Battlefield Notebook

Date published: 3/22/2006

By TAFT COGHILL JR.

A pair of Courtland High School football players have decided where they'll play next.

Senior running back Warner Williams committed to play at Bridgewater College in Harrisonburg after he was accepted there last week.

Fellow senior Dwayne Robinson, who was a second-team All-Group AA linebacker for the Cougars this past season, said he's "95 percent" sure he'll attend Fork Union Military Academy next year.

The duo helped lead Courtland to back-to-back Battlefield District titles. The Cougars were 9-3 this past season. Their season ended with a loss to Powhatan in the Region I, Division 4 playoffs.

Williams said he chose Bridgewater over Virginia State and Shenandoah.

"They have a really good program," Williams said. "I like what they do down there."

Williams said he likes Bridgewater's offense, which he said features a "straight-forward" running style, a difference from Courtland's Wing-T.

"The Wing-T was good to me, so I'm not going to complain," said Williams, who rushed for more than 2,500 yards in two seasons as a starter for the Cougars. "But I think this fits me better."

The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Robinson was selected to The Free Lance-Star's All-Area team this past season.

He said he's been strongly leaning toward attending Fork Union since the end of the high school season.

He's still awaiting word on the financial package that the school is going to offer, which is the only reason he said his decision isn't yet 100 percent.

The military school will allow Robinson to raise his Scholastic Aptitude Test scores and also work hard in the weight room.

"I want to take a little bit more time [before going to college]," Robinson said. "I want to build up my study habits and things of that nature."

Robinson got words of advice from one of Fork Union's former students: Courtland coach J.C. Hall.

Hall attended FUMA after he graduated from Courtland in 1989. He went on to James Madison University, where he played free safety.

Hall has a relationship with long-time FUMA coach John Shuman. He said Shuman was impressed with Robinson because he made the trip to the school for agility and strength testing even though he was under the weather.

Hall said that's the type of work ethic Robinson will need if he wants to reach his potential.

"He wants to be a Division I or I-AA player," Hall said. "This is the best place for that. Every year, on National Signing Day, they sign 15 or 20 kids to Division I scholarships."

With a record of 100-3, The James Monroe junior varsity girls basketball program has been the most successful one in the area over the last five years.

But next year, the Yellow Jackets will be missing one of the key components to that success.

Caroline County native Mary Boone was the head coach of the Yellow Jackets for three of those seasons.

Date published: 3/22/2006