Ali does it all in Woodrow over East

By Gary Fauber
Assistant Sports Editor

Tue, May 13 2008

— John H. Lilly turned the floor over to Marquel Ali. Apparently, the Woodrow Wilson speedster said the right things.
Despite the fact the Flying Eagles were up 14-0 at halftime, Ali gave an impassioned speech at the break. And even though Greenbrier East was able to hang around into the fourth quarter, Ali and Co. dominated the game’s final 11:14 for a 35-14 win Friday night at Van Meter Stadium.
Ali had a big night on both sides against Woodrow’s rival. Offensively, he carried the ball 27 times for 266 yards and three touchdowns. On defense, he had two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
The first pick was made in the end zone on the last play of the second half.
After that, Ali had quite an impact in the locker room.
“I told them this is our senior year and we have to win three games just to make the playoffs,” said Ali, displeased even with a two-touchdown lead at halftime.
“He’s been our workhorse all year,” Lilly, Woodrow’s veteran coach, said. “He came in at halftime and said he wasn’t going to lose to Greenbrier East his senior year. I really didn’t have to say much.”
Ali scored on runs of 1, 9 and 46 yards. His 9-yard run came after the Spartans (2-6) got to within 21-14 on a 46-yard TD by John Gadomski. Ali’s 46-yarder happened just two plays after he had ended a Greenbrier East drive with an interception, his second of the game.
Ali benefited from the productive nights of fellow rushers Blaine Mayo and Josh Pryor. Mayo finished with 96 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown with 5:58 to play, and Pryor had 26 yards on six carries. Woodrow (4-4) outgained the Spartans 412-252.
“They do much better when they work together,” Lilly said.
“That makes it a lot easier,” Ali said. “And the offensive line was blocking their butts off.”
The Eagles went up 7-0 on Josh Williams’ 4-yard run with 7:35 left in the first quarter, then Ali’s 1-yarder made it 14-0 with 9:45 to play before the break.
But the Spartans began to make it a game in the third quarter. They were able to keep Woodrow’s offense off the field with a seven-play drive that began when Gadomski recovered a fumble by Ali at the East 43.
Nathan Lilly capped it off with a 9-yard TD. Gadomski ran in the two-point conversion to make it 14-8 with 7:26 to play.
Woodrow, in turn, played the same game, running nine plays on the ensuing drive. Ali’s 9-yard scoring run put the Eagles ahead 21-8.
East stayed close on the next series, with Gadomski’s 46-yard run making it a seven-point game with 11:14 to play.
But that’s when Ali took over, coming up with an interception and fumble recovery to end any chance of a Spartan comeback.
“That’s been our M.O. all year,” second-year East coach Mike Michaels said of his team’s slow start. “For the life of us we just can’t seem to get over the hump. I feel bad for the kids.”
“I give credit to Greenbrier East,” Lilly said. “They had a good offensive game plan and it worked a couple of times.”
Gadomski finished with 86 yards on 11 carries and Lilly 81 on nine carries for the Spartans, who host Princeton next Friday.
The Eagles, who snapped a three-game losing streak, were rated No. 19 going in. They visit No. 1 George Washington next Friday before closing out the regular season Nov. 2 at home against Spring Valley.
— E-mail: gfauber@
register-herald.com
Woodrow Wilson 35,
Greenbrier East 14
GE (2-6) 0 0 8 6 — 14
WW (4-4) 7 7 7 14 — 35
First Quarter
WW: Josh Williams 4 run (Adam Cook kick), 7:35.
Second Quarter
WW: Marquel Ali 1 run (Cook kick), 9:45.
Third Quarter
GE: Nathan Lilly 9 run (John Gadomski run), 7:26.
WW: Ali 9 run (Cook kick), 2:47.
Fourth Quarter
GE: Gadomski 46 run (run failed), 11:14.
WW: Blaine Mayo 3 run (Cook kick), 5:58.
WW: Ali 46 run (Cook kick), 3:35.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — GE: Gadomski 11-86, Lilly 9-81, Jonathan Cosby 6-30, Jacob Coleman 7-29, Brandon Dolan 7-26. WW: Ali 27-266, Mayo 12-96, Josh Pryor 6-26, Williams 4-15, Kevin Starkey 5-2.
PASSING — GE: Dolan 0-3-2-1. WW: Starkey 1-4-0-7.
RECEIVING — GE: none. WW: Tyler Bowyer 1-4.
TURNOVERS — GE: Gadomski (FR). WW: Ali (FR, 2 INT), David Allen (2 FR).