championship quality team, you have to go up against those guys. We hope we can go up there and have a good showing and who knows what can happen."
The winner of Friday's game will face either St. Pauls or Southern Guilford in next week's quarterfinals. The Rams defeated the Storm, 46-14 three weeks ago.
All-time, Reidsville is 7-6 against Southern Guilford. The Rams have never faced St. Pauls in football.