ABERDEEN — The cradle action looks natural to Channing Ward.
The Aberdeen High School senior defensive lineman sits on the couch in Chris Duncan’s office and practices his grip. He clutches the football to chest and he lowers it to his waist as the conversation about him continues.
It’s almost as if Ward is picturing a run he will make in the coming weeks to lead the Aberdeen High football team back to Jackson and a shot at the Class 3A state title.
Ward made an impressive debut toting the football Friday, rushing for two touchdowns and catching another touchdown pass to lead Aberdeen to a 63-0 victory against South Pontotoc in the regular-season finale.
For his accomplishment, Ward is The Dispatch’s Prep Player of the Week.
“It felt good,” Ward said. “Knowing the team is having trouble scoring, it felt good to help the team get touchdowns.”
The victory gave Aberdeen (6-5) momentum as it prepares for its Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 3A North State playoff opener against Velma Jackson at 7 p.m. Friday in Aberdeen. The winner of that game will advance to face the winner of the Belmont-Charleston game on Nov. 11.
Ward, who is a fixture at defensive tackle and a tight end, didn’t find out he was going to get a chance to play running back until about two hours before the start of the game. When he found out, Ward thought his coaches were joking with him. Come gametime, though, they were dead serious.
“I had to get in there and take advantage of all the chances you can get with the ball,” Ward said.
At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, Ward presents an imposing figure out of the backfield. With better speed than you would figure for a defensive lineman, Ward also has the athleticism to move well in space and to make plays, which is why Duncan opted to move Ward to the backfield.
He hopes Ward can produce like he did Friday against South Pontotoc and give the team another weapon it can use on its march back to Jackson.
“We needed a spark on offense, so we went ahead and put him in at tailback,” Duncan said. “He mad plays for us, so we’re going to continue to do it for the rest of the year.”
Duncan said the playoffs aren’t a time to try new things, so the coaches opted to have Ward get a test run in a game and not have to rely only on practice.
Duncan said Ward has to learn some of the little things — like carrying out fakes — to help make the offense more effective. He hopes it will be easier to get Ward the ball at tailback because opponents are able to double-team him and take him out of the offense.
“Running the ball well opens up the passing game and play-action pass and stuff like that, so we hope (playing Ward at running back) makes the who offense better,” Duncan said. “They have to prepare to stop him running the ball, and it leaves ‘Bull’ (senior Justin Lucas) open at fullback an the other guys open when we throw the ball. Overall, it makes us a better football team.”
Ward said eighth grade is the last time he remembers playing running back. He also played on defense, too, and eventually transitioned to more of a defensive player. When he reached the varsity team at Aberdeen High, he admitted to missing playing running back, but having someone like Jamerson Love at running back can help make it easier to focus on a new position.
“It is just playing football,” Ward said. “People think it is a hard thing, but you just have to go out there and play and give it your all. You can’t go out there worrying about it and worrying about it.”
Ward was pleased his play provided a spark for his team. He felt the team got better and better Friday and hopes his debut at running back is just the start of something that pushes the Bulldogs to the top of their game.
“I hope it takes us a long way in the playoffs,” Ward said. “If I have to run it in the playoffs to lead our team to a championship, that’s what I will do. If they are keying on me, that will open other lanes for other people.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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