South football hosts Colts Neck in playoff opener

Dampier proves solid as Pirates’ quarterback

By: Bob Nuse
   Usually, when a new coach takes over a football program, the first order of business is settling on a quarterback.
   For Todd Smith, one of his first moves as head coach at West Windsor-Plainsboro South was moving his starting quarterback.
   "For us, it was about filling the fullback position and we knew Brian (Morris) was the fullback we wanted," Smith said.
   After spending his junior season as the Pirates’ starting quarterback, Morris was moved to fullback as a senior. The change also allowed him to become a full-time contributor to the defense as a linebacker.
   In eight games, the South defense has allowed more than seven points just once. And in eight games, the Pirates have posted four shutouts. Most important of all, after eight games the Pirates are 8-0 and in the Central Jersey Group III playoffs as the No. 1 seed.
   WW-P South will open the playoffs Saturday at 1 p.m. when it hosts eighth-seeded Colts Neck. A year ago, Colts Neck was 0-10. But the Cougars have turned their program around and are 5-3 this season.
   With Morris’ move to fullback came the elevation of junior varsity quarterback Colin Dampier into the role of starter. It was a move he figured might be another year down the road.
   "At the end of last year I wasn’t really sure what I was going to wind up doing this year," said Dampier, a junior. "I thought I might end up moving to receiver in order to get on the field. It turned out that it worked out well for me.
   "Early in the preseason both Coach Smith and Brian came to me and wanted me to be aware that I might have a chance to move up and be the quarterback. I was excited for the chance to do it."
   Now he has a chance to be the starting quarterback in a CJ III playoff game. And even though the Pirates are the No. 1 seed, they’re not taking Colts Neck lightly.
   "The three teams they’ve lost to — Middletown South, Long Branch and Wall — are all perennial state powers," said Smith, whose team has a chance to reach 9-0 for the first time in school history with a win on Saturday. "We’ve told the kids all week in practice that we got the No. 1 seed, but all that does is get us a home-field advantage. We still have to play a real good football team. Colts Neck is a good team and I expect it to be a real close football game.
   "Our kids are excited to be in this position. We turned it up a little in practice in order to get them ready for the intensity level. We want to make sure we bring our best game. From here on in, every game is the biggest game of the season."
   The Pirates have put themselves into this position thanks to a senior-dominated team that has evolved at just the right time. South has also been helped by its new quarterback, who moved into the role after Morris was shifted to fullback.
   "What I did know about Colin coming in is that he is an athlete," Smith said. "In my mind, when I looked at him he had more of a quarterback’s build. He’s performed well in other sports and he’s an athletic kid.
   "We knew he was going to have some growing pains. But we also thought this would be a good way for him to get a year of experience at the quarterback position."
   While the Pirates have been a run-oriented team all season, they’ve managed to work the passing game into the offense a little more each week. The rushing attack has accounted for nearly 75 percent of the total offense — 1,751 yards to 656 passing — but having the passing game as an option has made it tougher for defenses to stop the Pirates.
   "We are definitely more of a run-oriented offense," Dampier said. "There are not a lot of chances to pass the ball. As the season has progressed, I’ve gotten more opportunities. Sometimes I don’t know if I am as much a quarterback as just a guy who hands the ball off. But we have such good backs, that’s what works for us and we have been successful."
   Added Smith: "We’ve tried to open up the passing game a little more. As we went along Colin got more comfortable at the position and we’ve been able to do a little more on offense. He had a leg injury at the beginning of the season and he’s just now starting to get really healthy. I think we’ll see a point where he’ll be able to just take off."
   Maybe that time will come this week against Colts Neck, a team that also relies on the running game.
   "We got a chance to watch them on film," Smith said. "They’re like a mirror image of us. They have a big line and they like to run the ball. They have a few different backs that they like to have run the ball. And on defense they run a 4-4, which is similar to us.
   "It’s similar in that last year we were 3-7 and they were 0-10 and this year we’ve both shown improvement and we’re in the playoffs."
   And the Pirates are in the playoffs with a first-year starter at quarterback.
   "It’s been a lot of fun," Dampier said. "Our offensive coordinator, Coach (Bob) Schurtz, played quarterback at The College of New Jersey and the system he has set up is easy to understand. I did a lot of passing last year with the JV, but this year it’s been a little less. But a lot of that is because of the running backs we have. They’re all so good, that’s our strength.
   "Ryan (Lupo) and E.J. (Burgess) are both real good runners. They split the carries and they still are up with the leading runners. I’m surprised they can do that with the chances they get, but they make the most of their opportunities."
   Just as Dampier has made the most of his this year.