By Mike London
mlondon@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY – Ethan Winn did nothing but win in high school, so Catawba’s 16-23 record during his college career has been unexpected.
Catawba’s record in SAC games during Winn’s time as an Indian fell to 8-18 with Saturday’s 34-28 overtime loss at Wingate, and that’s really hard to stomach because Catawba could’ve beaten Wingate or Mars Hill or Newberry with one more explosive offensive play or one more defensive stop on third down.
And if Catawba wins two of those three, it’s still in the hunt for a piece of the SAC championship and a berth in the D-II playoffs in what has become a wide-open, parity-filled season.
“We’ve been close,” Catawba coach Chip Hester said. “So close.”
The 6-foot-4, 295-pound Winn has been a big part of the Indians at least being close except in the Carson-Newman game. Offensive line coach Brian Hinson moved Winn to center last spring.
“I’d always played guard or tackle, but Coach Hinson said playing center would make us better,” Winn said. “It’s been an adjustment.”
Winn came to Catawba from Gretna High in Virginia, where the navy-and-gold Hawks are traditional winners and have claimed five state championships in the past nine seasons. Winn was an All-State lineman on two of those state championship teams.
A Gretna coach grew up with former Catawba assistant Matt Barrett, and that connection led to the Hawks attending Catawba’s summer camp every year.
Gretna’s battles with Davie County became an annual camp highlight, and Catawba coaches were impressed by Winn and Winn’s cousin – 6-foot-5 Bennett Fulper. Winn’s mother and Fulper’s mother are sisters, and they grew up together like brothers.
“The coaches watched us in drills and against Davie, and they offered me one day at lunch,” Winn said. “It was my first offer, and I’d always liked coming to Catawba’s camp since I was in eighth grade, so I accepted.”
Catawba also offered Fulper and may have gotten him as well, but Maryland came into the picture late. Fulper has started often at center and guard for the Terrapins.
Winn didn’t have the luxury of a redshirt year – Catawba needed him in eight games in 2009 – so he has only three games left in his career. He remains optimistic that Catawba can still go 3-0 for a winning season.
Hester said Winn and right guard Taylor Fender played exceptionally well at Wingate.
“We challenged the offensive line to have a 100-yard rusher and they got that done,” Hester said.
Catawba freshman Xavier Bond rushed for 112 yards and freshman QB B.J. Sherrill was sacked only once.
“We had that big day against Tusculum and we had nice runs against Mars Hill,” Winn said. “We had some more good runs for scores in the red zone on Saturday. I thought the O-line as a whole played well, we’ve just got to do it more consistently.”
Senior middle linebacker Cory Johnson is rowing in the same boat as Winn.
He also came to Catawba with a track record of serious winning. His final high school outing was the 2008 4AA title game. His Fayetteville Jack Britt squad fell 38-35 to Richmond County, but Johnson was named Britt’s defensive MVP.
He’s piled up tackles like autumn leaves at Catawba, leading the team in 2009 as a true freshman and again in 2010. He was second in 2011, and he’s the overwhelming leader in tackles this season with 96. A career-high 20 came Saturday at Wingate. He also forced a fumble.
Catawba’s career record for tackles is 401 and was set by John Williams in 1996. Johnson has 327, so he’ll finish among the program’s all-time leaders.
You get the feeling, however, that he’d trade all those stops for another win or two.
“Everyone’s been giving it their all, and that’s coaches and players,” Johnson said. “We’re a young team, but no excuses. We’re making some good plays, but we’re just not executing all the way. Four or five plays decide every game. This week we’ve got to make them.”
Johnson isn’t kidding when he says Catawba is young.
The 44-man, two-deep depth chart includes 20 true freshmen or redshirt freshmen. Catawba frequently has an all-freshmen offensive backfield.Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. game against North Greenville (2-6) is homecoming. North Greenville is not the bully it was a year ago, so it’s one more opportunity for the Indians to pick up a win.
“The key is a putting points on the board early and getting a better start,” Winn said. “Last week, we look up after six minutes, and it’s 14-0. The week before that, it’s 21-0. If we get off to a good start, we can play our game.”
Pencil in Johnson for 20 tackles – and zero regrets. Every ounce of him will be left on Kirkland Field at Shuford Stadium.
“Cory has been a passionate player for us,” Hester said. “As great a football player as he is, his emotional leadership overrides everything else.”