Monacan facing another road test

As Monacan coach Danny Parsons loads up his team for a Central Region, Division 5 semifinal game at Hanover, he's hoping the same bus ride as a year ago will end in a different destination.

Last year, Hanover was preparing for its first playoff appearance in school history. The program was in its fifth year and facing Monacan in the first round of the Central Region, Division 5 tournament. The Hawks went on to win the game - 30-0 - and the region.

The Chiefs went home.

"We've kind of approached it this way, 'Hey, you don't get too many second chances,'" Parsons said. "This is two years in a row that we've made it in, we've got the same trip in front of us and the same team in front of us."

Hanover (7-3) isn't exactly the same team that, as Parsons put it, "thumped us pretty good," in 2007. But quarterback Josh Wells has been a huge part of the Hawks' offensive profile for four seasons. There's no doubt that the Chiefs' defense will recognize the 6-5, 225-pound Wells from the second he steps on the field.

"He makes throws that a lot of college quarterbacks can't make," Parsons said. "He's got a real strong arm. And he's huge. You just can't let him get a head of steam going cause he's hard to bring down, he's so big."

While Wells has been growing into a powerful dual threat for his entire high school career, Monacan's Logan Staib hasn't been a starting quarterback for even an entire season. The junior was the starting middle linebacker for Monacan (7-3) until he had to take over for the injured Mike Williams in the third game this fall.

Stepping in behind an offensive line decimated by graduation, Staib has struggled at times with fumbles and interceptions. But Parsons said Staib has become a more sound, confident quarterback as the offensive line has grown up around senior guard Tilghman Goldsborough, the only returning starter. Also helping out is running back J.C. Wiggins, who has rushed for 113 yards per game and 17 TDs.

"We can't do anything to help them, that's for sure," Parsons said. "[ . . . We just can't help them out, they're good enough on their own. If we can do those things and do well on the kicking game, it should be a close game. We're expecting and anticipating all week that this will be a close one."

All three of Hanover's losses have been to Division 6 powers, and only one - a 19-10 midseason slip at Highland Springs - has been by more than a touchdown. The defense hasn't given up more than 21 points in a game, and every time the Hawks have scored more than 14 points, they've won.

If Monacan and Hanover are getting to be familiar playoff foes, Douglas Freeman (7-3) has been an infrequent performer in postseason play. The Rebels last appeared in the Central Region tournament in 1995, when the season ended in a first-round loss to L.C. Bird. Before that, it had been 15 years since Freeman advanced to the state semifinals.

The Rebels face Dinwiddie (9-1), the most prolific passing team in the Central Region. Freeman has allowed just under 20 points per game, but on the field, the Rebels haven't beaten a team with more than three wins.