By Rick Kozlowski
The Journal of Martinsburg
MARTINSBURG — About the only way figuratively to run for a first down against Martinsburg would’ve entailed converting a 4th-and-1 play.
The Bulldogs allowed 1.1 yards on average per rushing play during a 13-0 state championship season — the one-tenth of a yard probably requiring a measurement using a credit card to get that first down.
In the playoffs?
Forget about trying to run on Martinsburg.
The Bulldogs, behind the leadership of defensive tackle Rashad Reid, who is being named today as the winner of both the Stydahar and Huff awards by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association, were even better in the postseason.
In 98 rushing plays in four games, opponents managed a total of 38 yards — 0.39 yards per rush. Of course, some of the negative yardage in the statistical category included sacks.
“It’s a mentality,” Reid said. “We wanted to show we were the best in the state.
“(In the playoffs), ‘Let’s show ’em who we were — best in the state.'”
While 0.39 might represent an exemplary earned run average in baseball, it’s unbelievable as a football per-play statistic.
“That’s pretty remarkable.” Martinsburg coach David Walker said. “In high school, you have to stop the run. Or, at any level.
“We were really good at it.”
Especially Reid, who led Martinsburg in tackles in his two seasons with the Bulldogs after arriving as a transfer from South Carolina before his junior season.
As a defensive lineman.
Normally, their jobs are to take up the blockers to allow linebackers to make the tackles.
Not at Martinsburg, where the team’s top two tacklers were both linemen and first-team all-state honorees — Reid and Xerxees Yancey.
“It’s really amazing,” Walker said. “Stuff like that doesn’t happen very often.”
The two awards for Reid from the sports writers group add to a collection of honors for the 6-foot, 285-pound senior.
Besides assorted accolades, including two-time Eastern Panhandle Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, he signed his letter of intent on Wednesday to play Division I football at Elon.
It’s been a huge week for the senior.
“I don’t know how to feel, man,” Reid said. “That’s amazing, man.
“It’s definitely icing on the cake. We had a good little season.”
Beside having a difficult time rushing the football, opponents struggled to score, as well. The Martinsburg defensive unit allowed only 85 points in 13 games. Seven other points came as a result of an interception return.
In all, Martinsburg allowed just 3.1 yards per play, running or passing.
The Bulldogs also averaged 45.1 points per game, with Reid playing right guard.
Reid was the best player on arguably the state’s top defense.
“I feel like I work hard,” Reid said. “I’m an overachiever.
“Even when I had good games, I kept pushing myself.”
He’s a perfectionist.
“In some games, I know I could’ve done so much better,” he said. “If I’m being frank, I know I could do better.
“I kept working on technique, stance, how I line up, the pass rush. I worked to improve my game so much, no matter what anybody wanted.”
Reid sacked the quarterback twice in Martinsburg’s 57-13 victory over Princeton in the state Class AAA championship game.
He had nine sacks in all to go with 92.5 tackles and 24.5 tackles for loss during the season. As a junior, he recorded 83 stops, with 20.5 tackle for loss and 6.5 sacks.
“I feel like I changed (offensive) schemes,” Reid said. “I feel like I made that impact.”
For Reid, it’s not so much about statistics but just doing his job.
“At the end of the day,” he said, “I have to want it a little more than anybody else: ‘I have to get to the ball and make that tackle.’
“It was the end of the world for me. It was selfish, but not in a bad way.”
Reid is the third Martinsburg player to win the Stydahar, formerly known as the Hunt Award, as the top lineman in the Mountain State. Reid is the fifth Huff honoree for the Bulldogs.
“He’s probably the best one I’ve had since Steve Roach,” Walker said. “He’s as good as anyone I remember in recent memory.”
Roach, an assistant coach for the Bulldogs, won the Hunt in 2001.
He emulated Roach.
“When I came to Martinsburg,” Reid said, “I wanted to leave a footprint; I wanted people to know Rashad.
“I wanted to be one of the greats and be one of the best to play at Martinsburg.”
He succeeded in that regard.
Reid collected the Stydahar in a close vote over Princeton’s Eli Campbell. Others considered for the honor were Winfield’s Caleb Kuhl, Hurricane’s Daron Parks, Huntington’s Robbie Martin and Williamstown’s Aiden Corbett.
The additional finalists for the Huff included Ethan Holliday of Greenbrier West, Dylan Ours of Fairmont and Michael Lunsford of Cabell Midland.
Reid will be recognized at the 77th annual Victory Awards Dinner on May 5, 2024 at River City in Wheeling.
