DigitalSports catches up with coach Marvin Bridges after John Marshall upset Patrick Henry 27-21 in Ashland.
Biggest win ever?: “That’s probably the biggest I’ve ever had there.” It’s Bridges fourth year at JM. “It’s rolling by fast.”
What did it feel like to get the win: “To be truthful, I really couldn’t believe it. I had to wait until the clock ticked to 0. I had to see the zeros across the clock. To play a team as strong as Patrick Henry, and for your team to finish the way we did, that was a great feeling for me. Like I won the lottery.
“Patrick Henry just wasn’t one of the teams that I really thought we could beat on paper. When we saw the film of the game, we studied the tape. If they’re disciplined enough they can beat anybody.”
Did you have to discipline players before the contest?: “Randall Braxton didn’t start. Two linemen didn’t play (Brandon Brooks and Lloyd Wright). Randall got in after the first quarter. He made a big impact once he got in the game.
“I have to start somewhere, and if punishing my starters will get a message over to my underclassmen, that’s what we need to do.”
What does this do for the program: “The guys were crying, everybody felt that victory. WE HAVE TO continue on. We haven’t beaten Mills Godwin since I’ve been around. Back there in the 90s is probably the last time,
What did you do differently?: “We actually did some real coaching this past Friday. I told them that
we’re doing too much watching the game instead of coaching the game.
They had them in their sections, showing them what we needed to do. We were making adjustments instead of complaining. We saw Patrick Hnery as being another team. A lot of times kids get carried away when you talk about [Adrian] Cavanaugh, you talk about [Jamison] Kenney. We just have to seem them as 11 other players that are trying to win a game.”
Message for JM faithful?: “Come out and support your team. We have a good team. When the kids see
them out there rooting them on they play harder. The fans that do come
and our band are our biggest supoorters, we just like for them to come
on out, wear theat blue and white. We still have a slim chance of reaching the goal that we set for outselves.
How do you stay focused?: “We’re not going to get carried away because we beat Patrick Henry. Hopefully some things will happen on the other end to put us in the thick of things. My sons are my biggest supporters, They celebrate when we win and they hurt when we lose.”
– Stephen M. Lewis
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