Looking Back on 2006: Menchville bookended their regular season with wins last year as they opened with a 25-6 win over Wilson and closed with a 17-6 defeat of Gloucester. In between, the Monarchs lost eight straight ballgames, but competed much, much better than they had in recent seasons and arguably could have won at least two of those other eight games. Defensively, they had problems against the run and they are still not an offensive juggernaut by any stretch of the imagination, but the program definitely seems headed in the right direction.

2007 Offense: While the Monarchs offense was balanced last season, Coach Byron would like to see the unit be more productive running the ball so that they can more easily control the clock and the game. Junior running back Donnell Whitehead (5-9, 165) is a 4.5 burner who will likely get the bulk of the carries, but as the Monarchs change their offensive scheme from a spread to more of a flexbone attack to minimize their lack of size up front, a host of other backs will get playing time. They'll run behind an experienced group of linemen which should help the offense's consistency. Walt Pavusa (6-1, 300) is a three-year starter at right guard and center David Brooks (5-11, 215) is a returning starter center from JV giving the Monarchs good push in the middle. Juniors Bryan Chisolm (5-11, 225) and Nick Marcos (6-0, 260) join the group up front as does Kurt Wagenschutz (5-10, 220), a "gritty, tough player" according to Coach Byron. Tight end Mario Thompson (6-2, 200) is a solid receiver and will be an effective weapon when the Monarchs throw. Running back Odis Wesby (5-8, 160) was a second team All-District kick returner last year and should give Byron big play potential. He will also be a great asset in the backfield where he rushed for 373 yards in 2006. He's joined by Tim Alexander (5-10, 180), junior Anthony Garlick (5-7, 145), a member of the Monarchs track team and their top returning pass-catcher, and sophomore Andre Simon (6-3, 170). The quarterback position falls to senior Steve Crisp (6-0, 190), last year's back up who Byron says has a great work ethic and is a "natural leader". He understands the schemes and will be a manage-the-game type leader. Kicker David Haas will look to clean up any stalled drives in the red zone.

2007 Defense: The Monarchs defense ranked last in the region in 2006 against the rush, so that will be a primary focus for Byron and the '07 squad. They won't get by on their size up front as the coach will line up only one guy with outstanding size -- Walt Pavusa (6-1, 290) -- and three others who rely more upon their quickness than power; Mario Thompson (6-2, 200), Xavier Reid (5-9, 253) and Kurt Wagenschutz (5-10, 220). Because of their size deficiency, they'll look to get multiple players to the ball meaning that the linebackers will be counted on heavily. Senior Brandon Hodges (5-8, 165), a returning starter, is a ball hawking tenacious tackler who will be joined by senior Tim Williams (5-11, 170), Victor Lawson (5-9, 190), a transfer from Kecoughtan, and Donnell Whitehead (5-9, 165) as the deep corps of kids should allow them to play fresh throughout the game. In the defensive backfield, an athletic secondary led by seniors Odis Wesby (5-8, 160) and Steve Crisp (6-0, 190) should lend even more run support. Tim Alexander and freshman Clifton Richardson (6-0, 165), a player with big time potential down the road, will round out the foursome.

2007 Outlook: This can be a critical year for the program as they've certainly taken steps forward over the past two years. No longer the doormat team of the Peninsula District, the Monarchs should up their win total this season, though it seems unlikely that they are ready to make the leap into an upper division program just yet. As they become a more experienced group, they will make fewer and fewer mistakes which will obviously help them win more ballgames. The program has reached a point where they can upset anyone in the district on the right night, so now it just seems like a matter of putting it all together on a week-to-week basis. Two keys to their success this season will be the defense's ability to stop the run and the offense's ability to consistently to finish their drives.

Rod Johnson has been reporting on the Eastern Region football scene since 2002 as he files weekly reports including game recaps, Top Ten rankings, game predictions and player profiles as well as special stories that pop up throughout the year. To contact him, please email easternregionrod@cox.net.

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Associated Pics

OL/DL Walt Pavusa	QB Seve Crisp