Lewis Won't Return in 2006

Bridgewater loses half of its star power at QB
By Doug Doughty - The Roanoke Times

Bridgewater's Timesland quarterbacking tandem of Jacob Lewis and Jeff Highfill is no longer.

Lewis, who started nine games for the Eagles in 2005 and passed for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns, is on pace for graduation this spring and has declined coach Mike Clark's invitation to return in 2006.

"For selfish reasons, I wanted him back," said Clark, whose Eagles finished 10-2 and captured their fifth straight ODAC championship. "But, it's like I told Jake, 'Hey, there's nothing wrong with declaring victory and moving on.'"

Lewis, a 2001 Cave Spring High graduate, signed a Division I-AA letter of intent with William and Mary but never played for the Tribe and left the team after two years. He did not go directly to Division III Bridgewater, and would have been eligible to play this coming season.

Lewis' father, Heydon, said he advised his son not to return when Clark would not guarantee he would go into the 2006 season as the starter.

Highfill, a rising junior from William Byrd, started in the Eagles' three Division III playoff games after Lewis was injured on the eve of the postseason opener against Washington and Jefferson.

Clark said Lewis never asked for an assurance he would start in 2006, "but there was no question, there was going to be competition," Clark said. "To come back and play a fifth year at this level, there are a lot of variables involved, and education is one of them. It's not like I'm paying his way. Jake even said, 'If there's indecision for any reason, coach, I shouldn't do this.'

"When Jacob got hurt toward the end of the year, it was a shame. Yet in that playoff run, I thought it was in the best interest of the team to ride Jeff out. It wouldn't have been fair to Jeff; it wouldn't have been fair to the team to say, 'Jacob, it's your job to lose.' I had two quarterbacks I could win a big game with. I'd still rather have one more than one less."

In Heydon Lewis' mind, the current situation was similar to 2004, when Lewis backed up Brandon Wakefield and received little sense that he could compete for the starting job.

"Football never went perfect for Jake," Clark said, "but I wrote him a note and told him, 'In your senior year, you led your team to a fifth championship.' Those are some of the memories he needs to take away from this."