llllllll

By Dave Morrison

FOR THE REGISTER-HERALD

It didn ’ t end the way James Monroe had hoped it would . But what a show it was getting there .

Last fall , the Mavericks ran to a perfect regular season and continued to the Class A state championship game where they eventually lost to Williamstown .

To that Mavericks ran through the competition last season , beating opponents by an average 24.2 for the season despite never scoring more than 49 points in a game . The Mavericks won in the playoffs by an average 26.3 before running up against Williamstown , which won 52-20 on a cold , early December night on Wheeling Island .

James Monroe had five previous undefeated seasons since opening in 1994 , but it was the first time the Mavericks had started a season 13-0 .

If you are looking for precedence , the Mavericks twice followed 12-0 seasons with another perfect season ( in 1998-1999 and 2005- 2006 ).

And the Mavs ’ Big 3 firstteam all-staters , running back Cooper Ridgeway , quarterback Layton Dowdy and defensive lineman Brady Baker , think they can do it again .

But John Mustain preferred to use a little caution .

The Mavericks return several starters but also lost ball-hawking first-team all-state defensive back Eli Allen , who also was a bigplay receiver with 12 touchdowns , and some outstanding linemen and offensive and defensive playmakers .

Dowdy is back at quarterback and ended his sophomore season throw-

Rick Barbero / The Register-Herald

James Monroe ’ s Chaz Boggs breaks away from a Williamstown defender in the Class A state championship game held at Wheeling Island Stadium .

ing for 1,783 yards and 27 touchdowns . He had a high completion percentage of 65.7 percent ( 92 of 140 ) and he only threw five interceptions . By the end of the tear Dowdy ended up being tabbed quarterback on the Class A all-state first team .

He also rushed for 296 yards and three touchdowns .

“ His passing got better

2023 SCHEDULE

and better as the season went along last year ,” said Mustain , noting Dowdy was 32 of 43 ( a 74.4 completion percentage ) for 619 yards ( 154.3 per game ) with 10 touchdowns and one interception . “ But he was a pretty good runner , too . He was pretty much a dual threat .” Ryan Mann is the backup . “ We ’ re given some though to putting Ryan at quarterback and sticking Layton in the backfield with Cooper in a two-back set , but I don ’ t know if we ’ ll do that ,” Mustain said . “ It ’ s something we ’ ve discussed .”

Ridgeway had his second straight 1,000-yard season a year ago , with 1,444 yards and 16 touchdowns , and he also caught 24 passes for 358 yards and six touchdowns .

“ He is very steady , and he will get you some big runs , but he is also good at the grinding-out-type run game , too ,” Mustain said . The coach added that Ridgeway , who often takes reps with receivers in practice , could see time split out this season .

The Mavericks lost Ridgeway ’ s tag team partner in the backfield , Braydie Carr , to graduation . He had 903 yards and 12 touchdowns . Chaz Boggs ( 321 rush yards , three touchdowns ) will spend time at a wing and sometimes in the twoback set . First-year senior Noah Jewell and sophomore Brock Parker were early candidates in the backfield .

Replacing Allen will be tough . But Boggs ( 12-343- 2 ) had a productive season , Mann can play receiver and Will Boggess and Gavin Craft were in the early mix .

MAVERICKS » 20

SOUTHERN W . VA . GAME NIGHT - AUGUST 2023 • 13