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Former Copley player making an impression with eight touchdowns
By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Friday, Nov 30, 2007
ALLIANCE: To many casual observers, Mount Union wide receiver Bryson Davis seemed to come out of nowhere last week in the Purple Raiders' 59-7 demolishing of visiting College of New Jersey in the second round of the Division III Playoffs.
Overshadowed most of his career by fellow senior receiver Pierre Garcon, the former Copley High School standout racked up 188 yards on six receptions, along with three touchdowns.
Those kind of gaudy numbers usually belong to Mount's big-play man Garcon, a two-time winner of the Sherman Award, given to the Ohio Athletic Conference's most outstanding receiver.
But with Garcon well covered by multiple defenders and Davis open on several long routes, he showed the team's fans he can do one heck of a Garcon impression.
Consider Davis' first touchdown, a 22-yard score.
''I looked up field and saw I wasn't going to make it if I didn't jump,'' Davis said. ''So I thought of Pierre in last year's Stagg Bowl and leapt toward the corner just like he did, using the ball to swipe the pylon.''
Just like the call in the Pur
ple Raiders' Stagg Bowl victory last season, the creative play was called a touchdown in this year's playoffs, as well. And by the end of the day, Davis had pushed his season total to eight touchdowns — just two behind team-leader Garcon.
''When we watch tape on a team, we can usually tell right away if they double cover their opponent's best receiver,'' Davis said. ''And when they do, our coaches will tell me to be ready to expect more balls headed to my side.''
Bryson wouldn't mind if that were the case again Saturday in third-round action at Mount Union Stadium, as the undefeated Purple Raiders (12-0) finally face a familiar opponent in New York's St. John Fisher (11-1).
Although the Cardinals were tossed from the playoffs last year by Mount Union 26-14 in the semifinal round, this season marks the fifth in a row that the Cardinals have advanced to postseason play.
As a more experienced team that has faced the Raiders before, the Cardinals are unlikely to be as wide-eyed as both Ithaca and CNJ were in their first meetings with Mount Union in this season's first- and second-round playoff games, respectively.
''I think it's helpful for any team to have past experience to draw from,'' Mount Union coach Larry Kehres said. ''St. John Fisher was in the playoffs a year ago and gave us an excellent game. They have some of the same personnel back, and I'm sure they'll draw from that experience as any team would.''
St. John Fisher's 17-year coach Paul Vosburgh agrees that having played the Purple Raiders last year will undoubtedly help his team this time around.
''Our kids know what it's like to play the best team in the country,'' he said.
''They got a taste of what it takes to move up to the next level. You can read about Mount Union and watch the Stagg Bowl, but until you step onto the field and play that level of competition, you truly don't know what it's all about.''
As Vosburgh continued to talk highly of the back-to-back champion Purple Raiders, it didn't take long for him to bring up the inevitable: How to defend Garcon.
''That Garcon kid is a big-play threat,'' Vosburgh said. ''He can go vertically, but he also make plays on screens and on short passing plays. But Mount also has other players that if you don't watch them, they will hurt you, too.''
That would be guys like Davis, who needs just two more touchdowns to move out of the shadows of his good buddy Garcon.
Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.
ALLIANCE: To many casual observers, Mount Union wide receiver Bryson Davis seemed to come out of nowhere last week in the Purple Raiders' 59-7 demolishing of visiting College of New Jersey in the second round of the Division III Playoffs.
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