Battlefield blanks Culpeper

By RON COUNTS Media General News Service
Published: October 31, 2008

It was senior night at Broman field, but it was a senior running back from Battlefield that stole the show.

Adrian Ingram only played in a little over a quarter of the Bobcats' 45-0 dismantling of the Blue Devils Friday night, but he racked up 123 yards of total offense and four touchdowns.

"We're fortunate to have two really great running backs and an offensive line that's doing really well," Battlefield coach Mark Cox said.

Battlefield's other running back, Gerald Khosa, was sidelined for the game, but the Bobcats (9-0 overall, 5-0 in the Cedar Run District) didn't miss a beat thanks to Ingram, who finished the game with 93 rushing yards and 30 receiving.

The five-foot-10-inch 185-pound back put the Bobcats on the scoreboard eight seconds into the game. After Ricky Guillespie returned the opening kickoff 78 yards to Culpeper's five-yard line, Ingram practically walked into the end zone on Battlefield's first offensive play.

"Adrian has been a four-year starter, but not necessarily as a running back," Cox said. "He's been starting on defense and recently moved to offense. When you have someone that's starting on defense and carrying the ball 20 to 25 times a game, that's a pretty important person."

Ingram's second touchdown certainly showed his importance. He made the Blue devils pay after a 47-yard completion from Battlefield quarterback Bo Revell to Blaine Mason set the Bobcats up at Culpeper's 14-yard line. The speedy back took the handoff, spun out of the grasp of Culpeper's Dustin Whisenhunt and sprinted to the end zone.

He wasn't done yet, though. After a 75-yard interception return by Bobby Seagers put the ball in Culpeper's red zone once again, Ingram extended the Bobcats lead with a four-yard touchdown right through the middle of the defense.

Ingram further extended the Bobcats' lead with a touchdown from one yard out just before his night ended with 7:00 left in the second quarter.

"He's definitely talented," Culpeper coach Greg Martz said of Ingram. "Going back to last year, we thought he was one of the best backs we had seen. I think if he's not getting recruited someone is definitely missing out."

While Ingram was the star in Battlefield's backfield Friday night, he didn't do it alone. The Bobcats racked up 261 rushing yards as they moved one step closer to back-to-back undefeated district seasons.

Sophomore Terrell Tapscott finished the game with 111 yards on nine carries.

Why so much success on the ground?

It has a lot to do with the zone-blocking scheme the Battlefield offensive line runs.

"The great thing about this scheme is that everybody at the line of scrimmage gets double teamed," Cox said.