Hardaway finishes regular season with matchup against Shaw

Hardaway running back Marco Lee is one of the top running backs in the state and has the rushing yards to prove it. On Friday, the Shaw Raiders will be the next to try and slow the senior down.

Hardaway (3-6, 2-4) and Shaw (1-8, 0-6) close out the regular season with a Region 1-4A showdown at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Kinnett Stadium. While the Hawks’ playoff hopes hang by a thread, the game will very likely be the end of the 2017 campaign for both teams.

The Hawks’ 38-31 loss to Carver last Friday was a tough blow as they tried to reach the postseason for the first time since 2010. Hardaway has lost three games by one possession this season, with a fourth against Northside barely excluded thanks to a late Patriots touchdown that made it a 10-point game.

Despite the latest setback, Hardaway head coach Michael Woolridge believes his team won’t be sleepwalking against Shaw.

“Our kids are ready to play. They haven’t quit,” Woolridge said. “This (game) could propel us into next season because we’ve got a lot of kids coming back.”

One who won’t return is Lee, who leads Class 4A with 1,455 rushing yards and is 15th in the entire state, according to Woolridge. Lee’s big runs have finally caught some colleges’ attentions, including Western Kentucky, Coastal Carolina, Jacksonville State and East Tennessee State.

Woolridge talked highly of what Lee brings to the table, as did Shaw head coach Al Pellegrino.

“I think they have one of the best backs in the state,” Pellegrino said. “Marco is head and shoulders above everybody around here. He’s a big, strong back, and he’s hard to bring down.”

Pellegrino’s debut season as Shaw head coach hasn’t been ideal, but he said he’s pleased with the growth he’s seen. Freshman quarterback Wason Davis has played about 70 percent of the season and has often had two fellow freshman running backs lined up alongside him. Another freshman, Derrick Kelley, has shown his explosiveness in returning kicks for the team.

The Raiders’ youth paired with the play of upperclassmen like junior offensive lineman Brendan Willeford and senior linebacker Chance Averett have impressed their head coach.

“Over the process of the season, our younger kids have really started to develop and play vital roles,” Pellegrino said. “These (freshmen) are going to be way ahead going into next season when they come in as 10th graders.”

For Pellegrino, the Raiders must limit Lee as much as possible. Pellegrino said he knows Lee will get his yards here and there, but the key will be not allowing the breakaway runs that the senior has pulled off time and again. To do that, the Raiders’ defense must consistently swarm to the football and take advantage of any penalties or turnover opportunities.

Pellegrino explained that playing well against the Hawks can go a long way as the Raiders gear up for 2018.

“Anytime you can complete your season with a victory, it takes you into the next year,” Pellegrino said. “I’ve told the kids that I’m not worried about the Ws and the Ls right now; I’m worried about the process we’re going through and if we’re improving each week.

“I’m not really worried about getting the W, although that would be nice to have.”

This story was originally published November 2, 2017 at 2:54 PM with the headline "Hardaway finishes regular season with matchup against Shaw."