Ben Cates
The acronym comes from Chris Moore's days as an assistant at Indiana Wesleyan. Now, the second-year Amherst coach is applying it to his Lancers, a team that shook off a 3-7 season one year ago and developed into a feared squad in the Seminole District and a playoff contender in Region 4D.
The acronym, CLIMB, stands for Constantly Living Inside My Best.
"This is requiring your best football, your best in the classroom with your grades, your best off the field and taking care of your body," Moore said. "We're just constantly trying to live our best and put your best forward for your school, your community and the team."
Amherst is on a climb. Heading into Friday's best-bet Seminole District matchup against Rustburg, the Lancers are 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the district. They've proven they can play with the district's best -- disrupting Liberty Christian's plans during a Week 4 matchup that saw them take an early lead and stay competitive in the first half, and sticking with Heritage in a thriller three weeks later that went to the wire, the outcome decided on the game's final play.
And Amherst has proven it belongs in the playoff conversation, too. The Lancers have won three of their last four, are currently seventh in the Virginia High School League's Region 4D playoff rankings, and face two critical tests against Rustburg and Jefferson Forest that could have postseason implications.
They've shown they're hungry. In a 52-27 win over Brookville last week, the Lancers put up 372 yards of total offense, leapt out to a 28-7 lead and pushed Bees skill players behind the sticks.
"Trying to climb our way out, push our way up every week to get better," Moore said.
Tres Liggon certainly knows about climbing back. The junior, a featured back in Amherst's offense who shares quarterback responsibilities with teammate Devonte Wade, was limited to just five games as a sophomore because of a season-ending injury. Now he's healthy, is part of a strong running corps that is churning up the yards, and is grateful to be back. Amherst coaches, meanwhile, are trying to create opportunities for him to showcase his talents.
"It was rough sitting on the sidelines watching my brothers play, not being able to help," Liggon said when the Seminole held its first-ever media day in August. "Cheering them on, of course, but I'm just ready to get back out there with them."
Amherst returned basically its entire offensive line from one year ago, and quarterback Devonte Wade has benefitted from the O-line's work. Wade has become known as one of the most gifted and hardest-working skill players in the district.
After Heritage earned a 31-24 win thanks to a score on its final offensive drive in Amherst earlier this month, Pioneers coach Brad Bradley had some special words for Wade. The senior had accounted for three touchdowns (one passing, two rushing), posted 77 rushing yards and 82 passing yards, and played hard on defense and special teams.
"Wade is probably the best competitor I've ever lined up against in my life," Bradley said. "He might not be the biggest, he might not be the strongest, but that dude -- on special teams, on offense, on defense -- is unbelievable. His toughness, his competitiveness is unbelievable."
After his team finished its final preparations for Rustburg on Thursday, Moore talked about Wade, who has found the ball in his hands more often as the season has rolled along.
In seven games, Wade has rushed for 667 yards and 11 touchdowns, thrown for 154 yards and two additional scores, has racked up more than 1,000 all-purpose yards thanks also to his return work on special teams, and sports 39 tackles (23 solo). Lat week, he rushed for 152 yards and accounted for four touchdowns.
Moore noted some Wade weight-room stats: cleaning 275 and squatting 450, for instance. The senior has always been shifty, and now is beginning to incorporate more "long speed" into his game.
"He just generates so much power," Moore said. "Trying to add that [long speed] to his game ... just step on the gas and go. One cut, get vertical and step on the gas. That's helped elevate his game. And he's been playing more quarterback. He's really poised under pressure and is a great improvisor."
Wade and Liggon have received a lot of help in the run game from shifty sophomore AJ Thomas (391 yards) and bruising back Nic'Khale Fleshman (296 yards), while senior Antonio Parrish is getting totes after returning from an injury.
In all, the Lancers have churned up more than 1,700 yards on the ground and are averaging better than 247 rushing yards per game.
"It makes it very fun to scheme every week," Moore said of his team's attacking options. "Sometimes you might get a little too creative. Really, your world is endless."
Then he said something similar to a statement Wade made after the game against Heritage, after the two teams had battered each other with particularly tough tackles and hits for 48 minutes. After that one, Wade said: "We were just having fun out there."
And the coach is having a blast, too. "I really love being around this team," he said. "They're so fun. They're a really fun team to coach."
They're also a team to watch down the stretch. If Amherst can eliminate some costly penalties, which Moore is focused on, then the offense can thrive and reach its full potential.
"We're trying to climb our way in the playoffs, climb in the Seminole standings," Moore said, "and see what happens."
Ben Cates, (434) 385-5527
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