James Monroe is no stranger to the postseason on the gridiron.
Prior to the start of the football season this year, the Mavericks were riding a three-year playoff run which included a berth in the Class A state championship game in 2022.
However, making it four playoff appearances in a row was by no means a given.
Under the new four-class system instituted for football, James Monroe moved back up to Class AA for 2024, but that was not the biggest roadblock.
Hit hard by graduation, the Mavericks started the season with an abundance of youth and for the most part, limited inexperience.
As the saying goes, the task at hand was no hill for a climber.
Securing a crucial win over Bluefield in the final week of the regular season, James Monroe galloped back into the playoff picture.
The No. 14-rated Mavericks will now travel to Coal City Friday night at 7 p.m. to face No. 3 rated Independence.
While all playoff berths are special, earning a spot in the postseason this year was clearly a little extra special for veteran head coach John Mustain and his staff.
“We started off 0-2 and we have a lot of youth on this team that is playing some key roles for us on both sides of the ball,” Mustain said. “I always tell people it is youth/inexperience because we have some juniors and seniors that this is the first year they have started. Not to say they didn’t play at all last year, but there is a pretty big difference between knowing you will be starting and being a spot player. I am pretty tickled with the way they kept fighting.”
After dropping the first two games of the season, James Monroe ran off six straight wins before getting derailed at Petersburg. Standing in the way of the Mavericks’ playoff dreams was historic Class AA power Bluefield and the battle would take place at Mitchell Stadium.
In a win or go home scenario for the Monroe County boys, the start could not have been much worse. Multiple first-half turnovers put them in a 20-7 hole.
Just when the dream of a fourth straight playoff appearance appeared to be fading, James Monroe fought back to take a 28-20 win.
“That is the part of the game that I was most pleased with. Whether we would have ended up winning or not, it is the fact that we fought back,” Mustain said. “With a young team, when they get down, sometimes it’s hard to get them to keep working at it and stay in the game.”
The Mavericks are led by four-year senior starters Layton Dowdy under center and Brady Baker, who is a Division-I prospect on the line.
Dowdy has combined for over 1,300 yards and 18 touchdowns, but James Monroe is far from a one-man show.
Brock Parker is a powerhouse runner and Ben Comer provides quickness for a change-of-pace back. Ryan Mann and Kadyn Hines are both athletic targets that can make big plays.
Now James Monroe faces an even bigger hill in regards to earning a win over the explosive Patriots.
“They have a lot of talent and they are really good up front. Just very similar to what they have been the last four of five years during this run they have been on,” Mustain said. They are well coached. I have known (Independence head coach) John (Lilly) for years and, of course, I have known (assistant coach) Kevin (Grogg) back to the days of Wyoming East.”
Freshman quarterback Brock Green has looked well above his years this season throwing for 1,611 yards and 12 touchdowns. Junior Sylas Nelson paces the ground game with 1,293 yards and Christian Linksweiler is the top target with 641 yards and six touchdowns. Dalton Adkins and Brady Rose have also been on Green’s hit list this season.
“Brock is very good. Ironically, this will be the third game in a row we have faced a freshman quarterback and let me tell you, all three of them are pretty darn good,” Mustain said. “Brock is the type of player that you can’t say, well he is a freshman, because he doesn’t look like a freshman. It is another example of an athletic kid with a coach in the family. Sometimes that can make a big difference in a kid.”
Wins in the postseason often come down to turnovers, which James Monroe has struggled with in its losses. However, slowing down the big play Patriots is what the veteran coach sees as a big key to the contest.
“The first thing that comes to my mind against a really good team like Independence is we have to play good defense,” Mustain said. “They do so many things so well.”
The winner of Friday’s game with advance to the quarterfinals where it will meet the winner of No. 6 Philip Barbour and No. 11 Clay County next week.
