Playoffs Begin

LONE GROVE SHORTHORNS

Happy Playoff Week everyone!  This week The Jackets travel South to play the Lone Grove Shorthorns.  

Now, I don’t have to tell you what happens when you assume.  Well, I kind of made an assumption earlier this week that, outside of Heritage Hall, District 3A-2 was trash.  I shouldn’t have done that and I apologize.  If I would have just waited until I watched a few of their games, I could have gathered facts and data to make an educated statement.  So, I watched three of their games trying to find something that disproved my premature assumption.  Let me tell you folks, I never found it.  I couldn’t believe my eyes!  These guys really finished 2nd and earned home field advantage?  This is the 2nd best team in district 2?  I’m still in shock.  I had to double check to make sure I wasn’t watching Mountain St Mary vs. Mannford.  I almost felt bad for these guys, then I remembered they chose Longhorns as a mascot, so they asked for it.

Lone Grove Offense:  

Their main priority is to establish the run with RB #23 & QB #16.  Unfortunately, their OL isn’t very big and they will have to use all 5 of them (plus a TE 7/or FB most of the time) to try and slow down Harry, Jake & Wrigley.  If they concentrate too much on slowing down those three, then Aaron, Tanner, Cade & Ethan will be able to drop hammers in the gaps they are filling.  Once they figure out that they can’t run on us, they will try to start throwing the ball.  They throw a lot of WR screens like they have Drake Stoops suited up.  Unfortunately for them, they do not, they have #13, #14 & #24, which drop more than they catch.  When they learn that doesn’t work against us either, #16 will start trying to throw downfield.  From what I saw in their film, 1 of 3 things happen when he throws downfield.  1. He doesn’t get it close enough to a receiver for them to catch it, 2. It hits them in the skillets and they drop it, or 3.  Ok, just kidding, there’s only two things that can happen.  I truly see a great opportunity for the Jacket Defense to pitch another shutout.

Lone Grove Defense:

It doesn’t get much better for LG on the defensive side of the ball.  I spent a lot of my time watching the DL, as I was wanting to see how much push and/or pressure they were able to get.  When I watched them against Anadarko, I gave them the benefit of the doubt, because Anadarko’s OL is large.   So, I watched them against Pauls Valley and Sulphur and saw the same thing.  These guys were not able to get any push into the backfield.  Yes, #55 had a couple TFL’s, but on both instances, he was not touched by an offensive player until he was making the tackle.  With the way our line has improved week to week this year, I don’t see Jax getting pressured too much this week.  Not only that, all three of the teams I watched them play were able to move them where they wanted, so there were huge holes for the opposing run games.  When you give Dallen huge holes and Jax time to pass, it spells trouble for a defense.  I believe Dallen will have another huge rushing line and Jax will have his best game passing this year.  

Lone Grove MVP?

I haven’t picked an MVP for the losing team before, but I feel if the shorthorns have any shot this week, their MVP will need to be #13.  Yes, the WR, but I’m not giving him the MVP for his receiving abilities. I’m giving him MVP because he is also the punter.  In the games I watched, he had a pretty good leg, and if they want to stay in this game, they will have to rely on field position, which only he can provide them.  Also, if you guys remember a couple years ago, Kingfisher had a guy by the name of Cade Stephenson (currently a D1 RB), who was also our punter. He would survey the defense before kicking and decide to either kick it or take off running, which resulted in many 1stdown or TD runs.  Well, #13 couldn’t hold Cade’s jock, but he looks the defense over before he kicks (like Cade) and if we aren’t paying attention, he could take advantage and catch us with our shorts down.  We must be disciplined on 4th down and keep our eyes on him.

KINGFISHER – 34

LONE GROVE - 13