Beavers want to catch Stingray Bates tonight

BLUEFIELD — A stingray is a family of fish that are common in coastal tropical and subtropical marine waters throughout the world and are related to sharks. They are named because of the venomous barbed stinger on their tails.

A stingray can hurt a person. Stingray Bates can hurt a football team. Magnolia’s star running back has accumulated 988 yards and 12 touchdowns in 10 games this season and proven himself as a threat that has led the Blue Eagles into the West Virginia Class AA semifinals.

The team assigned the task of stopping him this week? The Bluefield Beavers.

“They’ve got an I backfield where they’re going to run a young man by the name of Stingray Bates,” said Bluefield head coach Fred Simon. “He’s a nice runner, probably a two- or three-year starter at least.”

The Beavers know something about stopping a great player in the postseason. Last week, they held Sherman quarterback Colby Treadway to 107 yards on 12 carries.

“I think ball control helped, to not let them have the football,” Simon said. “I thought our kicking game punt-wise wasn’t bad which I think helped us get some field position if we needed it. And defensively the second half, I think we did a better job on the quarterback running.

“Treadway sure was a heck of a runner, a lot better than we had anticipated.”

But Treadway could not have the same impact he was used to simply because he could not get the ball in his hands.

“It wasn’t easy to shut them down the whole time because of him and it was always that threat of him either running a long one or throwing one to (Jacob) Rollo or one of those receivers,” Simon said.

“The threat of their offense was probably always in the back of our minds the whole game. But what was good about it was we could run inside and in turn that eliminated them from getting the ball back as much.”

Bluefield’s ball control meant that their expedition to Seth was a successful one.

“They were a good football team that I’m very happy to have beaten because they played hard, they had some talent and our kids showed some character in how they had to come back and stuff,” Simon said. “So it was a really good football game and we had to beat a really good football team.

“Their fans were very hospitable and we were treated first-class. Everything was good and it was a very nice atmosphere to be a part of. When you get in the playoffs, if you don’t think every team’s not good, then you’re going to have problems.”

Simon is not discounting the Blue Eagles as a one-man show.

“Well-coached smart team,” Simon said. “They don’t make many mistakes, very good defensively. We’re going to have to play a heck of a game for us to have a chance.”

Simon believes that one key in surviving the trip of about three-and-a-half to four hours will be containing quarterback Justin Fox, who is 71-for-134 on the season for 1,230 yards and nine touchdowns. He has also thrown 11 interceptions, but the Bluefield coach is taking no chances.

“They get in spread and they let the quarterback (Justin) Fox do a lot of work with that whether he’s passing or running with it,” Simon said. “We’ll have to get ready for both I and spread.”

Simon has seen teams come at his club with many and varied looks all season and he is used to it.

“We’ve had to do it all year,” Simon said. “A lot of teams will do both. But we’ve gotten ready for spread before and we’ve gotten ready for I. All we had to do was we had to combine them.”

Defensively, the Blue Eagles play a base 4-4 and execute it with equal parts of speed and quickness.

“They’re aggressive,” Simon said.

“They’re going to get to you quickly. They fly to the ball. It reminds you of some of the better defenses that Graham’s had in the past, and that’s what we’ll have to get ready for.

“They stunt a lot and you’ve got to be able to pick up stunts. If not, they’re going to wallop you for some losses and that’s what they bank on. They have good speed and they have a lot of heart. Their kids hustle.”

From the speed standpoint, the Bluefield principal thinks the Beavers stack up well.

“I feel like we’re very comparable there and I think we’re good there,” Simon said.

Having said that, he was quick to point out that some other factors will decide the outcome as well.

“If I had three keys, it would be turnovers, penalties and special teams,” Simon said. “I just think they’re crucial in the playoffs. They can get your butt beat. If you get penalties in crucial situations, you turn it over in crucial situations, you don’t punt the ball well or you miss extra points and field goals, they can beat your butt and they’re important.”

Simon knows that any of a number of his players can hurt Magnolia. Two weeks ago, Marcus Patterson was the hero against Liberty-Raleigh with touchdowns on an 85-yard run, a 74-yard reception, and a 30-yard interception return to go with 156 yards on punt returns.

Last week, it was Brad Fox, who gained 11 yards on 16 carries and caught a pair of passes for 19 yards. Who it might be tonight is anybody’s guess — and an advantage for the Beavers.

“I can’t pick one,” Simon said. “I hope all 11 have a heck of a game. If they do, we’ll have a chance to win.

“I didn’t think Fox would be a breakout performer last week and he was. So with the guys we have you never know and that’s the good thing about our team. It’s a team game and you just never know.”

— Contact Jed Lockett

at jlockett@bdtonline.com

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