Cavs offense a united family

By Cody Dalton

Abraham Lincoln once said in a famous speech, “United we stand, divided we fall”.

This very same motto holds true with the offense of the UVA-Wise Highland Cavalier football team.

On Oct. 21, the Cavs landed a 52-38 victory of Pikeville College, their first win over Pikeville in five seasons. That victory gave the Cavs a 6-2 record on the season, the most wins the team has had since 2001, when the Cavaliers went 6-4. The real reason for this vaunted success is the family that the UVA-Wise players have created on offensive side of the ball.

“We are always there to pick each other up when any of us gets down,” said Kendon Doe, a sophomore wide receiver for the Cavs. “We all understand that we are here as a team and not as individuals. We all have a role that we must play and that is why we are a good team.”

Doe, a Business Administration major, has become the favorite target of quarterback Randy Hippeard, with 44 catches for 723 yards and seven touchdowns, in a balanced offense that leads the country in total offense in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

“I feel like we are a close family on the offensive side of the ball,” said sophomore quarterback Randy Hippeard. “We wouldn’t be able to do any of it without the five guys upfront busting their tails on every play to let us get the yards we do. I think most of our success on offense comes a lot from us being such a close group.”

The Cavs have seemed to develop their chemistry not only on the practice field and in game situations, but off the field in their own social atmosphere, that enables them to get closer to one another and become an even better cohesive unit.

“I love my relationship with the guys,” said junior running back Ra’Shad Morgan, the team’s leading rusher. “We are all a pretty tight-knit group. We trust each other on the field and outside of football we hang out a lot.”

Because of the on and off-field chemistry that the team has developed, along with a mounted passing and running game, the Cavaliers have become an extremely dangerous team for opposing defenses to try and stop.

“We like to call ourselves the four headed monster just for fun,” said freshman wide receiver Matt Barbour, when talking about his relationship with fellow teammates Herb Watson, Randy Hippeard, and Kendon Doe.

“We always work with Randy to find better ways to run routes and get off the ball. We are like brothers on the team.”

Because of the chemistry that the team holds, Morgan and Hippeard have been able to attain personal success. Hippeard has thrown for over 2,400 yards and Morgan broke the 1,000 yard mark on Oct. 14 against Shorter (Ga.). Hippeard recently broke the Cavaliers single game passing mark against Pikeville with a 439 yard, five touchdown passing performance.

In the running game, Morgan needs 13 more touchdowns in just three games to tie the NAIA record for touchdowns in a season. That record is held by Jo Jo Jones of Lambuth (TN.) and Roger Butler of Tabor (KS.), who both had 32 touchdowns in their respective seasons. Jones set the record in 1994, while Butler tied it 2005.

“While personal records are nice to have, I try not to get too caught up in them,” said Morgan. “I am happy as long as the team is winning games.”

It is safe to say that the team unity that has been established on offense, as well as the selfless attitude that the entire team has taken, has allowed the Cavaliers to flourish on the gridiron this season.

“There is no I in this team and there is no ‘M’ or ‘E’ in victory,” said Doe. “We have a good team and we hope to go even further than last year, and most importantly, have a lot of fun at the same time.”

(October 23, 2006)