By Richard Carrier
Contributing Writer

Maybe it’s just my personal perception, but it appears to me that the 2009 Powhatan High School football team has kind of flown under the radar. Just because I don’t personally cover them does not mean I don’t follow this outstanding squad.
Although some Extra Points critics misread my sense of humor and thought I was slamming the Indians’ defense, the stinginess on the defensive side of the ball was the first real strength I recognized (they have given up just 47 points in eleven games after shutting out York Friday night (their fifth shutout of the season).

I know enough about Coach Jim Woodson that he, or any other good coach, is not going to underestimate any opponent or give the opposition “bulletin board material” but a 49-0 wipe-out of the Falcons kind of makes me smile at his “without a doubt” the Falcons would be the best team the Indians faced all year and the Powhatan secondary would be severely tested by York’s passing game; 6 for 18, 103 yards and ,come to think of it, zero scores.

The defense has shown me all year that they are that good, but I kept waiting for the offense, particularly the passing game to fall apart. Now I think I know why I felt that way. Some very big names left this traditionally very good program recently. How about All-State receiver Emmett Brown and tailback Taron Hampton. (Hampton set freshman records at Virginia State University and then disappeared from the Yellow Jackets’ roster.) but the point is the Indians have put 511 points on the board this season with major contributions by Landen Bradley and Dustin Kingery. Who?

I take that back, I remember Bradley as a very emotional basketball player on the JV squad, but Kingery was a totally unknown quantity and of the Browns, Higuchis and Berrys, Deon is the only other running back whose name I would have recognized (from basketball) pre-season.

Plus I knew just how phenomenal an athlete Shawn Minor was, but I just couldn’t see the 5’8” bolt of lightning as a consistently effective passer. That is exactly what he has been, phenomenally consistent: 8-11, 98 yards and two TD passes against York.
An interesting question comes to mind. Are the backs and Minor that good or is that massive and mobile offensive line the hero? Want to bet Coaches Woodson and Henderson would go the “combination of both” route? (Football coaches are such masters of political correctness.)