A corps of crushers

MINERAL — Much of Louisa County’s success this season has come from the defensive side of the ball, which is led by a strong group of linebackers. The Lions come into tonight’s homecoming matchup against Jefferson District foe Charlottesville with a record of 4-2 overall (2-1 in league play).

Louisa has outscored its six opponents by an average of 10 points per game, including a 56-0 shutout against William Monroe. In its two close wins, the defense has kept Louisa in striking distance.

Without as explosive an offense as Lions fans have witnessed in recent campaigns, coach Mark Fischer says that the linebackers’ ability to stop the run has been the backbone of the team this year.

“I think year in and year out, we’ve been able to hang our hats on our linebacker play,” Fischer said. “This year, they’re all underclassmen, and they’ve really stepped up and taken a lot of pride in it, it’s a real competitive thing on the practice field for them.

“We’ve just been fortunate enough to grind it out and get some plays offensively, but our defense is definitely what has kept us in games and given us an opportunity to win at the end.”

Fischer said that it’s been fun to coach the group and to see them compete, both against each other in practice, as well as on game day.

Junior Brandon Ornduff has been a major contributor, registering a team-high 37 solo tackles (8.2 per game), as well as 10 assists and one and a half sack thus far.

“He’s just had a knack for finding that football this year,” said Fischer. “I know [opposing coaches] have got a scheme to get to him, but when that happens, somebody else tends to step up and have a big game in place of another guy.”

Several other Louisa linebackers have stepped up, including Rayshawn Jackson, who has 14 tackles, a safety and a defensive score on the season, Shane Robertson, who has added three sacks, Andre Mealy, the team’s second leading tackler with 21, as well as senior end Ryan Bullock, C.J. Wilton and Anthony Hunter.

“From that standpoint, they’re not selfish, they’re willing to say, ‘Okay, it’s not my night, it’s your night,’” admitted Fischer.

Mealy, who also scored the game-winning touchdown in Louisa’s 19-16 overtime win against Orange County last Friday, explained what it means to help carry the defensive load.

“We just try to go out there and have fun, not let the other team score, and our biggest mindset is just to hit people,” the sophomore said.

Tonight, the Lions will be playing in front of a raucous crowd that is referred to as “the 12th man,” and is called upon on big third and fourth downs for the opposition to “fist up,” meaning to put your fist up in the air, stomp your feet and let them hear you on the field.

When asked how the excitement motivates the defense, Bullock responded, “It helps us focus as a team, and gives everybody an adrenaline rush.”

Charlottesville comes into this evening’s contest at 3-3 (2-1 JD), after almost knocking off an undefeated Western Albemarle team last Friday. Fischer knows that the Black Knights will be hungry to get back into the win column.

Add to that the fact that CHS coach Chris Fraser is a little more familiar with Louisa’s single-wing offensive formation — that normally creates massive headaches to prepare against — than possibly every other coach on the Lions’ schedule.

“They’ve got so many athletes and coach Fraser’s scheme is strong,” Fischer said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us and it’s going to be a challenge. Coach Fraser knows our system real well, so we don’t have as much of an advantage with the single wing going against him because of his knowledge of what we do.”

Tonight’s game should provide a clearer picture at game’s end which team will likely stay in contention to battle Western for the district crown. Fischer admits that his team is not focused on titles, but knows that the Lions might need to win out to have a chance to contend.

“All of us need to play together, play as a team and have everyone do their job,” said Jackson.