Stallions will be tough test for Knights

It’s always been a goal.

Since Trey Woodberry took over the West Florence Knights in 2005, winning a Class 4A playoff game has always been high on the list of things to accomplish.

With 31 seniors and four Division I commitments, the Knights appeared to have all the pieces in place this season.

But in order to attain their elusive goal, the Knights will have to take down South Pointe, one of the top teams in the state and ranked No. 38 in the latest ESPN Fab 50 poll, in the Morning News Game of the Week.

“If you’re going to win a state championship, you’ve got to beat (teams like that) sometime,” Woodberry said. “But it’s a huge challenge for us. They’re a very good football team, ranked high in the state and the national polls.

“But our kids aren’t afraid and they’re ready to play.”

Like the Knights, South Pointe has several Division I commitments including safety DeVonte Holloman and quarterback Stephon Gilmore.

Holloman is ranked 19th on ESPNU150, which ranks the top prospects in the country. He verbally committed to Clemson but pulled back after the coaching change and is considering South Carolina and LSU, according to various recruiting services.

Gilmore, ranked No. 86 on the ESPNU 150, verbally committed to South Carolina.

“He’s an athlete playing quarterback, and a very good one,” Woodberry said. “He can hurt you with his arm or his legs.

“The biggest thing about South Pointe, though, is their speed. Speed on offense and speed on defense have made them a very tough team.”

And the Knights will have their hands full. South Pointe has scored 497 points in 11 games (45.2 ppg average) and has given up just 50 points (4.5 ppg) all season.

The Stallions defense has posted five shutouts and has not allowed more than 12 points in any game.

“We’ve got to be able to mix up what we do, and establish a running game,” Woodberry said. “Their defense has thrived on turnovers and creating a short field for their offense. We have to make sure we hold on to the ball.

“And one of the biggest things is keeping drives going, not going three-and-out, and putting points on the board when we have the opportunity.”

But West does have one advantage over the Stallions, according to South Pointe coach Bobby Carroll, and it should come as no surprise.

“Looking at them on film, their defensive front seven is by far the best we’ve seen,” Carroll said. “They get a tremendous amount of pressure on the quarterback, and they’ve totally dominated all the opponents that we’ve seen them play.

“We rely a lot on speed, and so our guys probably aren’t going to be quite as big as their guys, on the offensive or defensive line.”

The Knights’ defense, led by Malliciah Goodman’s 14 sacks, has held opponents to an average of 18 points a game this season.

Part of the reason West closed out the season with a three-game winning streak, though, was because of a resurgent Knights’ offense that averaged 48 points a game during that span.

“Their quarterback (Paul Pizzuti) is very versatile, and you can tell how much of a key to their offense he is,” Carroll said. “He does a good job with the zone read and carrying the football and making plays for them.

“Containing him and making sure he doesn’t get a chance to throw to ball to a good group of receivers will be a big challenge for us.”