By Mark Schmerling

They could have given up. They could have stubbornly stuck to the same strategy.

Instead, the Polk County Wolverines, in the second round of the state football playoffs, forced Reidsville to commit a host of penalties, to throw many incomplete passes, and use all its speed and muscle to win, 48-11, over three hours from Columbus on Friday evening.

Polk adjusted as well as possible to the size and speed of the Rams’ offensive and defensive lines, which created and closed holes, respectively, with fierce efficiency.

“They’re big and fast up front,” Polk coach Jamie Thompson observed.

The Wolverines’ season is over, while Reidsville, Owen, Asheville (3A) and Shelby, the only teams to defeat Polk this year, are all in the third round of the state tournament.

This Friday, Reidsville hosts 2013 state champion Shelby.

A banged-up Polk team took the field at Reidsville.

“Injuries finally caught up with us,” Thompson noted. Senior Jordan Smith was pulled from the Nov. 21 Lexington game, with a season-ending shoulder injury. At Reidsville, D.J. Twitty, gamely playing essentially on one leg, missed action, as did Storm Wheeler, Will Justice, Khiree Green, Tanner Garrett and starting quarterback Jamal Wheeler.

The Wolverines have taken to heart the team’s motto of “It’s We. It’s Us!” All season long, they’ve pulled for each other, believed in themselves and in their coaches.

“We’re blessed,” Thompson emphasized. “We have good kids. They work their tails off.”

He also pointed out that this year’s team included only four returning offensive starters, and just five returning defensive starters.

“I’m proud of our kids, and the season we had,” Thompson continued. On Friday, he noted, “They kept playing hard the whole game.”

Polk won the pre-game coin toss, electing to receive the opening kickoff. Jason Chupp took the kickoff at Polk’s 33, but was tackled immediately. Polk was unable to penetrate.

Reidsville, employing only running plays on its initial drive, scored first, with 6:45 left in the first quarter and barely made the point after, following a bad snap and possible deflection.

The Rams’ kickoff went to Chupp, who took the ball clear to the Reidsville 36. Polk eventually turned the ball over on downs at the Rams’ 37.

This time, Polk’s defense shut down the Rams, and forced them to punt. Polk’s next drive featured a completion from Jamal Wheeler to Chupp, but the Wolverines, facing fourth and nine, punted.

In the second quarter, the Rams took the ball all the way, on the ground. They scored again, to lead, 20-0.

However, after Polk’s defense forced another Reidsville punt attempt, the Wolverines got even better field position, when a bad snap toward the punter, and Jason Chupp’s tackle of a Ram player at the Rams’ 11 gave Polk great field position. Unable to advance, Polk went for a 27-yard field goal, with Davis Derkach coming through.

Reidsville added another TD, on a run by Jawan Hammock, to go up, 28-3.

With just 34 seconds left in the half, Jamal Wheeler, brilliantly eluded tacklers for a 66-yard TD run. He added two points on a keeper, to close the gap to 28-11.

In the second half, Reidsville was able to hold off the Wolverines, who continued to lose players to injuries. Tanner Garrett replaced Jamal Wheeler at quarterback. Late in the game, Garret was hurt, giving freshman Dillion Overholt a chance. Overholt responded with a 23-yard completion to Chupp.

The season is over, but players’ memories will endure.