By RANDY CAVIN
Press Sports
There is no time like the present.
For one county high school football team, that means trying to make the playoff scene, with another one trying to improve on its playoff position and a third wants to play spoiler.
Westview is fighting for its life right now to get back into the playoff picture after losing three consecutive games. Gleason is in the playoffs as of the Week 8 projections, looking at a No. 5 seed in Quad 3. Greenfield is still searching for its second win of the season and will have a golden opportunity on Friday to get it.
Dresden has an open date as the Lions prepare for a major showdown against Huntingdon next week. That game will decide the District 13A championship.
Westview desperately needs to get back into the win column, and the Chargers will have a chance to do that and correct some issues on both sides of the ball. The Chargers (3-5, 2-3) will be hosting a winless Gibson County team that has lost 41 consecutive games.
The Pioneers are only scoring 11 points per game while giving up 44.5 in each contest. This is a prime time for the Chargers to flex their muscles on offense and work out some kinks in the running game. Head coach Don Coady loves the running game, but it has been struggling lately. The Chargers are only averaging 49 yards on the ground in the last two games.
While the running game has been a non-factor on the offensive side of the ball, the run defense has been non-existent. Westview’s young defense has given up 289.5 yards on the ground the last two weeks against Dyersburg and Crockett County.
Coady said after last week’s loss to Crockett County he is trying to get his kids to understand what he and his coaching staff are trying to do. The kids should have plenty of opportunities to understand what the coaching staff wants against the Pioneers.
Quan Williams will have plenty of chances to get some big gains on Friday and quarterback Ryne Vinson will be looking to keep improving on his passing game with his group of talented receivers. The Pioneers can expect to see plenty of Javier Gordon, Beau Kelly, R.J. Scott and Ty Brown on Friday.
After Gleason put a scare in the Lions’ undefeated season before letting one slip away last week, the Bulldogs can be expected to come out on Friday with a world of determination at Scotts Hill.
Gleason was doing all the right things and carried a 14-0 lead midway through the second quarter against Dresden before the Lions stiffened on defense and scored 23 unanswered points.
Although some may consider it a moral victory against the Lions, that term is not in head coach Noah Lampkins’ vocabulary.
The 4-4 Bulldogs have a positive attitude about their performance against Dresden, especially on defense. Lampkins had his defense playing extremely well with the front line fighting off blocks and not letting Devan Raymer break free for any big gains. The only slip-up was Colter Swafford’s 47-yard scoring run in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs should be able to contain the running game of the Lions of Scotts Hill on Friday. The Lions are only averaging 87 yards on the ground with Oscar Segura as their leading rusher with 46 yards per game.
Gleason’s Will Clark, Kyle Williams and Chase Ezell will have plenty of opportunities to run the ball against Scotts Hill. The offensive line should be able to give Tanner Trevathan plenty of time to find his receivers.
Greenfield has had its problems stopping the run this season, and Friday’s game at home against Riverside may not be any different. The Panthers racked up 277 yards on the ground in their 49-21 loss against Trinity Christian Academy. But in their loss to Dresden the Panthers were only able to gain 22 yards on the ground.
This game is purely for pride for the Yellowjackets (1-7) and a win over the Panthers (2-6) will hurt Riverside’s chances of making the playoffs.
With each game, the young ’Jackets get more and more experience and learn from their mistakes.
If the line on both sides of the ball can control the trenches, then head coach Don Pitt may get his second win this season. Austin Pence needs to have a good game running the ball and Jeffery Johnson needs to have the time in the pocket to find his receivers.
instead of having to scramble outside. Published in The WCP 10.18.12