Youth is served at Broman Field

Ron Counts, Staff Writer
Published: September 21, 2008

Patience isn’t a virtue many fans possess.

But Culpeper coach Greg Martz is a different story.

“Even if you’re the defending Super Bowl champions, losing is tough,” he said. “My guys are hard workers, though. They’re coming along, but it’s going to take time.”

Martz knew he had his work cut out for him when many young players showed up at the Blue Devils’ first practice of the season not sure how to buckle their chin straps or assemble their pads.

Sure enough, the youth-laden Blue Devils have struggled their way to a 0-3 start, but Martz said his team will not be using its inexperience as reason for not winning.

“We don’t use that excuse,” he said after Friday’s 38-0 loss to Colonial Forge. “I don’t care about the split. I don’t care about who went where. We have a team here and we have to focus on football.”

Many coaches in his position would probably harp on the fact that over half of their depth chart are either in their first year as varsity starters — or in their first year of high school football period — but not Martz.

“Experience is always a plus,” the 4th-year coach at CCHS said. “But you can’t worry about the left-hand column. It will take care of itself.”

Culpeper’s starting running back Larry Williams is in his first year as a starter on the varsity squad, as are four of the Blue Devils’ five starting offensive linemen. The lone seasoned veteran up front is 6-foot-7-inch, 300-pound senior John Hawkins.

The receiving corps is even less experienced. Nick Zajkowski is a first-year starter, while this year marks the first that Matthew Nerkowski and John Lezcano have played high school football.

Lezcano, who made a name for himself as a Blue Devil baseball player, became quarterback Steven Dodson’s go-to target in Culpeper’s loss to Osbourn, finishing with 129 yards on five catches.

Senior Adam Mitchell — a soccer star turned first-year football player — has been impressive as well. He has shown off a strong leg while handling both the kicking and punting duties, while also putting in time as a wide receiver and defensive back.

“This team is full of kids that are great to work with, because you know eventually they’re going have a great deal of success,” Martz said.

Even though much of the roster is made up of youngsters, Culpeper has received valuable contributions from its few remaining veterans.

Hawkins has pancaked pretty much every defensive lineman that has lined up in front of him, and senior linebacker Matt Bennett showed his athleticism during the Colonial Forge game, blowing through the offensive line to sack Eagles quarterback Blake Froanapfel before he even had the chance to get the ball to one of his running backs.

“This year, we have some of the best senior leadership we’ve had in years,” Martz said. “These guys are working to leave a legacy, and to show the young players the meaning of the word class.”

There’s no denying that the Blue Devils have struggled in their first three outings this year, but Culpeper fans shouldn’t panic because Martz isn’t.

“Knowledge and experience will come,” he said. “But the most important thing is these kids are not going to give up, because they know you’re never really a loser until you quit.”

Ron Counts can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 166 or