COMANCHE — The Velma-Alma Comets (9-2) will be loading the buses and heading to Cashion Friday afternoon. The Wildcats are playing host to the second round Class A playoff game with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. Friday night.
Comet head coach Greg Gothard has had his hands full this week. Cashion, who comes into the game undefeated at 11-0, runs over 25 different offensive formations and that has kept the Comet coaching staff busy with preparation.
“We watched film over the weekend and had our ‘talking’ day Monday,” said Gothard. “The rest of the week is just trying to get as many repetitions against these different formations and plays.”
The Comets advanced to the second round after a solid beating of Hollis at home in the first game of the playoffs. Velma-Alma held Hollis is under 100 yards of total offense. Tanner Jenkins had a strong performance with 118 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, pacing the Comet offense in the 48-0 win.
Execution was a big key in the win and will play an even bigger role in Friday night’s game. Preparation throughout this week is another key factor according to Gothard.
“At the beginning of the year, we don’t really get tunnel-vision for our opponent until Thursday or Friday,” explained Gothard. “When you get to the playoffs, your season becomes a one-and-done deal, so you have to have that tunnel-vision on Monday.
“There’s not a day to waste because you have to assume they [Cashion] are not wasting any time getting ready, so neither can we.”
After watching game film, Gothard was impressed with the hustle of his team from kickoff till the finish. The Comets will need another performance come Friday night.
Gothard said he challenged his defense in the middle of the year to fly around and get to the ball. The Comets had struggled with tackling in the first half of the season and Gothard made sure his team focused on finishing the play.
“We have a ‘kill stick’, as we call it,” the coach said. “It’s a baseball bat and each week we write the number of the player that had the biggest hit in that game. They get to keep the stick for the week and it goes to the next player the next week. At the end of the year, we tally up the numbers and whoever had their number on the stick the most gets to keep it as a reward.”
The issue the team was having, though, was that the players were going for the big hit, but not allowing teammates to help finish the tackle.
Finishing the job will be a challenge this week as Cashion has some big athletes.
Wildcat quarterback Jeremy Seaton stands 6-foot-3, 220-pounds and has been an important part of the Cashion offense.
“They have a run-power attack with the quarterback as a threat,” said Gothard. “They are as equally as talented as Ringling and we’re going to have to play sound, fundamental football.”
The passing game was expected to be a bigger part of last Friday’s game, but Coach Gothard said the momentum his offense had running allowed them to keep grinding it out on the ground.
Credit the succecss of the offense to the play of the Comet offensive line. The Comets boast three outstanding rushers in Jenkins, Trenten Files and Tyler Smith, but it all starts up front.
“We try to eliminate defenses keeping eight or nine in the box,” Gothard said. “We have guys who can do some things with the ball after they catch it, but the way we were running it [Friday night], we didn’t feel the need to throw.
“If the defense stuffs our run and dictates the flow of the game, that’s when we get in trouble. But our offensive line has done a great job of getting better each week and that’s been evident with our run game.”
Coach Gothard said defensive coordinator Scott Combest has preached all season long about “grabbing another gear” once the Comets get to the playoffs. This week is no different as the Comets need to play their best game of the year on the road against the Wildcats.
“They are the real deal,” Gothard said. “They’re going to push us the full 48 minutes.”
If the Comets want to advance, they may need to grab another few gears.
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