Cyclones’ Pendleton is making his critics cringe

As I was leaving Eastern View’s 42-0 dismantling of Caroline Friday evening, I was stopped by a very excited Cavalier’s fan.

“Hey, reporter man,” he yelled. “Be sure to talk about Eastern View’s quarterback, he’s the real deal.”

Simon Pendleton has impressed this season.

I will admit, when EVHS coach Greg Hatfield made the decision to start the season with a seemingly untested sophomore quarterback, I was skeptical.

He had another quarterback on the roster that had led the junior varsity team to a winning record last year and Pendleton’s strength seemed to be his legs, not his arm.

That scouting report looks flawed now.

Pendleton has silenced his critics with pinpoint accuracy and an uncanny tendency to find the right receiver at the right time.

He has completed 85-of-176 passes for 1,308 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. That’s a completion percentage of 48.2 percent for a player that has faced stiff competition from
some of the toughest defenses in the region.

However, his best work has come against some of the worst defenses. In Eastern View’s four wins, which have come against opponents with a combined three wins (all by Culpeper),
Pendleton has thrown for 906 yards and 11 touchdowns.

So the only thing you can say at the moment is he lacks consistency. In the four Cyclone losses, Pendleton has thrown for 348 yards and two touchdowns, while throwing three picks.

As Hatfield says, Pendleton is still a work in progress, but the Sistine Chapel wasn’t built in a day, and a quarterback in his first year is a lot like a piece of art. A few brush strokes later, and Pendleton could be a masterpiece.

“He’s getting better, he’s studied the game and he’s worked to get better,” Hatfield said. “I think his best football is still in front of him.”

That could be a scary moment for the Battlefield District.

While the stats may not show it, his running has been one of the most impressive aspects of his game. The Cyclones’ spread offense gives the quarterback a chance to pick his opportunities to run, and Pendleton has capitalized on them. He’s carried the ball 105 times for 320 yards and eight touchdowns for a 3.04 yards per carry average.

That may not be Adrian Peterson-like, but Pendleton has had at least three games where he has lost nearly 30 yards in sacks. Take those away, and he’s looking at nearly 500 rushing yards.
A sign of a good player is he makes those around him better. It helps if you already have a talented group, and Pendleton’s receiving corps is one of the most talented I’ve ever seen in Class AA football. Drayton Shanks, V.J. Ivory, Conner Settle, Carl Lacy and Matt Case can all break a big play, all they need is for their quarterback to hit them in stride.

Pendleton’s poise in the pocket and ability to thread the needle is impressive now as a sophomore, imagine what it will be like once he gains more experience and puts on a few more pounds.
Did I fail to mention that the sophomore might weigh 150 pounds soaking wet with a brick in his back pocket?

He’s not exactly a menacing presence when he steps behind center, but Pendleton is proving you don’t have to be the size of a Peyton Manning to impress. You just have to work hard, have heart and be in the right program.

Then, you get to be called the real deal.